Let me know the reason why you want to see a Psychologist, and if you and I feel my competencies and approach align with your needs, we can arrange an appointment. The best way to find out if a Psychologist is right for you is by getting to know them, and having them get to know you.

The right Psychologist for you will help you feel comfortable talking to them, you will feel listened to, and over time you will aim for you to learn more about yourself and learn some tools to help you.

If something isn’t feeling right, raise it with your Psychologist. Sometimes difficulties in the relationship will mirror difficulties you are having elsewhere, and working them through with your Psychologist can help you work through them in your other relationships. The right Psychologist should help guide you through this.

If you just aren’t clicking with the style of your Psychologist (including with me) - that’s okay. Psychologists are people with a whole range of different personalities and approaches. Just raise any concerns with your Psychologist, who can also refer you to a better match if needs be.

If the area you need help in is outside my scope of practice, I will also help find you someone appropriately skilled, or direct you to where you can find a Psychologist working in that area to help you.

The mental health field is broad and complex, so any practitioners in this area have limits on what mental health issues they can and will work with, and these limits depend on their training and experience. Every practitioner will have different skills, training and experience from both their studies and experience and training after their formal studies.

Psychiatrists are Medical Specialists - Doctors who have studied medicine and specialised in Psychiatry and Mental Health. Psychiatrists can assess and diagnose mental health issues, prescribe medication and provide ongoing treatment, help you access a mental health hospital, and write medical reports that are required in many systems. However they can be costly and their appointments are often very short.

Psychologists studied Psychology and Mental Health and are scientifically trained in human behaviour and evidence based (scientifically seen as effective) interventions. Psychologists can assess and diagnose mental health issues, but cannot prescribe medication. Psychologists tend to spend more time with their clients, with longer appointments and appointment more often, where therapy is performed.

Psychiatrist and Psychologist are protected titles, which means they can only be legally used by people who are appropriately qualified, registered with, and answerable to the Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Authority.

Sometimes you will need both a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist who can work together in your best interests.

Counsellor is also not a protected title, however an ideal counsellor is someone who has undergone counselling training and qualifications and is registered with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia or the Australian Counselling Association, who have standards and ethics that their members ascribe to. Counsellors cannot diagnose, but can provide therapy. If you are considering using a Counsellor, check with them what qualifications and training they have.

A Mental Health Occupational Therapist must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority (AHPRA) as an Occupational Therapist, and then undergo an endorsement program that includes training and clinical experience. A Mental Health Occupational Therapist helps individuals manage mental health conditions by developing practical skills for daily life, improving their ability to participate in meaningful activities, and increasing their independence and quality of life.

A Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is an AHPRA registered nurse with further mental health qualifications, who can administer some medications and provide some therapy. Mental Health Nurses can work with your Psychiatrist and with your Psychologist together in your care.

A Psychotherapist is also not a protected title, so there are no laws around who can call themselves a Psychotherapist. However it is reccommended that a Psychotherapist undertakes multiple unviersity degrees , significant training and clinical superision to practive. A Psychotherapist focuses on spoken therapy. If you are considering using a Psychotherapist, check with them what qualifications and training they have.

You may benefit from a Psychologist and a Mental Health Occupational Therapist, a Mental Health Nurse, or another practitioner, working together.

A Psychologist is a trained, neutral person who you can talk to without social impact, to reflect on what is happening for you. You should see a Psychologist when you want a neutral perspective on a problem you are having, when you want specialised help on a problem you are having, when you want help developing coping skills in both a crisis or with ongoing problems, and when you want assessment or treatment for a problem. You can also see a Psychologist to explore any difficulties you have been having, and to help you make decisions about your future.

A standard session or appointment in Psychology is 50 minutes long. This allows time to work through a lot of information and processing but should also not feel too emotionally exhausting.

There are some occasions where you may choose a shorter 20 - 30 minute appointment, or a longer 80 minute appointment, or may even work together for a couple of hours, depending on your needs. You should discuss your needs with your treating Psychologist.

Most of the time, Everything you say and do is kept confidential. Psychologists abide by both the Privacy Act, The Psychologist’s Act and the Australian Privacy Principles.

