Do I need a referral to make an appointment?
No. You do not need a referral to make and attend an appointment with a psychologist. However, to receive the Medicare Rebate (for up to 10 sessions in a calendar year), you must have a valid Medicare Mental Health Care Plan referral.
How long will a session last?
Traditionally a session involves the ‘therapeutic’, or ‘consultation’ hour. The length of this face to face component of the session is usually around 50 minutes, although session times can vary. Sessions can be longer or shorter depending on client goals and therapeutic needs.
What will happen at my first session?
Your first session with a new psychologist will involve a ‘clinical assessment’. This will sometimes comprise two phases – completion of questionnaires & consent form, followed by a clinical interview (discussion).
The questionnaires are not diagnostic, but do provide a ‘psychological snapshot’ of your mental health at the time, and are a good a starting point for the assessment. This is an important baseline measure that can be used to evaluate treatment gains.
Once you have discussed your consent form and questionnaires, and any questions have been answered to your satisfaction, you and your psychologist will have a discussion (called a clinical interview) where you discuss your concerns with the psychologist.
…at the end of this clinical assessment, your psychologist will be in a position to provide you with a formulation of the problem – that is, they will explain what they believe is ‘going on’ from a psychological perspective, may provide you with a formal diagnosis if one is applicable, and will also suggest a treatment plan for your concerns.
The clinical assessment is a critical element of the work that a clinical psychologist does with you. This assessment informs any diagnosis and treatment that may follow. The assessment can take place over a number of sessions as new information you provide is incorporated into clinical decision making. This can lead to changes in the formulation of your problem, changes in the diagnosis you receive and to changes in the treatment plan that you are offered.
How much will I actually need to pay?
You should ask about the current fee at the initial contact, ie when you make your first appointment over the phone. This fee is payable by you at the end of each consultation.
If you are on a GP Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) you may, if you qualify, receive a Medicare rebate of $141.85 per session attended.
Unless you psychologists can see you as a Medicare Bulk-Billing client, you will be ‘out of pocket’ for the difference between the Medicare rebate and the prevailing consultation fee. The amount of this gap fee will depend which fee (rate) you are eligible for: ie Full Consultation Fee (highest gap) or, if offered, a Reduced Consultation Fee (eg pensioners).
If your psychologist agrees to bulk-bill your sessions, you will not have to pay a gap fee.
Note: that not all psychologists offer bulk-billing. If offered, bulk billing appointments are limited and if available are usually reserved only for clients who are unemployed, on benefits (eg Health Care Card holders) or in some way experiencing significant financial hardship. Please check with your psychologist to see if this is an option.
How do I pay for my sessions?
The practice has a HICAPS terminal to process client payments. This means that you can easily and conveniently pay for your consultations using your EFTPOS or credit card. If you have private health fund coverage, you may be able to also claim your eligible rebate (from participating health funds only) ‘on the spot’ through the HICAPS terminal – you’ll need your health fund card for this. Please let your practitioner know on arrival if you have private health coverage. Most of our psychologists are also able to process your Medicare rebate on-line, which means you no longer have to wait in line at Medicare or Health Fund branches for your rebates. These are deposited into your account within 24 to 48 hours.
How do I get a GP Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP)?
You need to make an ‘extended’ appointment with your GP, who will discuss your circumstances with you and assess you for a MHCP. If you qualify, the GP will prepare a MHCP for you. You will get a copy of this plan and you need to bring this copy to your first session with your practitioner.
What do I need to bring to my first session?
You should bring a copy of your MHCP if you have one, as well as any referral letter from your referring doctor. If you are being bulk-billed, or wish to claim your Medicare rebate at the clinic, you should also make sure you have your Medicare card.
How many appointments will I need?
The number of sessions required will vary according to the individual, as well as the issues involved. Generally, 4-10 sessions is reasonably standard, some individuals may only require one or two sessions on top of the assessment, where others may benefit from ongoing assistance over a longer period of time. More complex problems are likely to require more sessions.
How often will I need to attend sessions?
For many clients, sessions are held on a weekly basis. This is preferable, especially initially, in order to gain and maintain momentum with therapeutic gains. However, this can be discussed with your clinician and the frequency of sessions is likely to change over time to fortnightly, or even monthly sessions. This will depend on the nature of the issues involved and the stage of therapy.
What is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist?
A psychiatrist is a ‘medically’ trained specialist in mental disorders. A psychiatrist works using the medical model, and as such, the primary mode of intervention is pharmacology or medication. A psychologist is not a ‘medical’ specialist, and does not prescribe medication.
…clinical psychologists are specialists in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders from a psychological perspective.
This means that clinical psychologists use psychological therapies like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Schema Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, etc.