FAQs

We endeavour to provide friendly and helpful support so that you can get the most out of your life. This page is designed to answer some of the questions that you might have about seeing a Psychologist.

If you have a question that is not covered here please call us or email us and we will endeavour to help find the answer.

Mental Health Emergency

If you feel that you may cause harm to yourself or others or that you are at risk in any way we advise the following:

  • Get support from family member or a friend.
  • Visit your GP
  • Ring Lifeline 13 11 14.
  • Contact the Acute Care Mental Health Team 1800 011 511 (NSW) and 13 4325 84 (QLD).
  • If you feel you cannot keep yourself safe and require immediate help go to the emergency department at your local hospital or call 000

Intake

Step 1. Referral

The most common form of entry to the practice is through a Mental Health Care Plan referral from your GP. Ask your GP to send your referral directly to us.

Referrals can be made by other agents including Case Workers or NDIS Support Co-ordinators. 

You are also welcome to self- refer. 

You can find more information about referrals here

Step 2. Provide Information

Complete the New Client Referral form online or give us a call so that we have some initial information about you.

Step 3. Wait

Once we have your information and referral our intake officer will process your request.  In most cases you will be contacted by the intake officer within a week to book initial appointments. 

Step 4. Book appointments and complete online forms

Once your appointments have been booked we will email you a New Client Registration and Consent form and a DASS that must be completed prior to your first session.

* The DASS form is a measure of how you have been feeling over the past week.  This form is completed regularly over the course of your therapy as a way of tracking your wellbeing and progress.

Once we have received your referral and the new client request form you will be assigned a psychologist that best suits your needs. 

Our intake officer will contact you within a week to make a series of appointments, ideally three appointments that are 2 weeks apart.

The wait time to your first appointment will be kept to a minimum.

If the wait time to your first appointment is longer than 4 weeks you will be placed on the cancellation list and will be offered earlier appointments as they become available.

The new client request form can be found here

Prior to your first session the following information will be collected:

  • A referral and/or a decision of how your sessions will be billed
  • General information about you
  • Acknowledgement of our cancellation policy
  • Acknowledgement of our privacy policy

In some cases further information will be requested including:

* Your NDIS plan goals and therapy budget (for development of your service agreement)
* Consent to release or obtain information (from other health professionals)

* Details of your support network and contacts 

Our Find the Right Practitioner tool can be used to search for a psychologist that would best fit your needs. 

You can search by your age, therapy type, ‘helps with’, location and availability.  You are welcome to specify if you would prefer to see a male or female psychologist.

We will do our best to accommodate your request and will provide alternate options if needed.

Standard fees and rebates are listed below:

Clinical Psychologist –        $219 (Medicare rebate – $137.05)

Registered Psychologist – $179 (Medicare rebate – $93.35)

Provisional Psychologist – $159 (Medicare rebate – not available)

Please refer to each psychologist’s profile pages here for specific availability, fees, rebates and out-of-pocket costs.

We believe that everyone deserves care, respect and control over their health and well being. 

We will always do our best to accommodate requests for support however at times our psychologist’s books fill up and we do not keep a waitlist.

We do not want you to be waiting for an opportunity later, when you could be receiving immediate care now.

If our psychologists are unavailable, or the wait time is too long we will discuss this with you. 

If we cannot take you on within a reasonable time-frame we encourage you to find support elsewhere.

Yes. We have several Psychologists who see children and adolescents. 

Please use our Find The Right Practitioner search tool or call us to discuss.

Yes. Living Well Psychology can undertake a wide variety of psychological assessments including, but not limited to,  cognitive/IQ assessment (WISC-IV and WAIS-IV), Memory Assessments, Personality Assessments and assessments of specific mental health issues. We also can also provide assessments for employers and government agencies.

For more information visit our Assessments and testing page here

Therapy is most effective when the client and psychologist work together to develop a plan of finding ways to make positive change.
We ask that you join your psychologist in making a commitment to the therapeutic relationship and process in the following ways:

  • If you cannot attend your appointment, please contact us at least 24hrs beforehand to reschedule otherwise you will incur a $50 Cancellation Fee.
  • If you cannot attend your appointment on the day, please contact us at least 3hrs beforehand to reschedule otherwise you will incur a $75 No Show Fee.
  • If you miss your appointment due to illness or emergency, you may submit a written request to the practice manager for fees to be waived along with documented evidence for consideration. Your psychologist is not authorised to waive any fees.
  • For clients who are attending under Medicare or WorkCover, you are responsible for ensuring we have a current Treatment Plan on file. You can choose to attend your appointment and pay private consultation fees otherwise cancellation fees apply.

