Psychologists are trained to understand human behaviour across a wide range of areas. They use evidence based methods to support and assist people to improve their functioning and wellbeing. Our psychologists have a focus on helping young people and their families manage concerns that are affecting their happiness and ability to get the best out of life.

Psychologists use a wide variety of proven methods to assist clients to address their concerns. We recognise that every client is different and so we customise our approach to best fit with the needs of our clients. An integrated approach is essential for successful outcomes and our psychologists are great at engaging with clients and assisting parents/care-givers to best support their child to achieve the therapeutic goals.

Our psychologists have at least 6 years experience studying and practicing psychology. All have studied psychology at university for 4 years and then they have either completed a further 2 years of university at Masters level or worked in the field under supervision for a 2 year internship.
Our psychologists have full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. They undertake regular professional development to ensure that they are always up-to-date with best practice and knowledge of the latest developments in the field.  

No, psychologists do not prescribe medication. They generally focus on assisting clients to make changes and enhance functioning using psychological strategies. However, some clients may need additional support from medical professionals, such as paediatricians or psychiatrists, who are able to prescribe medication if necessary. We are keen to work with other professionals to ensure the best support and outcomes for clients.

We understand that seeing a psychologist for the first time may be somewhat daunting. Our friendly psychologists are great at putting people at ease and supporting them to discuss their concerns. We work together with clients to find strategies that best suit them to achieve their goals. We use age-appropriate methods with children and adolescents to help them feel comfortable interacting with their psychologist and to participate in therapy or assessment activities. The first appointment will be devoted to collecting information that will help the psychologist understand your concerns and develop a plan to address these. Further sessions will focus on working together to achieve positive changes.    

Our psychologists are very mindful of the importance of privacy and confidentiality. We follow the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Code of Ethics, the APS Guidelines and the Australian Privacy Principles in regards to collecting and handling personal information. Your psychologist is obliged to disclose information if it is officially requested (subpoenaed) by a court of law or if failure to provide the information would place the client or another person at serious risk of harm.

The counselling relationship is built on trust and it is essential that with limited exceptions (as stated above), psychologists are not asked to disclose the content of counselling sessions. To avoid a conflict of interest, we do not provide any reports other than those required to inform intervention needs (e.g. assessment reports) and progress reports to referrers as per Medicare requirements. We do not supply court reports or legal letters (e.g. custody or visitation issues) and our psychologists reserve the right to decline any request that may potentially put the therapeutic relationship at risk.

There are many factors that can influence therapy outcomes, including the extent of the concerns and how well clients are able to participate in therapy and apply the ideas and strategies to their everyday living. Some clients may be able to make the necessary changes to achieve their goals within a few sessions and others may have more complex needs or a number of concerns that take longer to work through. It may also be necessary to revisit therapy from time to time in order to maintain progress.

The frequency of sessions usually depends upon a number of factors such as time constraints, financial considerations and the level of intervention considered necessary. Most clients start with weekly or fortnightly appointments until a therapy relationship has been established and appropriate strategies have been developed and implemented. Clients who require further support may then move to monthly sessions to help them to monitor their progress and stay on track.  

Therapy sessions run for 50-60 minutes. Timeframes for assessment sessions vary depending upon the type of assessment being conducted. You will be advised of the session length for assessment when you book.

You do not need a referral to attend our service although we are happy to work with medical practitioners and other professionals to ensure the best wholistic care possible. Under the Better Access Initiative, clients referred by a general practitioner or medical specialist with a Mental Health Treatment Plan are eligible to receive a Medicare rebate for up to 10 individual and 10 group sessions per calendar year. Please note, we do not bulk bill and there will be a gap fee payable for services. Clients can be referred to our service under the Better Access Initiative by a medical practitioner for the following interventions:

Psychoeducation
Motivational Interviewing
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Relaxation Strategies
Skills Training
Problem Solving Skills and Training
Anger Management
Social Skills Training
Communication Training
Stress Management
Parent Management Training
Interpersonal Psychotherapy

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) recommends a rate of $251 for a standard psychological consultation of 45-60 minutes. To enable families better access to our service we charge a rate of $170 per therapy session. Under the Better Access Initiative, eligible clients can receive a Medicare rebate of $84.80 for specific psychological services. Please contact us on (07) 3482 2457 for further information or consult with your general practitoner or medical specialist.
 

Alternatively, you may be able to claim a private health insurance rebate. Please contact your health fund to check your eligibility. Please note, you cannot use private health insurance and Medicare at the same session. 

The cost of assessment varies according to the type of assessment. Please contact us on ph. (07) 3482 2457 for further information.  

You can claim a Medicare rebate if you attend with a referral under a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your general practitioner or medical specialist. Medicare will provide a rebate of $84.80 for up to 10 therapy sessions per calendar year. We have an electronic Medicare facility that enables immediate payment of rebates into a suitable bank account. 

There are no Medicare rebates for most assessment. Clients who attend with a suitable referral for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessment from a medical specialist (e.g. paediatrician or psychiatrist) are eligible for a Medicare rebate for certain sessions under the Helping Children with Autism Program.

You may be able to claim a private health insurance rebate depending upon the level of coverage and type of policy you have. Please contact your health fund to check your eligibility. Please note, you cannot use both private health insurance and Medicare at the same session.

Services must be paid for at each session. We accept Mastercard and Visa. We also accept cash. We do not take American Express or Diner's Club cards. If you are eligible to claim a Medicare rebate, we have an electronic facility that enables immediate payment of rebates into a suitable bank account. We do not have facilities to process private health rebates.    

We recognise that there are circumstances beyond the control of clients that may lead to an appointment being missed or cancelled with short notice. However, in order for us to continue to operate a supportive service for families, it is necessary to charge a flat fee for all missed appointments and short notice cancellations, regardless of the reason for not attending the appointment (e.g. a child falling ill on the day of the appointment). If you are unable to attend an appointment, it is essential that you contact us as soon as possible to advise you will not be attending. Efforts will be made to reschedule your appointment in a timely manner; however, the cancellation fee for the missed or cancelled appointment will still apply.

Unfortunately, we are unable to fill cancelled appointments at short notice. As such, if we do not receive 48 hours notice of your intention to cancel, there will be a charge of $40.00.

As a courtesy, we send text reminders to clients two days prior to their scheduled appointment. However, it is the client's responsibility for keeping track of appointments and for notifying us of a need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. As such, a cancellation fee will apply if we do not receive 48 hours notice, regardless of whether our text reminders are received. Please note that Medicare and Private Health funds do not rebate for missed and cancelled appointments.  

We do not have the coverage to provide a crisis support service and our psychologists may not be able to fit you in at short notice. If you require assistance immediately or out of hours, please call the Emergency Services on 000, present to the Emergency Department at your nearest public hospital or contact your general practitioner. Lifeline offer 24 hours counselling support on ph. 13 11 14. Parentline are available 7 days from 8am to 10pm on ph 1300 30 1300.