“The need for sharing deep feeling is a human need.”

Audre Lorde

Acknowledgement of Country

Being&Becoming is situated on the lands of the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Peoples of the Kulin Nation, and offers services throughout so-called Australia. Being&Becoming acknowledges the enduring sovereignty of First Nations Peoples to Country that was stolen and never ceded. This is, was, and always will be Aboriginal Country.

Photo: The wise boorn of Wadandi Budja, Wooditup/Margaret River.

See for yourself how your emotions can guide you toward a more connected and meaningful life…

Being&Becoming is the psychology practice of Dr Bronte McLeod, based in Narrm/Melbourne. 

Our inner world holds deep wisdom, often hidden beneath the stories we tell ourselves. By tuning into our emotions and listening to our bodies, we can uncover a personal map to a more meaningful life. 

With support and encouragement, we can recognise what we long for, what we need, and ‘what truly feels right for me’.

Together, we can explore how past experiences and the world around you shape your present-moment experience. By becoming aware of old patterns, you can decide which ones still serve you - and which ones don’t - allowing you to step into new ways of being that bring greater connection, fulfilment, and flow.

Counselling

Bronte offers personalised counselling to adults (ages 18 and up) to assist with many social, personal, and health challenges such as:

  • Stress and anxiety

  • Depression

  • Relationship difficulties

  • Life transitions

  • PTSD, relational and complex trauma

  • Chronic illness

  • Pain and emotional injury

  • Identity, self-estrangement, and self-worth

  • Coping with stigma and discrimination

  • Burnout management, assessing capacity, and honouring limits

Bronte is trained in a variety of humanistic and person-centred modalities that emphasise empathy, connection, understanding, and mutual respect.

Meet Bronte

Dr Bronte McLeod (she/they)

  • I have been a registered psychologist since 2014, mainly working in trauma services and universities. My work addresses various social issues, personal challenges, and health struggles, including stigma, (dis)embodiment, relationship difficulties, individual and collective trauma, identity, and meaning-centred approaches to recovery. I want to understand and disrupt how discrimination and social alienation affects people. I also want to explore the connections between consciousness, our bodies, culture, and the broader web of life.

    I am an experienced counsellor and therapeutic lead of group recovery programs. In addition to therapy, I’ve taught and supervised students in higher education for over ten years, encouraging future counsellors and psychologists to use person-centred therapies in ways that are anti-oppressive, intersectional and feminist. My research highlights the often invisibilised experiences and needs of those using health and housing services, the healing power of relationships, power dynamics in therapy, and decolonising research methods. I’ve also helped develop nonviolent communication practice groups in Narrm/Melbourne and Wooditup/Margaret River.

    My background in research, activism, and community building shapes my approach to therapy. I am passionate about providing LGBTQIA+ inclusive and affirming practice. I am also deeply committed to working alongside people in ways that are alive to the realities of our shared social world, and grow capacity to recognise symptoms as meaningful expressions of unmet and universal human needs.

    My own psychotherapy, supervision, and ongoing professional development are fundamental pillars of my inclusive and reflective practice.

  • Bronte’s therapeutic approach is trauma and violence-informed and collaboratively tailored to the needs of each client. She has training and experience in the below modalities, which inform her practice:

    • Emotion Focused Therapy

    • Mindfulness meditation

    • Internal Family Systems

    • Nonviolent Communication

    • Self-Compassion and Meaning-Centred practices

    • Schema Therapy

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology), Swinburne University

    Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology (awarded with first class Honours), Monash University

  • Fully registered member of the Psychology Board of Australia through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and Member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), following the Code of Ethics and Ethical Guidelines. Registration number: PSY0001895602

    Member of the Australian Institute of Emotion Focused Therapy (AIEFT)

    Member of the International Society for Emotion Focused Therapy (isEFT)

FAQs & Fees

  • According to the evidence-based emotion theory that underpins Emotion Focused Therapy, emotions are not just feelings; they are complex systems that serve as our anchor and our compass. They provide immediate access to the present moment by rooting us in our physical bodies. This grounding helps us to focus on what really matters for us and clarifies our needs for moving forward with integrity and purpose. Emotions also connect us to the broader web of life, nurturing understanding, compassion and respect for others and the world around us.

    Sometimes, though, we can get stuck in our emotions and they can become unhelpful. We might become overwhelmed by them or disconnected from them. We may have learned to only tune into particular emotions, and may have lost touch with others. And, sometimes, how we respond in the present moment might instead be reactions rooted in past experiences.