Sessions

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.

Psychologists

Psychologists are experts in human behaviour. They have studied human development, memory, learning and the brain at university.

Psychologists apply their expertise in a caring and compassionate manner using reliable scientifically supported methods. Psychologists assist people with everyday problems such as stress and relationship difficulties, and some specialise in treating people with mental illness. They help people to develop the skills needed to function better and to prevent ongoing problems. Their treatments are based on changing behaviour and emotional responses without medication. There is a considerable amount of evidence showing psychological treatments are effective. Psychologists cannot prescribe medication.

Clinical Psychologists have done additional postgraduate training in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychological and mental health problems.

Both Psychologists and Clinical Psychologists must be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and are bound by a strict code of ethics and confidentiality.

Source: Australian Psychological Society http://www.psychology.org.au.

Psychiatrists have a medical degree, which involved six years of studying general medicine, followed by further study to specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and emotional problems. Psychiatrists treat the effects of emotional disturbances on the body and the effects of physical conditions on the mind. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication. Some combine medication with other forms of therapy.

There are different types of counsellors such as rehabilitation counsellor, marriage and/or family counsellor, school counsellor etc. Each may have very different qualifications and experience levels, which can be enquired about by potential clients. In Australia there is no mandated minimum training and qualification.

Living Well Psychology employs Psychologists who are skilled in counselling and psychological therapy.

Provisional Psychologist

Provisional Psychologists have completed a Bachelor Degree with Honors or a Bachelor Degree and Masters in the field of psychology. 

During the provisional stage of accreditation, a minimum of one year is spent in practice under a Board Approved Supervisor.

During this time the Provisional Psychologist offers psychological services to clients under the guidance of their supervisor to the develop core competencies and gain a set number of client contact hours required to gain accreditation.

Registered Psychologist

All psychologists must be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, meet high education, training, ethical and professional standards, and undertake ongoing training and skills development.

Psychologists with general registration have a minimum of six years of university training and supervised experience, and build on that with ongoing education. 

They use evidence-based, customised psychological approaches to assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of clients and concerns. Areas include education and training, public health and policies, justice and corrections, and emerging technology and design. 

Clinical Psychologist Registrar

A Clinical Psychologist Registrar is a Registered Psychologist that has completed further study for endorsement as a Clinical Psychologist. 

Clinical Psychologist Registrars undertake an intensive period of training in a specialised area of practice which enables them to develop the core competencies required to become endorsed as a Clinical Psychologist.

Clinical Psychologist 

Clinical psychologists provide a wide range of psychological services to individuals for mental health conditions that range from mild to severe and complex. As well, they may be involved in research, teaching and supervision, program development and evaluation, public policy and other activities. 

Clinical psychologists are trained in the assessment and diagnosis of mental illnesses and psychological problems and are qualified to provide advice in clinical and compensation areas. 

Using a range of techniques and therapies, they tailor programs to treat complex clinical psychology problems requiring individually tailored treatment. 

All clinical psychologists undertake continual learning in areas such as prevention, diagnosis, assessment and treatment, including rehabilitation. 

From the APS website

Billing

You don’t need a get referral from a doctor if you’d prefer not to. However to be eligible for a rebate from Medicare you will need a referral.

Standard fees and rebates are listed below:

Clinical Psychologist –        $219 (Medicare rebate – $137.05)

Registered Psychologist – $179 (Medicare rebate – $93.35)

Provisional Psychologist – $159 (Medicare rebate – not available)

Please refer to each psychologist’s profile pages here for specific availability, fees, rebates and out-of-pocket costs.

Payment is taken at each session and we accept cash, credit card or EFTPOS.

Applicable rebates are processed by us on the day and refunded to the account you have registered with Medicare.

When you book an appointment, the Psychologists is reserving that time just for you. We do not double book or over book.

The other incentive to attend the appointment is that you will be more likely to achieve the results you are looking for.

If you give us less than 24 hours notice, a cancellation fee of $50 of the consultation fee will be charged.

If you give us less than 3 hours notice, a cancellation fee of $75 of the consultation fee will be charged.

Most private health funds do offer rebates to members depending on your level of cover. Please check with your health fund to see how you could benefit.

We are a mixed billing practice and offer limited bulk billing by prior arrangement only. To be eligible, you must present a current Health Care, Pension or Concession Card along with a Mental Health Treatment Plan referral.

We also offer sessions with no out-of-pocket fee for clients with a Healthy Minds referral.

Information about Healthy Minds can be found here

Please speak to your GP about eligibility.