Question 1

How can you help my complex problem when you say you only provide a brief service?

Accepted Answer

There are a lot of things that I don’t do which would normally slow us down, for example; lengthy assessments, risk assessments, fault finding (looking for or analysing problems), personality profiling, telling you how to run your business, act like a know-all expert, and use big words or jargon.
 
We prefer to be working on solutions right from the start and be looking forward rather than waste our time (and your money) looking backwards. One of the great things about a solution focused approach is that you don’t have to know what the problem is in order to work on a solution. In fact, it may even be that the client doesn’t know what the problem is, but they know that things are not right or they want things to be better.
 
We will work under a Single Session Framework. Single Session Therapy has an extensive evidence base, in fact research shows that 40-50% of clients get what they want after just one session. That doesn't mean that you can't come back again, but we think you probably have better things to do with your time and money rather than hang out with me every week. We will just start the process to help you start moving in the direction that you want to go, then you're on your way.

Question 2

What will Left Turn do?

Accepted Answer

We will work in a collaborative relationship with you, using techniques from solution focused brief therapy and other skills learnt from general and mental health nursing to help you to see where you want to go and how you are going to get there. We work on solution-building rather than problem finding.
 
We will help you to find simple solutions to what may be complex problems. The solutions that we find will be your solutions, and not what I think you should do. That is, I won’t be there to tell you how to do things, but together we will find a better way.
 
Our service aims to be time efficient and cost effective. We will keep our services brief, so that after 1 to 3 sessions you will feel that you don’t need me anymore. I want to make myself obsolete – only as many sessions as you need and not one more! However, I would be happy to come back again in the future if you need me to help with other solutions. We will tailor our programs to suit your needs.

Question 3

Will you give me a diagnosis or medication?

Accepted Answer

No. We will not plan to do a mental health assessment or give you a diagnosis even though we have extensive experience in doing this after 19 years of working in the Emergency Department. We am also not able to prescribe medication. While we are not ‘anti-medication’ we do believe that in most situations we will be able to significantly help you without relying on psychiatric/personality assessments or medication. However, if it is apparent that you need this we will provide advice, assistance and direction as to where to get it.

Question 4

What is Coaching?

Accepted Answer

Helping people, teams and organisations to get from where they are to where they want to be. Using a solution focused approach the coach will support the person to first identify and then achieve a personal or professional goal. We will help to do this by developing a vision of the future rather than a retrospective analysis or critique of what’s going wrong, then build upon the person’s strengths and resources to help them to get there.

Question 5

Why coaching in organisations?

Accepted Answer

Most organisations hire people because of the strengths they already have, but then provide training that focuses on eliminating their weaknesses. Coaching, however, identifies the skills, experience and qualities that people bring into the organisation (i.e. the reason you employed them in the first place) and uses these to create and build solutions, leading to improved productivity, performance and teamwork as well as clearer direction and increased drive and motivation.

Question 6

Can you provide some links with useful information on SFBT and the work that you do?

Accepted Answer

What is SFBT?
This is a good introduction to SFBT, where the term originated, the basic foundations on which it is built, and some of the key skills.
 
www.unisa.edu.au
This is a summary of the S.A. Premier’s Nursing Scholarship, my study tour to Canada, and some of the work that I am doing in the S.A. Mental Health Service
 
Interview with David Hains 
This is a recently published paper from the Journal of Solution Focused Brief Therapy where Michael Durrant (editor) interviewed me about my work in the emergency department and my recent trip to Canada as part of the S.A. Premier's Nursing Scholarship.

Question 7

What does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Please use the following as a guide only. There are a lot of variables and these can be discussed prior to engagement.
 
Indicative pricing:
 
WORKSHOPS:
 
Group Workshop - up to 20 people at your site
Corporate $3000-4000 full day, $1500-2000 half day
(Discounts are negotiable for Health Services, NGO’s and charitable organisations)
INDIVIDUALS:
 
Individual counselling, coaching or consulting
$100-150 - 50 min sessions depending on location, timing etc
(Discounts are available for unemployed or pensioners)
 
8 individual sessions in the one organisation - full day
$1100 per day
 
4 individual sessions in the one organisation - half day
$550 per half day
 
Individual sessions via ZOOM
$100-130
 
Other expenses may include venue hire, travel and accommodation & catering . Quotes will be provided upon request.
 
Written material, resources and information will be supplied as required.

Question 8

Is my information confidential?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We will only keep a small amount of information about you purely for our own reference. This will not be shared with any other people (including health providers, family, or employers) unless you permit us to. Any information required for our personal research will be discussed with you first and your written consent obtained.
 
However, there are exceptions to the above that you need to be aware of:
There are times when we am compelled by law to provide information (e.g. the Mental Health Act, the Firearms Act, the Child Protection Act etc.).

There is an urgent safety reason that compels us to contact someone.

Question 9

What are your terms of trade?

Accepted Answer

PAYMENTS:

Workshops/group bookings:
50% deposit with booking, balance due 14 days after service

Individual sessions:
full payment by cash, bank transfer or via our online booking service at the time of booking
 
CANCELLATIONS:

Workshop cancellations - full refund if 7 or more calendar days’ notice given
Less than 7 calendar days notice – a cancellation fee of 20% of the deposit will apply
 
1:1 cancellations - full refund or reschedule the session if more than 48hours notice

Here are some answers. We hope these help. If you have more questions please contact us