OUR SERVICES
Niamh is an experienced Clinical Psychologist. She specialises in helping her clients to manage their anxieties.
FOR ADELAIDE HILLS RESIDENTS
Niamh enjoys working in all aspects of clinical psychology and advocates for making mental health and wellbeing services more accessible for residents of the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula. During the COVID19 pandemic, Niamh has extended her practice to include general adult clinical psychology.
FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
Niamh worked at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for nine years and then at Mercedes College as a school psychologist for ten years. Niamh works as a clinical care coordinator at Headspace in Murray Bridge, where she manages complex inter-agency cases. In her private practice, Niamh works with many children, who receive NDIS support, and their families.
FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH CANCER
Niamh's transition to the field of psycho-oncology was motivated by a diagnosis of aggressive breast cancer as a young adult. Consequently, she has personal and recent experience of the issues unique to younger people with cancer. This has given her a deep understanding of the impact of treatment on fertility and sexual wellbeing for younger cancer patients and their partners, including the complex pathways to pursuing parenthood through surrogacy.
FOR PEOPLE WITH ANXIETY
Some people experience excessive and irrational anxiety, which becomes ongoing and distressing. Niamh understands how anxiety can interfere with your daily life and has made this a focus of her practice.
Please contact us, if you have any queries about our services.
OUR VALUES
Making psychology supports accessible
AFFORDABLE
Niamh has experienced the financial toxicity of cancer, during and after the treatment stage. As a result, Niamh is an advocate for more affordable psycho-social supports for people and their families living with cancer. Uniquely, Niamh offers a concession rate that applies more broadly than most practices, which recognises the varied and fluctuating financial needs of her clients during treatment (please refer to Our Fees).
LOCAL
Niamh understands from her own lived experiences that travelling to the city each week, for cancer treatment and allied health appointments, is demanding. Basing her practice from her home in the Adelaide Hills makes it easier for Hills residents to find psychology supports. For greater accessibility, Niamh can connect using tele-health options.
TIMELY
Niamh offers supports for clients and their families who may not have availability during working hours. Niamh is accessible for after hours and weekend appointments at no extra charge. Due to the emotional nature of the work, Niamh allows time between clients for sessions which may inevitably require longer than an hour.
TRAUMA-INFORMED PRINCIPLES
Dr. Karen Treisman's Four R's:
"A trauma-informed organisation REALISES the trauma, stress and adversity, and understand potential
paths to healing and recovery. It RECOGNISES the signs and symptoms of staff, clients and all others involved
in the system. It actively RESISTS re-traumatisation (committed to being trauma-reducing and not trauma-inducing). It RESPONDS by fully and meaningfully integrating, embedding and infusing knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, language, culture, practices and settings."
"Every moment or interaction can be an intervention."
Dr. Karen Treisman.
OUR PLACE
Lotus Creek Psychology is located on Aldgate Valley Road between Aldgate and Mylor in the beautiful Adelaide Hills. It is a peaceful and secluded spot, but only twenty minutes from the Tollgate on the freeway.
The property was named over 100 years ago after the Lotus Australis, which flowers along the creek in our valley.
Each year, a pair of Sacred Kingfishers, make their home in our garden. We overlook the Nurriti National Trust reserve and are surrounded by birds and other wildlife. Nurriti is an Aboriginal word from the Kaurna Tribal Group meaning Spell or Enchanted.
With permission, our friendly Cocker Spaniel, called Sunny, dispenses love and cuddles - especially when he sees a visitor is distressed. Often our visitors will "walk and talk" in our garden and Sunny is only too happy to come along for a play. Sunny has become so popular that we now make appointments that will note: with or without Sunny.
SUNNY
OUR FEES
The Australian Psychological Society has set the standard 46 to 60 minute consultation fee at $267. However, we have a fee structure, which reflects our values to offer accessible supports.
STANDARD
$229.55 per session
($100 out-of-pocket, after Medicare rebate)
With a Mental Health Care Plan referral from your GP, you pay $100 per session (valid for twenty sessions each calendar year under the Better Access COVID initiative, until June 2022).
LOCAL
$199.55 per session
($70 out-of-pocket cost, after Medicare rebate)
With a Mental Health Care Plan referral from your GP, you pay $70 per session (valid for twenty sessions each calendar year under the Better Access COVID initiative, until June 2022).
