FAQs

The first session is normally a time for the Psychologist to gather information about your physical and mental health history, evaluate your situation and work with you to develop a treatment plan.

The Psychologist will give you time to:

• Discuss the issues which concern you.
• Get to know how you think and react to problems.
• Explore your thoughts, emotions and behaviour.
• Get to know your own strengths and personal support system.

Get a sense of what kind of interventions may be needed for you to feel more healthy.

Each appointment lasts approximately 50mins. If you feel you would like a longer appointment please let our receptionists know. Please note that there will be an extra cost involved as Medicare does not provide any increase in the rebate for sessions longer than 50mins.

For Therapy to work it must be a priority for you

Therapy can be hard work, but the rewards are worth it. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your therapy:

Take responsibility for your learning; don’t lose sight of what you want to get out of therapy. Use your Psychologists as a coach, guide and consultant.

Don’t expect your Psychologist to tell you what to do. You and your psychologists are partners in your recovery.

Your Psychologist can guide you and make suggestions about treatment, but only you can make the changes that you need to move forward.

Make a commitment to yourself and therapy.

Don’t skip sessions unless you absolutely have to. If you find yourself skipping sessions or are reluctant to go ask yourself why.

Are you avoiding painful discussions? The last session touch a nerve? Talk about a reluctance with your Psychologist. Share what you are feeling.

• You will get the most out of therapy if you are open and honest with your Psychologist about your feelings.
• If you feel embarrassed or something is too painful to talk about don’t be afraid to tell your Psychologist.
• At your pace you can work together to resolve issues.
• Use what you learn and commit to applying it in your life.
• Therapy is all about trust. If you are having difficulties with trust then it is important to let your Psychologist know.
• Follow through on any homework that you have agreed to.
• Therapy is a business relationship. You are paying for a service. Respect this relationship.

Be committed to attend your scheduled appointments on time.

Psychological therapy is an opportunity to find new ways of coping with difficult life problems. Working with a skilled practitioner can help you understand and challenge unhelpful patterns in your life.

There are different types of therapies used to treat different types of problems. The psychological therapies available at Living Well Psychology are scientifically researched and validated in order to ensure the highest quality treatment.

Research shows that psychological treatments are effective in changing many common mental health problems. Some treatments are at least as successful as medication in treating some of the most prevalent conditions such as depression and anxiety. Therapy can also help to prevent relapses by providing strategies that can be used to with any future issues which may arise.

Psychological therapy is an opportunity to find new ways of coping with difficult life problems. Working with a skilled practitioner can help you understand and challenge unhelpful patterns in your life.

There are different types of therapies used to treat different types of problems. The psychological therapies available at Living Well Psychology are scientifically researched and validated in order to ensure the highest quality treatment.

Research suggests that mental health problems are very common with roughly one in five people experiencing mental health difficulties over the course of their life.

It is quite common to feel weighed down with a problem for a long period of time before seeking help. Such problems can significantly interfere with the person’s quality of life, work and relationships. If left untreated psychological problems can lead to a low self-esteem and a sense of feeling miserable.

People see Psychologists for a wide variety of reasons to:

• Improve the quality of their life.
• Develop coping strategies.
• Address mental health issues
• Overcome a serious issue or incident in their life.
• Improve the quality of their relationships.
• Help them adjust to a major change.
• Feel brighter, positive or more capable.
• Create a sense of balance in their life.
• Figure out something that they feel stuck with.
• Feel supported.

Psychologists are able to support people experiencing a wide variety of emotional and psychological problems. Aside from treating mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety and traumatic stress psychologist help build life and communication skills such as assertive communication, problem solving skills, anger management skills and parenting skills.

Growth and change is difficult for everyone and you won’t be a new person overnight. Look for a long-term pattern of growth and change.

For example your overall mood might be improved or you may feel more connected to family and friends. You may deal with a crisis that might have overwhelmed you in the past with much less stress.

You can expect some temporary setbacks which may turn out to be great opportunities for learning.

It can be difficult to challenge yourself and break old entrenched patterns.

There is no smooth or fast road to recovery. Sometimes what seemed like a straightforward problem can turn into a more complicated one.

You are not a failure if you don’t meet your goals within the target number of sessions.

You and your Psychologist should work to re-evaluate goals and progress as necessary along the way.

