Fork in the Road Wellness

This is where I can help

Deb Agnew, strategic psychotherapist and clinical hypnotherapist, warm and approachable

Hi, I'm Deb Agnew and I'm a Strategic Psychotherapist and Clinical Hypnotherapist specialising in the mental, emotional and behavioural side of health. I work at both the conscious and subconscious level.

My approach works with the parts of you that reason things through, and the parts that react before you’ve had time to think.

I can help you change unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling, coping and behaving that are working against you.

I help people at a turning point in their health feel better, create meaningful change and have more influence over the direction of their life.

The part no one really prepares you for

Midlife woman sitting on the floor at home, looking overwhelmed and tired, reflecting the mental loa

You’re often given health advice, treatment plans, or lifestyle recommendations.

But very little support for what happens next, in real life.

Knowing what you need to do is one thing. Actually doing it while you’re dealing with everything else is another.

You may be asked to change how you eat. Move more. Sleep differently. Reduce stress. Lose weight. Rest. Pace yourself. Follow treatment plans. Build new routines. Give up habits you've relied on for years.

And somehow, you're expected to make all of this happen at the very time you may have the least capacity to do it.

Because you're not making these changes in a vacuum. You're making them while you're tired, stressed, in pain, frightened, overwhelmed or simply trying to keep your life going.

This is where many people quietly struggle.

Not because they don’t care.
Not because they lack willpower.
But because lasting lifestyle and behaviour change is more complex than it looks from the outside.

Understanding why you think, feel or behave a certain way doesn't necessarily change how you act. Does it?

Knowing and doing are not the same thing.

You can know what you want, genuinely want things to be different, and still find yourself repeating the same old automatic patterns.

You know you’re safe. But your body is still on high alert.
You’re exhausted, on the verge of burnout. But you push through because there’s just one more thing to do.
You tell yourself not to worry. But the what ifs keep coming.
You’re in pain. You tense up, brace yourself and fear it getting worse, and it does.
You’ve eaten well all day. Then stress hits and you’re standing in the kitchen at 11pm looking for something to eat.

CHANGE IS HARD

Because you're influenced by more than conscious thought. Your beliefs and the stories you tell yourself help shape your behaviour. So do your sense of identity, values, conditioned emotional reactions, and learned ways of coping with stress.

And when you’re stressed, these automatic responses can become even harder to override. We tend to return to familiar ways of thinking, feeling and coping. Some responses happen so automatically that you may barely notice them until you're already doing them and on automatic pilot.

What feels like self sabotage is often more complicated than simply knowing better, trying harder or being motivated.

These patterns can become deeply ingrained over time. Changing them means working with more than conscious intention alone.

This is where I work differently

My approach works with the parts of you that reason things through, and the parts that react before you’ve had time to think.

I combine Strategic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnotherapy with evidence-informed mind-body approaches to create sustainable change at both a psychological and physiological level.

Because health is more than a collection of symptoms.

Your mind affects your body. Your body affects your mind. Your nervous system, emotions, thoughts, behaviours and physical health are continually influencing one another.

Strategic Psychotherapy is a brief, goal-focused approach that moves beyond traditional talk therapy. Rather than spending months exploring your past or analysing problems, it focuses on how your patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving keep you stuck and how to change them.

The focus is on disrupting unhelpful patterns, building practical skills and creating new ways of responding that support your goals.

Clinical Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis as a therapeutic tool. Hypnosis gives us a way to work with the deeper, automatic processes of the mind. It uses focused attention, relaxation, dissociation, visualisation and mental rehearsal to deliver therapeutic interventions and work with responses that can be harder to change through conscious effort alone.

You build understanding and new skills. But you also practise and rehearse how you want to respond when it matters.

Facing a medical appointment with greater calm.
Recognising when fear is driving your decisions and knowing what to do instead.
Quietening the critical voice that says you’re not good enough, or you should be doing more. Being able to say, “That’s enough for today,” and actually mean it.
Responding to uncertainty without catastrophising and spiralling to the worst case scenerio

With repetition, these responses can begin to feel more natural and automatic. You don’t have to work so hard to make them happen.

This is brief, focused and active therapy, centred on what matters to you and the changes you want to make.

Anxiety and stress

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Chronic pain

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Negative thinking

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Behaviour change

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Emotional wellbeing

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Healthy habits

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Feel at home with online hypnotherapy

Man relaxing at home during telehealth hypnotherapy session with Deb Agnew on laptop

Online hypnotherapy is one-to-one work by video, instead of face-to-face in a clinic. Hypnosis depends on your attention, not on being in the same room as me. Many people find it easier to relax at home, in the privacy and comfort of their own home.

Research shows online psychological therapies can be as effective as face-to-face therapy for many concerns. It’s also private, accessible and convenient, with no travel, parking or waiting rooms to navigate.

When you're already managing a health challenge, having one less thing to worry about can make a real difference.

From the comfort of home. Join from wherever you feel comfortable and relaxed, at a time that works for you.
Australia-wide access. Whether you're in Sydney, Perth or regional Australia, you'll receive the same personalised care, wherever you live.
Your own personalised hypnosis recording. Not a generic YouTube recording, but one created specifically for you — tailored to your challenges, circumstances, strengths and goals. Listen daily to feel calmer, more confident and in control, while reinforcing new ways of thinking, feeling and responding that become more natural over time.

Getting ready for your session

You don't need anything special, just a few simple things to help you feel comfortable and relaxed.

A quiet, private space where you won't be disturbed
A reliable internet connection
A laptop, tablet or phone with a camera
Headphones are optional, but can help you focus and block out any noise around you

We'll meet on Zoom, just like a regular telehealth appointment. I'll send you a link before your session. When it's time for your appointment, simply click the link and we'll connect. It's that easy. And if you're new to Zoom, don't worry. I'm happy to help you get started.

