Psychotherapy in Melbourne (Templestowe)
​
Sometimes surface-level solutions aren't enough.
If you've tried therapy before and found it helpful but not transformative - or if you're seeking more than coping strategies and quick fixes - psychotherapy offers a deeper path. At True Self Space, we provide psychotherapy in Melbourne for adults ready to explore the patterns, wounds, and parts of themselves that keep showing up in their lives.
This work isn't about managing symptoms. It's about understanding why those symptoms exist in the first place - and creating lasting change from the inside out.
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy goes beyond traditional counselling to explore the deeper roots of emotional struggles. While counselling often focuses on present-day challenges and practical coping strategies, psychotherapy examines the underlying patterns, beliefs, and experiences that shape how you think, feel, and relate to others.
At True Self Space, our psychotherapy approach integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), attachment theory, and trauma-informed practices. This combination allows us to work with the different "parts" of you - the inner critic, the people-pleaser, the anxious protector - and understand what they're trying to do for you.
Psychotherapy is a collaborative, relational process. It's not about being analysed or told what's wrong with you. It's about being supported to discover what's been driving your patterns all along.
Psychotherapy vs Counselling: What's the Difference?
Many people wonder whether they need counselling or psychotherapy. While there's overlap, the key differences include:​
Counselling:
Typically focuses on specific issues, current life challenges, and building practical skills. It's often shorter-term and solution-focused.
Psychotherapy:
Explores deeper emotional patterns, past experiences, and the underlying dynamics that influence your present life. It tends to be longer-term and insight-oriented.
If you've noticed the same patterns repeating - in relationships, at work, or in how you treat yourself - psychotherapy in Melbourne can help you understand and transform those cycles rather than just managing them.
Our Psychotherapist in Templestowe
Melanie Pontikis is a PACFA-registered psychotherapist in Templestowe with specialised training in Internal Family Systems therapy. Her approach is warm, curious, and deeply relational - creating a space where you can explore your inner world without judgment.
Melanie works with adults experiencing:
​
-
Repeated relationship patterns or attachment difficulties
-
A harsh inner critic or persistent self-doubt
-
People-pleasing, perfectionism, or difficulty setting boundaries
-
Anxiety, depression, or emotional overwhelm that hasn't shifted with other approaches
-
A sense of disconnection from yourself or your authentic needs
-
Unresolved trauma or childhood experiences affecting your present life
Psychotherapy with Melanie isn't about fixing what's broken. It's about reconnecting with the parts of you that have been hidden, hurt, or misunderstood - and building a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
What Depth Psychotherapy Looks Like
Psychotherapy at True Self Space is experiential, not just intellectual. While we certainly talk, we also work with what's happening in your body, your emotions, and your internal system of parts.
Early sessions:
Focus on building safety and understanding what brings you to therapy. We'll explore your history, your patterns, and what you're hoping to change - all at a pace that feels right for you.
Ongoing sessions:
Go deeper. Using IFS therapy and other therapeutic approaches, we'll work with the parts of you that carry pain, fear, or outdated beliefs. This process helps you understand why certain patterns developed and supports those parts to heal and transform.
Over time, clients often experience greater self-compassion, clearer boundaries, more authentic relationships, and a stronger connection to who they truly are.
Who Psychotherapy in Melbourne is For
Psychotherapy may be right for you if:
-
You've tried counselling or CBT but still feel stuck in the same cycles
-
You intellectually understand your patterns but can't seem to change them
-
You have a strong inner critic that resists positive affirmations
-
You sense there's something deeper beneath your anxiety, depression, or relationship struggles
-
You're curious about parts work, IFS, or attachment-based approaches
-
You want therapy that goes beyond symptom management to create real transformation
​
This work requires commitment and courage - but the rewards are profound and lasting.
Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy in Melbourne
Many people seeking psychotherapy have experienced some form of trauma - whether a single overwhelming event or ongoing developmental experiences that shaped how they see themselves and the world.
At True Self Space, all psychotherapy is trauma-informed. This means we work at your pace, prioritise emotional safety, and never push you to revisit painful experiences before you're ready. Our approach helps you process trauma gently and thoroughly, without retraumatisation.
Online and In-Person
Psychotherapy Sessions
In-person psychotherapy is available at our Templestowe practice, convenient for clients from Doncaster, Bulleen, Warrandyte, and Melbourne's north-east.
Online psychotherapy via secure telehealth is available across Melbourne and Australia-wide. Deep therapeutic work translates well to online sessions, and many clients appreciate the comfort of their own space.
Begin Psychotherapy in Templestowe
If you're ready for therapy that goes deeper - that helps you understand not just what you're feeling but why - psychotherapy at True Self Space offers that path.
You don't have to keep managing the same patterns. Real change is possible.
Book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss whether psychotherapy is the right fit for you.