If you need your Psychologist to work together with another health practitioner or someone else, you will need to give them written permission.

However, if your Psychologist feels you are at serious risk of harm to yourself or someone else, your Psychologist will need to take steps to try to prevent this.

Your Psychologist may also have to respond to a legal supoena where the courts require access to your file, or may be legally required to disclose information.

Your Psychologist may also need to discuss your case in clinical supervision, however any identifying details will be removed, and your permission must be obtained beforehand.

Australian citizens and permanent residents are entitled to rebates from Medicare for up to 10 sessions with a Psychologist a calendar year.

If you are eligible, your doctor can refer you for 6 sessions. After 6 sessions, your Psychologist will report back to your doctor. You then see your doctor for a review, and if you need further sessions, the doctor can refer you for 4 further Medicare rebated sessions.

Each referral is valid for 12 months, however you can only use 10 sessions in a calendar year. If you don’t use them all, you may be able to use them the next year (within 12 months of the referral). However you will still only be able to use 10 rebated sessions per calendar year.

The cost of a standard 50 minute consultation is $240.00. 

Psychology fees reflect the extensive training, qualifications, and professional responsibilities required to provide safe, ethical, and effective mental health care. Psychologists undergo years of university education, supervised practice, and continuous professional development to maintain registration and deliver evidence-based treatment. Fees also cover costs like professional indemnity insurance, clinical supervision, registration with regulatory bodies, practice rent, administration, and secure systems for managing sensitive client information. While sessions may seem costly, they represent the investment in a high standard of care that supports your long-term wellbeing.

There are a range of rebates you may be entitled to.

Medicare rebates are available should you be referred under a Mental Health Care Plan by your treating General Practitioner.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs funding is accepted for White Card and Gold Card holders.

Insurance funding may be available if approved by your insurer prior to your appointment. 

Please also check your private health insurance to see if health insurance rebates apply. 

We understand that mental health support is an important investment, and we are committed to making it as accessible as possible. For this reason, we offer a sliding scale and can adjust fees in cases of genuine financial hardship. If you’re facing difficulties, we encourage you to speak openly so we can explore options together. While we believe people are more important than money, we also aim to ensure the service remains sustainable and fair for everyone. Reduced fees are provided in good faith, and we kindly ask that they are reserved for those who truly need them, rather than as a way to minimise costs unnecessarily. This helps us continue to provide quality care to all clients.

If you are late for your appointment, your Psychologist will wait for 15 minutes, and will make an attempt to contact you by telephone or SMS during this time. Please be aware though, being more than 10 minutes late for your appointment may reduce or make you ineligible for any applicable rebates for your session, and you may be liable for the full fee of the session. 

If, for some reason you need to cancel or postpone the appointment, please give your Psychologist at least 48 hours’ notice, otherwise you will be charged the cost for the session. 
Giving more than 48 hours notice can give another person an opportunity to have an appointment, whereas late cancellations and non attendance without payments increases business costs, which influences fees for all clients. 
As a compassionate service, should there be a significant reason for your non attendance or late cancellation, please do let your Psychologist know, as there are some incidents whereby a fee may be reduced or waived. 

Payments are due at the end of your session are can be paid by direct deposit or cash. No other payments are accepted at this time so as to keep costs for you as low as possible.

Should you require payments to be processed through a third party, such as a Parent or Relative, an Insurer, or the Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA), or an Assistant, you will need to have signed a Consent to Release and Obtain Information form permitting this to occur. 
Unless billed to a third party or otherwise required, you will be provided with an invoice and receipt. 
Medicare and DVA payments are processed automatically by our system. 

You are welcome to have as many sessions as you need, but Medicare rebates only apply to 10 per calendar year, with an appropriate referral.

If you have private health insurance, do check if you can use your cover to assist in paying for your appointments.

Sometimes in Insurance claims, the Insurer may decide that you don’t need further appointments, or will limit the amount of appointments you can have.

You are welcome to have as many appointments as you need, and may be able to access a GP Mental Health Care Plan or Private Health insurance to assist you in affording appointments.

If you feel a Insurer is being unfair in an Insurance claim, you can discuss this with your lawyer if you have appointed one.