In-Person Counselling in Buderim, Sunshine Coast
A quiet room. Unhurried time. Face-to-face support.
For some people, being in the same room matters. Empatherapies is the in-person counselling practice of Sabine Schroeder — a counsellor and psychotherapist based in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast. In-person sessions are held in a warm, private consulting room set in peaceful natural surroundings, a short drive from the Buderim village centre.
Both individual and couples counselling are offered in person in Buderim, in a warm, private consulting room. Online and phone sessions are also available across Australia and New Zealand, if coming in isn’t practical. The simplest way to arrange a session is to book a free 15-minute call or get in touch directly.
A space that’s actually quiet.
Sabine’s in-person sessions are held in a warm, private consulting room — comfortable chairs, natural light, water within reach, and tissues that nobody comments on. It is not a clinical room. The aim is for it to feel like a space you can settle into, not one you have to steel yourself against.
Clients often say the setting itself does some of the work. Being away from your own walls, your own to-do list, your own phone, with the practice surrounded by gardens and natural light — that creates a different quality of attention than a video call from the kitchen table can.
What you need to know on the day.
Address
58 Ballinger Road
Buderim QLD 4556
A short drive from the Buderim village centre. Come to the front entrance and check in at reception.
Hours
In-person sessions are by appointment. To arrange a time, book a free 15-minute call or get in touch directly.
Parking
There’s ample parking on the premises, including several accessible (disability) bays.
Getting here
Sunshine Coast bus routes 616, 617, 618, 619 and 636 service the wider Buderim area, connecting with Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Mountain Creek. It’s roughly a 10-minute walk from the nearest stop. You can plan a trip via the TransLink journey planner.
Accessibility
The practice is fully wheelchair accessible, with accessible parking on site.
On arrival
Please aim to arrive about 10 minutes early so you can settle in — grab a coffee, chai or hot chocolate from the on-site café, or simply take in the natural surroundings. Arriving a little early also means you get the full session time.
For full booking details, fees, and the cancellation policy, visit the contact & booking page.
What an in-person session is actually like.
Sessions run for an hour, unless you request a longer session or it’s an initial couples session. There’s no formal intake interview at the door — you sit down, settle in, and we begin where you are. Sabine works integratively, drawing on attachment-informed, somatic, and mindfulness-based approaches, but in practice what that looks like is a conversation: paced for you, with room to pause, with attention paid to what your body is telling you as well as what your words are.
Sessions are held in the consulting room. If sitting inside four walls feels like too much on a given day, walk-and-talk sessions outdoors can occasionally be arranged by request — these are weather-dependent and involve travelling to a suitable location, so they’re offered only now and then. If that’s something you’d like to explore, the best thing is to email Sabine and talk through your options.
Many clients combine in-person sessions with telehealth — coming to Buderim for the work that benefits most from being in the room together, and continuing online or by phone when life doesn’t allow the drive. Sabine will help you work out which mix suits you.
In-person tends to suit you if…
Online therapy is genuinely effective and is the right call for many people. But in-person has its place — especially when:
- You’re working with trauma, grief, or anything where your nervous system needs the steady ground of another person being in the room.
- You spend most of your working day on screens and the thought of one more video call to talk about something hard isn’t workable.
- You live with other people and there isn’t a private space in the house where you can speak freely.
- You’ve tried online therapy and felt it kept you at arm’s length from your own feelings.
- You simply find that being physically present with someone — in a space set aside only for this — helps you let your guard down.
None of the above apply? Online sessions work very well for most people and are available Australia-wide. Read about individual counselling for the clinical detail of what Sabine works with.
In-person, practical questions.
How do I get to the practice and where do I park?
The clinic is at 58 Ballinger Road, Buderim — a short drive from the village centre. There’s ample parking on the premises, including several accessible bays. If you’re coming by bus, routes 616, 617, 618, 619 and 636 service the wider area, with the nearest stop about a 10-minute walk away.
What should I expect when I arrive?
Please aim to arrive about 10 minutes before your session so we can start promptly — in a busy practice, extra time generally isn’t available, so arriving early means you get your full session. Come to the front entrance and check in at reception. While you wait, you’re welcome to grab a coffee, chai or hot chocolate from the on-site café, or sit and take in the natural surroundings.
Can I bring my partner, child, or a support person?
If you’re coming to a couples session, yes — both partners attend together. For individual sessions, the work is between you and Sabine, but you’re welcome to have a support person drive you, sit in the waiting area, or stay nearby.
If you need to bring a child, they’re welcome to wait in the reception area provided a caregiver is with them at all times — children can’t be left unattended. Bringing a child into the session itself generally isn’t appropriate, unless it’s a newborn. If you’re unsure how to manage this, get in touch ahead of time and Sabine will help you work it out.
Is the practice wheelchair accessible?
Yes — the practice is fully wheelchair accessible, with accessible parking available on site.
Can I switch between in-person and online sessions?
Yes — many clients combine formats. You might start in person to get to know each other and continue online when travel isn’t possible. If you’d ever like to explore an outdoor walk-and-talk session, those can occasionally be arranged by request — just email Sabine to talk it through. She’ll help you decide what works.
Come and sit in a quiet room.
If in-person feels like the right way to begin, the next step is a free 15-minute call. It’s a chance to ask questions, get a feel for whether we’re a fit, and find a time that works for you.