Yes, under a Mental Health Care Plan provided to you by your GP, you’ll be able to access a rebate of $141.85 for 10 sessions per calendar year.

Your GP will provide you with 6 approved sessions initially, then after we complete these 6 sessions, you may need to go back so they can approve the remaining 4 sessions.

A referral is not required to attend sessions, you’re welcome to book in immediately. You’re welcome to choose to use any suitable rebate at any point throughout treatment.

In most cases, effective therapy will take longer than 10 sessions. You may have the option of utilising a different Medicare rebate or other rebate system depending on your circumstances. If based on your financial circumstances sessions are still difficult to access we may be able to accommodate a reduced rate for sessions.

Sessions will look different depending on your specific circumstances, who you are, and what you’re coming to therapy for. But generally, our first several sessions will be spent taking a history and building a rapport. Then we’ll take some time to consider your situation and I’ll propose what a psychological formulation to help understand what’s going on for you. We’ll spend some time considering this formulation together and that will give a direction for future sessions.

There are always struggles in relationships. We’ll be talking about difficult topics which will inevitably evoke strong feelings. Under these circumstances it’s important that you feel comfortable and state openly what’s going well and not well. I’ll do my best to understand and work through these situations together with your best interest in mind. These discussions can often strengthen the therapeutic relationships and are encouraged.

We don’t know…yet. Before we can gain an idea of whether therapy for you will be short or longer term, I need to get to know you and your situation. You’re also welcome to ask at any point in therapy, how many more sessions do I think you’ll need or how I think you’re going and I’ll do my best to give you an clinical judgement based on what we know about you by that point.

Confidentiality is maintained at all times except for these specific circumstances:

• If there is immediate risk to your or others safety I will have to contact the appropriate people ensure physical safety.

• If your file, information, or a report is subpoenaed by the court I be legally obliged to comply.

• If you are being funded by a third-party (ie Workcover, DVA, insurer) a report or your file may be requested. You are welcome to deny these third-party requests but this may restrict your funding of sessions.

A Clinical Psychologist is a specially trained clinician who has completed at least a Master of Clinical Psychology at an approved institution and then an additionally focused 2 year clinical registrar program under a supervising Clinical Psychologist. A Registered Psychologist is a Psychologist who has met the necessary educational and practical requirements as a Psychologist but may not have specialist clinical training or experience. A Provisional Psychologist is a Psychologist who is still currently undergoing their training or waiting for their general registration to be approved.

There are differences in the medicare rebates you are able to access between each type of psychologist. By seeing a Clinical Psychologist you are entitled to a rebate of $141.85 per session, Registered Psychologists $96.65, and no medicare rebate for provisional psychologists.

Life is busy, things can happen. Ideally, we will be able to meet the same time every week or fortnight. Meaning your session slot is yours. I will not reschedule it or give it to someone else. I ask for the same sentiment in return. But if we can’t find a consistent time that works for us or you do need to reschedule for extenuating circumstances I understand. We ask that you give us at least 24 hours notice so that we may be able to offer this timeslot to another client in need.
If you do not show up to an appointment or fail to let us know within 24hours to cancel or reschedule, a late fee of 100% of the session cost will apply.
If you are funded via a third party (e.g Workcover or DVA) they will not pay a cancellation fee and this fee will be payable by yourself *NDIS participants excluded*.

If you have any other questions please feel free to enquire here