How successful a psychological therapy will be depends on many factors, including:

• How complex the condition is.
• How long the problem has been a part of your life.
• Your willingness to make changes and face your fears.
• Who supports you?
• How often you see your Psychologist

Your privacy is important to us and we follow a strict code of conduct where your privacy is concerned, as governed by the Australian Psychological Society and National Privacy Principles. All personal information gathered during the provision of psychological services will remain confidential and secure except when:

1. Your prior approval has been obtained to:
   1. Provide a written report another professional or agency, e.g. GP or lawyer; or
   2. Discuss the material with another person, e.g. specialist doctor or employer.
2. It is subpoenaed by a court.
3. When mandated by law.
4. Failure to disclose information would place you or another person at risk; or
5. If you have been referred by a GP under a Mental Health Care Plan we are obligated to provide a report to your GP after the initial appointment and at the end of each care plan or review.
6. As a requirement for reporting of other programs that subsidises psychological assistance.
7. As a requirement of child protection legislation.

In order to provide psychological services to you we need to collect and record your personal information relevant to your current situation.

This information will be a necessary part of the psychological assessment and treatment. You may access the material recorded in your file upon request, subject to the exceptions in National Privacy Principle 6.

If you would like to know more about this you should discuss this with your psychologist or you can find out more about the National Privacy Principles.

There is no set number of consultations required to complete a course of therapy and it will depend on your situation. Your psychologist will work with you to set goals to be achieved and develop a plan for therapy.

Everyone’s treatment is different. How long therapy lasts depends on many factors.

You may have a complicated issue or a relatively straightforward problem that you want to address.

Some therapy treatment types are short-term while others may be longer. Please feel free to talk to your Psychologist about what your needs are when you develop your treatment plan with them.

You need to feel comfortable talking to your psychologist. If you are finding it hard to make a connection it may affect your ability to reach your goals. If you feel it’s not working for you please try talking to your psychologist first. They will discuss your options with you and may recommend another psychologist who may suit you better.

The goodness of fit between you and your Psychologist is important. Therapy that is caring, challenging and respectful is likely to succeed with perseverance. The therapeutic relationship is a complex one and there are many factors that influence it, including how others have treated you in the past and the way you treat yourself. It is important to try and determine what factors are influencing you. Perhaps it may be something that you need to work through with the psychologist.

Sometimes, despite the best efforts of both parties, a therapeutic relationship is not meeting your needs. It is OK to talk about this with the Psychologist. If it is apparent that your needs require a change, your Psychologist will support you exploring what alternatives are available.

Within Living Well Psychology there is a range of caring and experienced Psychologists that may be able to offer you support.

If you are finding it difficult to attend the session, for whatever reason, talk to your Psychologist to try and find ways of supporting you.

Painful memories, frustration or feelings might surface. This is a normal part of therapy and your psychologist will support you through this process.

However, use caution if these feelings are so overwhelming that you are miserable after a session and start dreading therapy sessions.

You might need to slow down. Be sure to communicate with your Psychologist about how you are feeling.

From time to time you may feel you are in crisis or experience intense emotions. You may even have thoughts of harming yourself.

If these issues arise then we encourage you to discuss them with your psychologist at your next appointment.

If you feel that you are not making the progress you had hoped to or feel that you are not coping with the changes that you’ve made in your situation, you should discuss this with your psychologist.

At times you may feel that you need more frequent support from your Psychologist. Ideally regular appointments are planned taking into account your needs and the appointments available. Living Well Psychology does have a cancellation list for people that need additional support and can attend an appointment on short notice (please let the reception staff know if you would like to be included on the list).

The way in which therapy is finished is as important as your first session. Ideally therapy is completed when you are feeling that you have dealt with your issues, achieved your goals and have a plan for future issues if they arise.

Please actively discuss finishing therapy with your psychologist. The final session is also an important time to review what you have learnt and achieved.

Your Psychologist will need to write to your referring Doctor about the progress of therapy and any future support needs.

We encourage you to say farewell to you psychologist properly and in a planned way. They genuinely are interested in your welfare and want to know that you making healthy choices.

Yes. Appointments outside normal office hours are available by prior arrangement. Availability is different for each Psychologist so call us to find a time that suits you.

We are currently running a group for existing clients as part of a Monash University research study exploring the benefits of Dance on mild mental health issues.

More information about this group program can be found here.

If you would like to participate in this group or have a suggestion for a group you’d like to participate in please email us.

New clients will need to complete the intake process first. Once you are set up in our system you will be granted access to our Client Portal to book appointments.

Existing clients can use our Client Portal to manage their appointments and payments. 

For more information see our Client Portal User Guide.