The Bouverie Centre is funded by the Department of Human Services, Mental Health branch to provide family therapy for 200 new families each year. This service is free of charge.
Making an appointment
Families can self refer. Telephone The Bouverie Centre on 9385 5100 and ask to speak to the Intake Worker. You will be asked to choose a time when it is possible for the Intake Worker to call you back. There may be some delay in talking to the Intake Worker during busy periods.
The Intake Worker will need some information about your situation to decide whether Bouverie is able to help. This generally takes 15 – 20 minutes. If we are not the right agency the Intake Worker will offer names of other services you could try.
Family appointments are provided within office hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
What happens at a family appointment?
Family appointments (or interviews) are generally one and a half hours in duration, and we usually encourage all relevant family members to attend. Families are seen by one or two therapists who will talk with you and provide thoughts and ideas about what may assist.
How long do families attend for?
Families attend The Bouverie Centre for six sessions on average, over a period of a few months. However, some families find that one session is enough, while others have more than six sessions. The family and therapist together discuss and decide how many appointments are needed.
What are Training Program Appointments?
Appointments with professionals who are doing postgraduate training in family therapy are sometimes available at Bouverie. A small team (which includes an experienced supervisor) observes these appointments. At the end of the session the team provides thoughts and ideas to the family about what might help.
What is Single Session Work (SSW)?
The Bouverie Centre is sometimes able to provide families with a “Single Session Work” appointment. In this session the therapist will take the position of asking “how could I be as helpful as possible in today’s session if we thought it was going to be a one off session”. Whilst families often do have a number of sessions with this approach, it might be a one off and sometimes that is all families want or need. The therapist will call the family a few weeks after the SSW session to follow up and make a decision together about further contact / additional appointments.
Confidentiality
Matters that you talk about with your Bouverie therapist are confidential, unless someone is at risk of harm, or in limited circumstances where giving information is required by law (e.g. where a court order requires it). This means that your situation will not be talked about outside The Bouverie Centre without your consent. Therapists occasionally ask permission to use family life-stories for training.
Registration and files
At your first appointment your family will be asked to fill out a registration form. A file will be created (along with a registration number, called a UR number), as is required by the Department of Human Services.
Your therapist has responsibility for this confidential file, and it will be kept at The Bouverie Centre for up to ten years.
Please speak to your therapist or to the Clinical Program Manager for any questions relating to records kept at Bouverie, or your rights as a service user on 03 9385 5100 or bouverie.centre@latrobe.edu.au
