LIGHTSPACE PSYCHOLOGY

Unit 14/70 River St, Ballina NSW 2478

Appointments available at my practice room or via telehealth

Contact

About

Chike is a Registered Psychologist who works with young adults and adults. He brings a warm and respectful style to therapy and values collaboration, open communication, clear goals, and practical strategies. Chike completed his postgraduate qualifications in 2005 at Canterbury University in NZ and has been practicing in Australia since 2013. He worked at Ballina Community Mental Health (2018-2025) and prior to that worked as a psychologist in adult and youth justice settings. Chike is also a registered behaviour support practitioner who has a special interest in mental health. Chike has been living in Northern Rivers since 2018 and shares a busy blended home with his spouse, five children and two cats. Chike is committed to providing a respectful, authentic and non-judgemental space for therapy.

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Chike Isichei (Registered Psychologist) 

Msc Psychology, BA Psychology

AHPRA Registration:  PSY0001802497

Services

  • Medicare

    Clients with a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan and referral from their GP may be eligible to receive Medicare rebates for psychological treatment. The cost per session works out to be $96 with a rebate. Medicare currently provides rebates for up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year, subject to eligibility and GP review. Sessions are charged at $195 for a 50‑minute appointment. Payment is processed in full at the conclusion of each session using the clients nominated bank card. Following payment, the Medicare rebate (currently $98.95) is submitted and reimbursed directly to your nominated bank account by Medicare.

  • NDIS

    Psychology services for NDIS participants are billed in accordance with the current NDIS Price Guide. There are no out‑of‑pocket costs for sessions when services are funded under an approved NDIS plan. I currently provide services to plan managed and self-managed participants.

  • Workers’ Compensation & CTP Claims

    Psychological treatment is available for clients with approved Workers’ Compensation or Compulsory Third Party (CTP) claims. You will need to provide your claim number so an initial intake and assessment session can be completed. Following this assessment, a treatment request outlining recommended services will be submitted to the insurer for approval. Fees are set in line with the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) fee schedules. Once treatment is approved, invoices are sent directly to the insurer, and no gap fees apply.

  • Self funded

    The fee for a 50‑minute consultation is $195. Payment is automatically processed using the nominated card after each session

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Some of the areas I can provide support with

  • You might feeling overwhelmed, anxious or stressed
  • Low mood, lack of motivation, or feeling stuck
  • Developing skills for managing difficult emotions
  • Relationship and communication difficulties
  • Managing major life changes or transitions
  • Work‑related stress and burnout
  • Difficulty stopping unhelpful patterns and behaviours

My approach

In therapy, the relationship between client and psychologist is the foundation for change. It is built on trust, respect, and genuine understanding, while also involving clear agreement on goals and the tasks of therapy.  I hold this aspect as a core value and challenge myself to remain cognisant of this over the course of therapy. Therapists don’t always get this right even with the best of intentions. I value feedback from my clients to make sure we are moving at the right pace and working with an approach that works for them. 

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Therapy

I work primarily within a cognitive behavioural framework though draw on a range of concepts and approaches in my practice.

  • CBT

    CBT is a structured, evidence-based therapy that focuses on the relationship between thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and physical responses. It helps identify and modify unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours that maintain distress.

  • ACT

    ACT is a mindfulness-based behavioural therapy that builds psychological flexibility. It helps people accept difficult internal experiences while taking meaningful action guided by their values.

  • DBT

    DBT skills are practical strategies that support emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. They are particularly helpful for managing intense emotions and impulsive behaviours. Chike does not offer formal DBT which involves group work however some of his clients may find it helpful to work on developing some of the core skills.

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Crises and support lines

If you are struggling and require urgent support there are a number of services available that can help. 

Crisis & Immediate Support

  • Lifeline: 13 11 14
  • Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
  • Healthdirect (24-hour health advice): 1800 022 222

Youth Support

  • Kids Helpline (ages 5–25): 1800 55 1800
  • Headspace (youth mental health service): 1800 650 890
  • Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
  • General Mental Health
  • SANE Australia Helpline: 1800 187 263

Family & Relationships

  • Relationships Australia: 1300 364 277
  • Family Relationship Advice Line: 1800 050 321
  • Parents Beyond Breakup: 1300 853 437

Men’s Services

  • MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78
  • Men’s Referral Service (for men concerned about their behaviour): 1300 766 491

Domestic & Family Violence

  • 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Alcohol & Other Drugs

  • National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015
  • Family Drug Support Australia: 1300 368 186

Eating Disorders

  • Butterfly National Helpline: 1800 33 4673

Grief & Loss

  • GriefLine: 1300 845 745
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