MELBOURNE COUNSELLOR, PSYCHOTHERAPIST & DREAM ANALYST

Real. Non-judgemental. Honest.

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Ilana Laps, a woman with long, curly red hair smiling and resting her face on her hand, sitting in a wicker chair outdoors beside a wooden wall. 
Welcome, I’m Ilana  

A psychotherapist with over 16 years of experience and a deep grounding in Eastern healing traditions.

My approach is warm, grounded, and emotionally honest. 

This work has taken me through leading universities to monasteries and jungles, learning from teachers and lineages across the world. My realest teachers have been my clients, to whom I owe so much of what I’ve come to understand.

I believe therapy should feel real. Not clinical, not scripted. A place where you can bring your whole self: the grief, humour, rage, confusion, and be met with curiosity and care. 

Book your free intro call →

"When someone really hears you without passing judgment on you, without trying to take responsibility for you, without trying to mould you, it feels damn good." - Carl Rogers // "Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." - Carl G. Jung // “I believe a different therapy must be constructed for each patient because each has a unique story." - Irvin D. Yalom

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"When someone really hears you without passing judgment on you, without trying to take responsibility for you, without trying to mould you, it feels damn good." - Carl Rogers // "Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." - Carl G. Jung // “I believe a different therapy must be constructed for each patient because each has a unique story." - Irvin D. Yalom //

  • "Hollywood has the trainer to the stars and you are the therapist for the therapists. You should see the text messages I get from people after their sessions with you. Waxing lyrical. Of course! Now all my students also want your name (because I’m always banging on about how amazing my therapist is and how important it is to do your own therapy)"

  • "I can’t thank you enough for your time and wisdom this year. I feel like I finally found someone to talk to who relates on many levels. I’ve grown as a person from our work this year and I’m very very appreciative of our relationship. Thank you."

  • "You are a special person and gifted healer with the ability to get to the very core of a person. You created a space of trust, respect and caring between us that will endure."

  • "Wow! I feel like a revelation has been made about another facet of myself that I have been touched out of since I was a teenager… ! It feels so right and has me connecting dots everywhere! Thank you!"

  • "Ilana has a strong grounding in practical spirituality. I felt we were on the same page, and that I didn't need to educate her in my spiritual orientation. I knew from the onset that she held my best interests at heart, and felt very supported and accepted during some difficult processes."

  • “Ilana is perceptive, personal, warm, creative and highly intuitive.”

  • "You are a healer, teacher and holder of sacred space. It’s a true honour to walk this path with you."

  • "I’m so so grateful to you for helping me I think without you I’d be in a dreadful place There are no words to express my appreciation 💜💜"

  • "Thanks for your belief in me."

  • "I just wanted to acknowledge the beauty of the experience I felt with you. An absolute treasured experience. Thank you."

  • “I feel really grateful for the way you meet me — with clarity, kindness, and no judgement. It helps me trust my own process more deeply. I deeply appreciate you… “

  • "The heart and humanity you bring to your craft is nothing short of an exquisite gift."

  • "I loved some of the questions you asked me, you really went there with me, safely and lovingly taking me to the edges that I’ve turned away from within myself...."

More Testimonials 
My Approach

Meeting at Depth

My approach gently and intentionally engages the unconscious, making this deep, transformative work. Recommended for those who feel ready for change.

I offer a space where you can exhale - where there’s no need to perform, explain, or hold it all together. A space that is warm, grounded, and emotionally honest. I believe we need more than coping strategies from therapy.  It’s not too much to ask to feel seen and understood.

Together, we’ll turn toward what matters most: the need for safe connection, the alchemy of grief, and the unexpected growth that can follow pain. Slowly and steadily, you can clear the way for a life shaped by meaning, purpose, and presence.

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Ready to Begin?

Ilana provides a safe, steady place to do honest work. You don’t need to be ready for everything. Just ready to begin.

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How Therapy Works

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Reach out

Book a short discovery call and let’s feel for that fit. There’s no pressure. Just a first step.