Available for residents of the Adelaide Hills and Southern Fleurieu region.
SPECIAL
$129.55 per session
(no out-of-pocket cost, after Medicare rebate)
With a Mental Health Care Plan referral from your GP, you pay $0 per session (valid for twenty sessions each calendar year under the Better Access COVID initiative until June 2022). Available for people currently undergoing cancer treatments or surviving cancer.
Please contact us if you have any questions about our fees. We look forward to hearing from you.
NIAMH O'BRIEN
Clinical Psychologist
Niamh has practiced as a psychologist since 2003. Her experience extends across a range of public health and private practice environments, which allows her to offer a unique depth of knowledge, especially in her specialty fields of child and adolescent psychology. More recently, Niamh has begun to work in the field of psycho-oncology and engaged with the Not-For-Profit sector as a complex case manager.
For more of my credentials, please refer to Niamh's LinkedIn account.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Master of Psychology (Clinical)
2010
FLINDERS UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
2000
DEPARTMENT OF CHILD PROTECTION
Clinical psychology consulting
3 months (ongoing)
HEADSPACE
Clinical Care Coordinator - Murray Bridge, providing supports for young people aged between 12 and 25
18 months (ongoing)
ALLIED CONSULTING PSYCHOLOGISTS
Clinical Psychologist at a leading psycho-oncology practice
1 year
MERCEDES COLLEGE
School Psychologist for reception to year 12
10 years
SA HEALTH
Psychologist and Clinical Psychologist at Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
9 years
ACCESSIBILITY DURING COVID19
During these unprecedented times, demand for psychology supports have increased. COVID19 restrictions have affected how we deliver our services. Fortunately, we still have two options:
TELE-HEALTH
Tele-health is now an accepted form of treatment for all Australians, during COVID19, as endorsed by the Medicare Benefits Scheme. We can provide meaningful consultations with screen-time or phone call and without disruption to the outcome for our clients.
WALK-AND-TALK
Walking is Niamh's favourite way to meet and engage with a client. 'Walk and talk' is exactly as it sounds - you walk with Niamh around an oval or a favoured place (while observing a safe distance, during COVID19 restrictions). Bring your dog, or just yourself, and enjoy the Adelaide Hills. Parents can watch their children walk with Niamh from a discrete distance.
FACE MASKS
As directed by the South Australian Government, there are times when you and Niamh will be required to wear face masks during your session. We will try to warn you in advance of the appointment, if this restrictions has become a requirement.
The Aldgate Valley Nature Walk is a scenic trail between Aldgate and Mylor. Weather permitting, we can enjoy a tranquil section of the trail that passes through the Aldgate Valley Nature Reserve for "Walk and Talk" sessions. There are many places to sit and simply soak up the beautiful views, while we talk.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
IS THERE A SPECIAL RATE DURING COVID19?
The Federal Government has made tele-health psychology supports available through Medicare. During the COVID19 pandemic, we are offering tele-health supports, if you have been referred to us by your GP.
HOW CAN I GET A REFERRAL TO SEE YOU?
Please ask your GP to provide you with a Mental Health Care Plan. This entitles you to 20 sessions through Medicare each year.
HOW LONG DOES EACH THERAPY SESSION TAKE?
Medicare funds a 50-minute session. However, we allow additional 20 minutes, if a session needs it.
Please contact us, if you have any queries about our services.
RESOURCES
CONTACT US
Niamh O'Brien
Clinical Psychologist
Lotus Creek Psychology
(ABN 16 261 756 818)
Lotus Creek Cottage
104 Aldgate Valley Road
Aldgate, South Australia, 5154
Tel: +61(0)8 8470 1748
Fax: +61(0)8 5117 3179
"I am not afraid of storms
for I am learning how to sail my ship."
Louisa May Alcott
PRIVACY POLICY
Under the ADMA code of practice, we follow all regulatory provisions relating to the collection and use of data. Please contact us, if you wish to review data that we may have collected through your use of this website.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
In the spirit of reconciliation Lotus Creek Psychology acknowledges the Peramangk and Kaurna peoples, the traditional Custodians of country in the Adelaide Hills, and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.