From our first conversation to meaningful change

1. Let's have a chat

Book a free 20-minute consultation. We'll talk about what's happening, what's getting in the way, what you'd like to change and how I may be able to help. It's also your opportunity to ask questions, get to know me and see whether my approach feels right for you.

FREE · 20 MIN · NO OBLIGATION

Start with a FREE Consult

2. A personalised approach, just for you

If we decide to work together, we'll explore what's keeping you stuck and what you'd like to be different. I'll explain how Strategic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnosis work together, what your sessions involve and the costs, so you can make an informed decision.

PERSONALISED · PRACTICAL · GOAL-FOCUSED

3. Let's get started

We'll meet online via Zoom, from wherever you feel comfortable. Each session focuses on helping you change unhelpful patterns and develop new ways of thinking, feeling and responding.

You'll also receive your own personalised hypnosis recording to listen to daily, helping you practise and reinforce these changes between sessions.

ONLINE AUSTRALIA-WIDE · ONGOING SUPPORT

Common questions about online hypnotherapy

Still unsure? Ask me on the free call, or reach out to deb@forkintheroadwellness.com.au if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Does hypnotherapy really work?

Clinical Hypnosis has been studied across psychology, medicine and healthcare, with research demonstrating its efficacy across a range of psychological and health-related conditions and symptoms.

There is scientific research and evidence demonstrating hypnosis helps reduce symptoms of the following conditions:

Why do you work online?

Because for this kind of work, being at home can actually be an advantage.

Research comparing therapist-led online and face-to-face psychological treatment has found little to no difference in effectiveness across a range of psychological and health conditions.

There are practical benefits too:

It’s comfortable. You can be somewhere you already feel safe and relaxed, which can be particularly valuable when doing Clinical Hypnosis.
It’s easier when you’re not feeling well. If you’re dealing with pain, fatigue, IBS, anxiety, burnout or the effects of medical treatment, there’s no travelling, parking or sitting in a waiting room.
It’s private and discreet. There’s no clinic to walk into and no waiting room.
It’s accessible. You can work with me from anywhere in Australia, including when mobility, distance or health makes getting to appointments difficult.
And when we finish, you don't have to immediately get in the car and drive home. You can stay where you are, take a few minutes and let the work settle. You're likely feeling very 'chill' and it's nice to stay cuddled up, all comfy in your chair for as long as you want.

All you need is a quiet, private space, a reliable internet connection and somewhere comfortable to sit or lie down.

What does it cost? Is it covered by Medicare?

Your introductory 20-min consult is free. Your initial 90-min session is $325 and subsequent 60-min sessions are $275. Payment is upfront. A 4-session program is $1,000 upfront, or $1,200 paid session by session. Quit smoking or vaping is $590 in total. Unused prepaid sessions stay valid for 12 months. You can use them for something else or pass them on. Hypnotherapy isn’t covered by Medicare, and you don’t need a GP referral. Health fund extras cover varies, so check with your fund. Full pricing and terms

How many sessions will I need?

Everyone is different. Some people have significant breakthroughs in just one session, while others benefit from a few. More complex concerns, such as anxiety, panic, burnout, trauma, low mood and chronic pain, may benefit from six or more sessions.

Strategic Psychotherapy and Modern Clinical Hypnosis are designed to be brief, focused therapies. We'll agree on your goals, what success looks like and how we'll measure your progress. Sometimes, other patterns or concerns emerge along the way, but you always decide what we explore.

There's no fixed program or commitment. The goal is to help you make meaningful changes and get back to living your life, not keep you in therapy.

Is Modern Clinical Hypnosis different from a Youtube video or app?

Completely.

Think of the difference between following a workout video on YouTube and working one-to-one with a qualified personal trainer.

A workout video can be helpful. But it doesn't know your physical limitations, what's holding you back, what you've already tried or why certain exercises aren't working for you. And it can't adapt as you progress.

The same is true of generic hypnosis recordings and apps. They're created for a broad audience, without understanding your individual experiences, beliefs, habits or the patterns that may be keeping you stuck.

Modern Clinical Hypnosis is therapeutic and personalised. It begins with assessment and Strategic Psychotherapy to understand what's happening beneath the surface. The hypnosis is then developed around what we've uncovered together: your patterns, beliefs, automatic responses, strengths and goals.

And as our work progresses, the hypnosis can evolve with you.

A generic recording is made for anyone. Modern Clinical Hypnosis is designed specifically for you.

Will I lose control?

No. You hear everything, you remember it, and you can open your eyes and stop whenever you like. Hypnosis is focused, relaxed attention. Nothing happens that you don’t want to happen.

Does Clinical Hypnosis replace my medical treatment?

No. Clinical Hypnosis works alongside your existing healthcare, not instead of it.

If you're living with cancer, IBS, chronic pain, migraines or another health condition, I don't diagnose or treat the underlying disease, change medications or replace the care of your GP, specialist or other health professionals.

My role is to work with the mental, emotional and behavioural side of your health. To help you manage stress and fear, cope more effectively, make supportive lifestyle changes, and work with the thoughts, beliefs, behaviours and automatic responses that may be affecting how you feel and function.

It’s about contributing to your healing and wellbeing while helping you take back control of what you can influence.

How you respond. How you cope. The choices you make. The way you care for yourself. And how you move forward alongside whatever else you may be facing.

AT A TURNING POINT with yOUR HEALTH?

You know something has got to change.

This is where I can help

The part no one really prepares you for

You know what needs to change. So why is it so hard?

If change were just about knowing what to do, you'd already be there. Information alone isn't enough.

This is where I work differently