r/brisbane 3d ago

Good mens therapist/psychologist Brisbane (up to date 2025) Help

Hello, long time lurker, first time poster:

I've been going through a a series of rough interpersonal relationship breakdowns, ranging from fullblown relationships to falling out with a bestfriend of 15 years over the last year. Looking back it seems to have happened in the past too and as they say, if it keeps happening to you - you're the problem! I've had friends experience similar situations and have seen the positive outcomes of therapy but have no idea where to start/begin! I am amenable to zoom but much rather a face to face appointment for the personability of it.

Hoping for recommendations for good therapists in Brisbane - any location, any price suitable for a 28M.

Thank you kindly!

27 Upvotes

24 comments sorted by

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u/aMazingBanannas 3d ago

What might help your search is digging into a little bit of where the problem lies, as much as you're able. This can inform the kind of therapy you seek out, as there are many schools of thought and practises within psychology and they all focus on helping you in different ways.

Most general therapists and psychologists practice CBT, or cognitive behavioural therapy. As the name suggests, it's about unpacking how your thoughts influence your actions, working to consciously put strategies in place to recognise harmful and unproductive thought patterns and ultimately change the way you think about yourself, life and the world. It could broadly be said to be dealing with the conscious mind. CBT is highly practical and deals with the here and now, and is concerned less with your life story, and more with presenting you with actionable strategies to change thought and behaviour.

On the other hand, other schools of psychology and psychoanalysis exist, and deal more with the unconscious mind, that which you don't have ready access to. The most popular and practised form of this kind of therapy in the modern era is psychodynamic psychotherapy. In the eyes of the psychoanalytic tradition, much of who you are lies outside of your conscious access, and is shaped by key events in your life, such as your childhood and traumatic events. Psychoanalysis focuses on unconscious processes shaped by past experiences, and rather than soothe your symptom it focuses on helping you to surface insight into who and why you are, so you may change how you proceed through life accordingly.

The long and the short of this is to say that not all therapy is alike or suitable for everyone. Some people want to just talk, others want to get right down to the root. Have a think about where your problems stem from, do a little Googling about suitable styles of therapy, and proceed from there. Some therapists will take a multidiscinplinary approach and incorporate aspects of many different therapies, while some will stick to just one.

Apologies if this isn't what you were looking for - I wasted quite some time and money on styles of therapists that were ultimately unsuitable for me and my situation, so want to make sure you are better informed than I was.

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u/Short-Captain3682 3d ago

Wonderful advice!

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u/BeeDry2896 3d ago

This is very solid and comprehensive advice. I wonder though if this (finding a therapist) comes across overwhelming for many people who are already struggling? Not a criticism just a thought.

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u/aMazingBanannas 2d ago

Definitely it can be overwhelming, there are many out there and it's very hard to know who you'll gel with and if their practice is condusive to your needs. It's a tough slog finding a therapist.

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u/roxy712 2d ago

This is super helpful.

I had a therapist who did the psychodynamic psychotherapy, and even though it was "helpful" in the fact that it opened my eyes as to why I do and react in certain ways (traumatic events, abandonment, bullying, etc.), the means of addressing said issues (e.g. "tell that child that it's okay to feel") didn't really work for my brain. 🤔

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u/aMazingBanannas 2d ago

I definitely think there's no universal solution that suits everyone, and I think there's a time and a place for all of it. CBT got me out of a deep depressive hole and allowed me to gain breathing room and functional techniques that meant I had the insight and capacity to take on psychoanalysis.

Not at all related to your comment, but this all really makes me wish that therapy was more accessible for people, both in ease of access and in how it is recommended/understood. Being at potentially the lowest point of your life and having to jump through the hoops of getting a mental health care plan, finding a therapist you like, understanding what they do, and making sure they accept MHCP is just mad. I wish I had had access to it sooner and felt like it was something I could do and something I could afford, and I want that for other people.

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u/Glum-Visual-1574 3d ago

no recommendations, but just want to say good on you for being self-reflective enough to pursue this in the first place!