    —

    Watch Professor Robert Elliott of the University of Strathclyde and one of the developers of Emotion Focused Therapy speak with more detail about the importance of emotions here.

  • Bronte works from an office in South Yarra on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and an office in North Melbourne on Thursdays. Online appointments are available via Telehealth on any of these days. Importantly, this means that Bronte can see adults located anywhere in Australia.

  • Bronte offers a range of appointments across South Yarra, North Melbourne, and online locations from 7am to 7pm.

  • Bronte is a registered Medicare provider.

    Mental health plans are available for people experiencing mental health issues. A mental health plan will provide a rebate of $96.65 for six initial counselling sessions with Bronte, and another four are available per calendar year if your medical provider agrees it can be useful.

    To claim your Medicare rebate, please ensure you have one of the following:

    1. A referral letter accompanied by a GP Mental Health Care Plan, or

    2. A referral letter from a psychiatrist.

    With these documents, you will receive a receipt that can be used to access the Medicare rebate.

    Please note, you are eligible for a maximum of 10 Medicare sessions each calendar year, with the year resetting in January.

  • If you have private health insurance, you may qualify for rebates based on your coverage.

    Please note that you can't claim both Medicare and private health rebates for the same visit: if you're using a Medicare Mental Health Care Plan, you can't also claim private health insurance.

  • Standard fees

    Standard fee for individual counselling is $220. Appointments are for 50 minutes.

    Severe financial hardship counselling

    Being&Becoming offers a limited number of sessions specifically for clients facing severe financial hardship. Each case is assessed individually, catering to individuals with lower incomes (under $40,000 including benefits), solo parents without access to government support, or those encountering significant barriers to employment and Centrelink benefits. For these clients, session fees are set at $120. If these sessions are eligible for Medicare rebate, the out-of-pocket expense is $23.35. Please mention if you are seeking financial hardship counselling when making your enquiry.

    An invitation for those with a higher rate of income

    Being&Becoming wants everyone to have sustainable access to counselling services, and is committed to offering services for people who face financial challenges. To strengthen this commitment, Being&Becoming invites clients with an annual income exceeding $120,000 (before tax) to contribute $250 per session, rather than the standard fee of $220.

    Participation in this initiative is completely voluntary. Clients can choose to opt in during the intake process and have the flexibility to adjust their participation for future sessions whenever they wish. Your support helps Being&Becoming maintain affordable services for those in need, creating a more inclusive environment for all. Thank you for considering this opportunity to redistribute wealth and contribute to collective care.

    Cancellation fees

    Cancellations made within 24-48 hours of scheduled appointments will incur a charge of 50% of the session fee. For cancellations made within 24 hours, the full regular session fee will apply.

    Letters and reports

    $120-$1500 depending on complexity. A request for a letter or report may be refused.

  • Colonisation shapes both our history and our current lives, and as a white, non-Indigenous person, Bronte benefits from this in particular ways. To support reparations and Aboriginal self-determination, Bronte gives a portion of Being&Becoming’s profits to Aboriginal-led community projects.

  • Languages

    Bronte speaks English.

    South Yarra building description

    Four-level, multi-function building. Lift and stair access to therapeutic suite, which is located on Level 2. Therapeutic suite comprises a kitchenette, waiting room, and two consulting rooms. Soft instrumental music is often playing at low volume in the waiting room.

    Parking: 1x disability parking spot in Murphy St paid parking, <100m from front of building, as well as ample 2hr paid parking spots on Toorak Road cross-streets (and some free).

    Bathrooms: 1x accessible toilet and 3x ambulant toilets. No baby change table.

    Floors: tiled floors in entry corridor and lift, low pile carpet in Level 2 corridor and therapeutic suite.

    Waiting room and kitchenette: access to filtered hot/cold water and tea amenities. Multiple seating options. Instrumental music is often playing at low volume.

    Hallways: internal hallways and doorways are narrow but fit most wheelchairs.

    Entry: Patrons arriving before 8am and after 6pm require on-site approval via telecom.

    North Melbourne building description

    Multi-level building with psychology practice/consulting rooms occupying entire ground floor, including kitchenette, waiting room, two consulting rooms, and accessible toilet. No baby change table.

    Waiting room and kitchenette: access to filtered hot/cold water, and tea and coffee amenities. Multiple seating options. Instrumental music is often playing at low volume.

    Hallways: internal hallways and doorways are narrow but fit most wheelchairs.

Get in touch

Bronte is currently accepting new clients in-person in South Yarra and North Melbourne, and online across Australia via Telehealth.

Phone: 0408 711 896

Email: bronte@beingbecoming.com.au