Services for Individuals

If you are interested in participating in psychological therapy, it is likely that there is a pressing issue that has been of concern for some time- this could be anything ranging from ongoing low mood or anxiety, through to specific issues relating to friends, family, partners, work, addiction, body image, eating disorders or weight management. Alternately, you could be seeking an avenue for improving your understanding of yourself and others, or looking to improve specific skills such as communication, assertiveness or dealing with thoughts and emotions.

Whatever your reason for seeking assistance, it helps to understand the normal process for entering into therapy. At the simplest level, all you need to do is contact us to arrange an appointment. However, if you wish to take advantage of the Medicare rebate for psychological therapy, you need to book an appointment with your GP to have a “mental health care plan” established. Essentially this is an assessment and treatment plan, which entitles you to an initial 6 sessions subsidised by Medicare, with a further 4 subsidised sessions available should you require them. The gap for sessions through Medicare is as little as $25 per session.

An alternate route for rebates on session fees is to contact your private health fund, and check your level of cover relating to allied health services. Depending on your level of cover, you may be able to claim back a significant proportion of the session fee.

For a small proportion of people seeking therapeutic treatment, cost can be a barrier. For those with genuine financial distress (such as people who are on Centerlink payments or in housing commission) bulk billing can be discussed on a case-by-case needs basis. We do this to enable everyone to have access to high-quality psychological services, regardless of their socio-economic situation.

Generally, the first individual session is about sharing information- about what brings you to therapy, your background and current situation. We discuss your therapeutic objectives and establish a treatment plan. The remaining sessions are used to work though a treatment plan, with “practice” at home a significant part of the process of changing behaviour and improving symptoms. Depending on the reasons for seeking therapy, you may only require 2-6 sessions, however some issues require medium term treatment over a period of months. If you have any further questions, please feel free to get in touch via email or phone.