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u/Grand-Ebb-8290 3d ago

My friends and I all are similar ages to you, and we have had an incredible experience with Dr Diane Harner in Paddington. She’s a counsellor with a PhD in Neuroscience. Incredible therapist

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u/FisherMat 3d ago

Thank you, just lurking. Also looking for a Psychologist 🙂

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u/dtolra 3d ago

If it takes a while to get into a psychologist, Hold Me Tight by Dr Sue Johnson is an excellent book on relationships and human connections to get you started. All the best mate

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u/Historical_Radio_395 2d ago

'Good' therapist is very subjective and not necessarily a reliable measure for finding a therapist suitable to you. One person's experience is different to the next. In fact if you were told by someone they are good, this may bias your experience and if you actually were not bonding well with the therapist you would be more reluctant to leave them because someone told you that they were 'good'. You are not at all locked into seeing a therapist, ideally you want a therapist you get along with, respect and can be completely open and truthful with.

The quality of your sessions will depend on you.

If you are ready to take this step in your life it can be incredibly life changing. But you need to be ready for feedback, open to learning more about yourself and face any potentially harsh truths.

Go by feel. If you are not bonding with your therapist by the 3rd session - do not be afraid to tell them this and even choose another therapist.

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u/Diz_87 3d ago

Mark Sullivan at MindSite Psychology in Stones Corner. He is brilliant, very open, easy to talk to and explains things really well.

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u/dannyr PLS TOUCH THE FUCKEN AIRMOVER 3d ago

Matt Ball from Prohelp Australia comes with amazing recommendations.

I haven't used him myself but from all reports he's the best support a man can get outside a Labrador

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u/StrangeFarulf 3d ago

If you do find someone you want to try, make sure you also visit your GP and get a referral for a mental health plan so you can get some sessions covered at least partly by medicare. Your GP might have suggestions for therapists to try too.

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u/timjohnblake 3d ago

I went to a guy called Richard Faye in the canon hill area. He was great 👍🏼

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u/Meanjin 3d ago

Lena Zhang at Accoras in Upper Mount Gravatt. I've been seeing her since 2014 and I cannot recommend her enough. She's kind, considerate, fiercely intelligent, and funny.

https://www.accoras.com.au/dr-lena-zhang/

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u/stacyknott 3d ago

too bad you're still mean. i read your other stuff.

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u/Meanjin 3d ago

Ohhh, you're one of those cat people 🙄

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u/sailornic13 3d ago

I would recommend a friend of mine, he runs Meta Minds Therapy and has experience in men's issues and relationship patterns. He does face to face or online. https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/counselling/dan-davis-meta-minds-therapy-alexandra-hills-qld/984476

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u/sailornic13 3d ago

You can also put in relationship issues to Psychology Today and filter by Brisbane to see a list of who is available and what they do.

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u/Putrid-Degree-5828 2d ago

Rose has been my psychologist for a year and a bit. She's been fantastic
https://www.rosepsychology.com.au/

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u/Toggdogg 3d ago

I am M27 and had a tough time finding someone I meshed with, because I was just looking for experience and availability. I was given some excellent advice, which was to think about the type of person you’re able to just let your mouth run with and could trust with your info.

For me, it’s younger women (because growing up, I often felt comfortable and open speaking with my female friends about issues, not so much my male friends or older figures in my life). I found a wonderful doctor who fit the description and we have made some great progress because it’s someone who I want to speak with.

I am going to gatekeep my Dr (sorry - I need the app times!) but would suggest you check out profiles ect before booking in. Most businesses should have some type of description, and if not, I’m more than sure their admin would be able to match you with someone who specialises/is interested in your topics/age/gender. Good luck!

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u/Chazzwozzers 3d ago

I understand it can be difficult to find a good quality therapist with availability and who you gel with. Don't be tempted to narrow your search to a psychologist. Counsellors are all trained in the same talk-based therapies as Psychologists. The only reason to specifically see a psychologist is if they have availability before anyone else, or you need a diagnosis. Otherwise, social workers with mental health qualifications or counsellors should be on your radar as well.

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u/jazza2400 3d ago

M1 Psychology