FAQ

+ What can I expect from my first session?

A comprehensive assessment. This will include current symptoms, current functioning (social, workplace, academic), mental health history, drug and alcohol use, family history, current living arrangements, physical health, and your reasons for seeking help.

Your psychologist will help you come up with some treatment goals.

The therapeutic relationship plays a major role in your progress, so working with a psychologist you like and trust is important.

Your psychologist may ask you to complete tasks between sessions, such as trying a new skill or monitoring thoughts/feelings. Generally the more you invest in “working” between sessions the more you will get out of therapy.

+ How many sessions will I need?

The duration of therapy will depend on your treatment goals and your presentation (e.g. current symptoms and functioning). Some people may require just a few sessions and some may require therapy for a year. You can discuss what to expect with your psychologist in the initial sessions.

+ How long and how frequent will the sessions be?

Session length is 50 minutes.

Weekly appointments are recommended during the early stages of therapy. Once you've established a relationship and some improvements have been made sessions can be further spaced out.

+ What is required of the parent for child therapy?

Parents bringing children for therapy will be involved in sessions to some extent. For children under 10 years old, the first session will usually be conducted with parents only. For children over 10 years old parents may be asked to join the initial session for a short time. After the first session the amount of time parents are present during sessions will depend on the child’s age and presenting problem. The psychologist will use their clinical judgement to decide on the best treatment approach for the child, including the level of parental involvement.

+ How soon will I see results?

Often clients expect that therapy will cause them to feel better. While this is always a long-term goal, it may not happen straight away. Therapy may involve remembering unpleasant things and dealing with difficult emotions before you reach the point of feeling better.

+ How do I get my Medicare rebate for my session?

Medicare Australia has a number of schemes that allow you to get a rebate for psychological services. The most common of these is the Better Access to Mental Health Care scheme. Under this scheme a referral may be given to you by a general practitioner, psychiatrist, or paediatrician. They will assess your eligibility for a Mental Health Care Plan, and provide you with paperwork to bring to your first appointment.

The rebate for an appointment with a clinical psychologist is $141.85; for an appointment with a registered psychologist is $96.65; and for an appointment with an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker is $85.20. You can access this rebate for up to 20 sessions per calendar year. Families who have reached their Medicare safety net can access a further 80% of the gap payment. Please contact Medicare for further information. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/medicare

+ What is the Medicare safety net?

The Medicare safety net allows you to access a higher Medicare rebate once you have spent over a certain threshold on medical expenses during a calendar year (1 January to 31 December).

If you’re part of a family or couple, you can register with Medicare as a family to combine your costs. This means you’re more likely to reach the thresholds sooner. Even if all family members are on the same Medicare card, you’ll still need to register. You don’t need to register if you’re an individual with no dependants.

More information can be found here: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare-safety-nets

+ Can I get a Healthfund rebate for my session?

Your ability to get a rebate from a private health insurer will depend on your level of cover and your specific health insurer. We suggest you consult your private health insurer for more information.

Please note, you can only claim a rebate through either Medicare OR your private health insurer for any one session.

+ What is the Cancellation Policy?

Due to a high demand for appointments, cancellations made with less than two full business days' notice will incur a cancellation fee of up to the full appointment fee. To avoid cancellation fees please allow two full business days' notice when rescheduling or cancelling sessions. You will receive a reminder text message four business days prior to your appointment to assist with this.

+ What are the session fees?

Consultations are 50 minutes long and our fees vary depending whether you are seeing a counsellor, social worker, provisional psychologist, registered psychologist, clinical psychologist or senior psychologist. As always, this practice endeavours to keep costs below the Australian Psychological Society’s recommended fee of $311.

Attendance at schools and home visits may be carried out when the psychologist believes it will benefit the client. Fees for these services are available on request.

No fees are payable for clients attending appointments through the following government-funded programs: Psychological Access Plus, Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), and Victims Services. Please see the section below on Referrals for more information.

+ What are the payment terms?

Payment is expected at the time of each session. Payment can be made via EFTPOS, credit card or cash. Clients have the option to save their credit card details in our secure online system which can assist busy parents to pay for their child’s appointments without needing to come in to the practice.

+ What referral types do you accept?

A referral is not required to see our psychologists. You can pay for appointments yourself or seek a rebate through your private health fund. However, if you want to claim a rebate or access services through a government-funded program, a referral will be required.

Medicare’s Better Access to Mental Health Care Scheme: This is the well-known Medicare-funded program which allows people with a diagnosed mental health issue to receive a rebate for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. In order to access the rebate you will require a Mental Health Care Plan (often simply called a referral) from your GP. Please see Fees & Rebates for more information.

Psychological Access Plus: This is a government-funded program that aims to make psychological services accessible for Australians in need, with no cost to the client. Your GP will assess whether you are eligibile for this referral type.

Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA): If you hold a Gold or White DVA card you can access our psychological services free of charge. Please see your GP for a referral.

WorkCover NSW: We are registered providers of psychological services for WorkCover NSW. If you have suffered a workplace-related injury and you are making a claim through the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme, please speak to your caseworker about psychological support and see your GP for a referral. (We are not currently accepting WorkCover refferals)

NSW Motor Accidents Scheme: This scheme is for individuals who have suffered an injury through a motor vehicle accident, and are insured with a Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurer. Please speak to your CTP insurer and see your GP for a referral.

Victims Services NSW: This program provides psychological support for victims of crime. Please see the link below or contact Victims Services NSW for information. https://victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/victims-services/how-can-we-help-you/victims-support-scheme/counselling.html