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Begin where you are

Sessions are available online or in person. You don’t need to have the words. It’s okay to begin where you are.

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Connection & Deepening

Clients often describe feeling lighter, clearer, more connected. We let things unfold, everyone’s journey is unique.

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I Can Help With

  • Finding Meaning & Purpose

  • Personal Growth

  • Major Life Transitions

  • Trauma & PTSD

  • Motherhood & Maternal Ambivalence

  • Grief, in its Many Forms

  • Adjusting to Life After Loss

  • The Weight of Secrets

  • End of Life Care

  • Dreams & Nightmares

  • The Taboos: Sex, Money & Politics

  • Anxiety & Existential Concerns

  • Walking with you Through Bereavement

Ilana Laps, a woman with curly red hair sitting near a window, looking to her right with a gentle smile.
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What you will find here

  • A space without judgment

  • Insight into emotional patterns

  • An unrushed space for grief

  • Support through identity shifts, such as motherhood, bereavement and social displacement 

  • Permission to speak the unspoken

  • A space grounded in care, not scripts

  • A connection to something deeper

  • Dreamwork, if you're curious

  • Focused on meaning, not just symptoms

Book your intro call →

FAQS.

Questions you might have

  • Ilana holds provider numbers with Medibank Private, BUPA, ARHG, and ahm. Depending on your level of extras cover, you may be able to claim a rebate with these funds and some others. Please check directly with your insurer using the provider numbers below:

    • Medibank Private — A259281K

    • BUPA — J002121

    • ARHG — PC27078T

    • ahm — 21247027

  • Yes, Ilana’s books are currently open. While her schedule fills at times, you’re welcome to book a free 15-minute intro call to see if it feels like a good fit. Once we click, sessions usually begin within a few weeks.

  • Start by booking a free 15-minute intro call. From there, Ilana will guide you through the next steps.

  • I don’t provide report writing services.

    If you think you may need a formal report — whether for legal, financial, insurance, or other reasons — I recommend working with a Psychologist or Psychiatrist who includes report writing as part of their services.

  • Ilana blends depth psychology, embodied awareness, and a soulful, non-judgmental presence. She works relationally, meaning the connection you build in the therapy room itself becomes part of the work - supporting insight, healing, and personal growth. You’re not here to be fixed. You’re here to remember who you are, make sense of your journey, and clear the blocks to living an authentic life, rich with purpose and fewer regrets.

  • Counselling often focuses on specific issues in the short term. Psychology usually involves structured, clinical approaches and can include Medicare rebates. Psychotherapy is more relational and long-term, looking at patterns, meaning, and the deeper layers of change. My work is psychotherapy — warm, grounded, and transformative.

  • That’s a common experience. The right fit between therapist and client makes a big difference. Ilana’s approach is relational and paced to you - not a set method or quick fix. Many clients who felt stuck elsewhere find this way of working helps them go deeper and gain momentum.

  • That’s okay. Part of my job is matching approaches to your needs. I offer many tools, but the most important is creating a safe, supportive space for you. When you feel safe, growth naturally unfolds. We start exactly where you are, and move at your pace.

  • If you’d like to try dreamwork, you’ll need to bring a dream to explore - and I can help you recall more of them. Dreamwork is completely optional. Some clients bring dreams regularly, others only when it feels right. Dreams can offer surprising insight, and I do recommend trying at least one to see what it reveals and how it supports our work. The if and when are entirely up to you.

  • No. Psychotherapy sessions are not eligible for a Medicare rebate.

    If you have private health insurance, you may be able to claim a rebate depending on your level of cover. You can check with your provider using the following provider numbers:

    • Medibank Private — A259281K

    • BUPA — J002121

    • ARHG — PC27078T

    • ahm — 21247027

  • Yes! If you prefer more time, Ilana offers 60-, 75-, or 90-minute appointments, allowing us to work at a pace that feels right for you. Two-hour sessions are available on request, particularly for in-depth dreamwork combined with therapy. Many clients appreciate this flexible approach, as it helps the work feel more personal and tailored to their changing needs.