Welcome to my guest post series: A Day In Private Practice. Meet Counsellor & Relationship Therapist, Rohan Watson.
Rohan Watson is a member of the Australian Counselling Association and a general member of the International Association of Applied Neuroscience. He holds qualifications in Psychology, Counselling and Education including a Master of Counselling (Advanced Practice) degree awarded with Distinction.
As a therapist and counsellor, Rohan helps unlock the potential in people to live healthier, happier and more purposeful. Rohan is genuinely caring, and offers clients a private, professional and safe counselling setting. His focus is on providing genuine support and real solutions for achieving positive and transformational outcomes for clients.
Rohan helps people from all walks and seasons of life. He has a proactive track-record of serving his community which has included coaching and mentoring many adolescents and young adults from challenging backgrounds. As well, he’s supported delivery of counselling services for a not-for-profit organisation caring for persons with cancer and their families.
Rohan delivers professional counselling services to employees at all levels nationally through EAP based services. He is also a highly sought-after Marriage Counsellor and Relationship Therapist.
Rohan’s Toowoomba based practice provides both specialist and generalist counselling that serves a wide range of client needs, locally and nationally. His current research is focusing on workplace mental health in Australian SMEs.
A Day in Private Practice with Rohan Watson
7am: Read and relax + Coffee
What better way to start the day than with quintessential coffee time? I like to take 30 minutes to read an inspiring book in the sun with my dachshund Arlo and then let my mind wander, envisioning the day ahead.
7:30am – 8am: Breakfast time
The most important meal of the day is up next. I enjoy oats with honey and banana or eggs on sourdough toast. The TV is on the background catching up on current affairs. Being aware of current news helps to anticipate the worries and fears of clients.
8:30am: Getting Organised
The next half hour of the morning can look very different depending on the day. Typically, I have a long shower where I continue to visualise the day ahead and all the wonderful interactions that are ahead of me. I like taking time to dress well. I believe that this has an impact on confidence and mental energy.
By 8:45am, emails and phone calls start ramping up and staying ahead is always the key to a good day, so I will respond to anything urgent. Talking to my team always provides a good boost, so will touch base with them and address any questions they have.
9:15am: The Daily Commute
It’s out the door and on the road to the office. I LOVE the drive to the office. I crank the music (respectfully turning it down at the traffic lights, to avoid serious embarrassment). Some days I will be on the phone to my practice manager discussing any upcoming appointments or projects we are working on.
9:30am: Set Up
Once I arrive at the office, I have a routine for setting up and preparing for client sessions. I like to have plenty of time before sessions start to feel calm and focused.
10am: Counselling Sessions
First client session is at 10am most days. I like to work sessions back-to-back with short breaks between each 50-minute session. Notes are completed as I go; and I like to mentally reset before the next client ensuring any follow ups or tasks are completed. I have a general rule that if a task takes less than 2 minutes, I will do it right away otherwise I keep a digital task list on my phone home screen where I quickly add tasks for later completion.
12pm: Lunch
I like an hour for lunch to slowly eat and browse social media. I try to mix it up with lunches and have something different every day. For me it’s those little moments of joy throughout the day that keep me going, so a tasty lunch is one of those! This is followed by reading some good professional literature and staying up-to-date with research trends.
1pm: More Sessions
After lunch it’s back into counselling and relationship therapy sessions. I am definitely an afternoon person and I find this is the most productive part of my day. I see clients with a range of presentations consisting of 3 couples in the afternoon and an individual session. I try to vary couples and individual sessions which keeps me fresh and engaged.
5:30pm – 6pm: Home Time and Work Out
On the commute home every day at precisely the same location, I call my wife. We have a good chinwag and this sets the tone for the evening. As soon as I arrive home, I smash out a quick high-intensity workout with boxing, skipping and weights. Then follows a hot shower and I am ready for family time. Arlo loves play time and is full of energy (anyone with a sausage dog will know what I mean!), so we head outside and throw the ball.
6pm – 6:30pm: Dinner
We make a practice to sit together at the table and connect. Dinner is a hearty-meal of meat and veg or pasta.
7pm: Chill Time
I like to really unwind by watching some TV. We love to joke about terrible acting and dramatization together. Other nights I will play the drums.
8:30pm: Reading
Lastly, I read a super nerdy book or watch drum covers on YouTube in bed to switch off from the day. And that’s a wrap.
Connect with Rohan
