This varies from person to person and is mostly determined by the nature of the problem and what they are hoping to get out of sessions.

Some people come to see a psychologist to develop coping strategies to reduce or manage symptoms of mental illness. This type of work can be short to medium term, but might also involve checking in less frequently over the longer-term to deal with setbacks or prevent relapse.

Other people come to therapy to understand long-standing patterns (such as relationship issues) that stem from experiences during their childhood. This type of work may take a longer period of time but is determined by the client preferences.

Sometimes people come to therapy for a one off session or just a handful of sessions to speak about a specific issue in their life or to increase their current well-being.

If you come and see me, your session will be approximately 50 minutes long.

Medicare – if you have a referral from your GP for Mental Health Treatment Plan you will be eligible to receive Medicare rebate of $129.55 for up to 20 sessions per calendar year.

Private Health Insurance – If you have private health insurance that include psychological services on your extras cover you may be eligible for a partial rebate. It is recommended you contact your health insurance provider to check your individual cover.

No, you do not need a referral however, without a referral patients are not eligible to claim a Medicare rebate.

Depending on the nature of your problem it may be wise to consult with your GP about your physical health.

All the information you discuss with me in our session is confidential. Having said this there are two exceptions. The first exception is if you are at risk of harm to yourself or someone else and the second exception is in relation to court orders.

As a member of the Australian Professional Society your rights are detailed in the “Charter for Clients of APS Psychologists” and include:

• You will be treated with respect at all times
• Your cultural background and language tradition will be respected
• You will be given a clear explanation of the services you will receive
• You will be asked to give your consent for any service provided by your psychologist prior to the service commencing and as it progresses
• You will receive an explanation about the confidentiality of the service and the exceptional situations where your confidentiality may not be protected
• You will receive a clear statement about fees for your psychologist’s services
• There will be a discussion about the estimated number of sessions required to achieve your goals
• You will receive skilled and professional services from your psychologist
• There will be clear goals that you and your psychologist are working toward
• You can ask any questions about the service you are receiving.