1. What can I Expect AT MY First THERAPY Session?

People often feel a rainbow of emotions leading up to their first session, and great relief once they finally get everything off their chest. You don’t need to have your thoughts in order, or a coherent story to present at your sessions. Show up as you are.

The first session is where your therapist dives into your world and figures out what will work best for you as a unique individual. They will gently guide you through with thoughtful questions and carefully listen to your experiences. Our therapists specialise in doing the technical part of their job in a caring, natural way. So you will leave your session feeling deeply heard not ‘evaluated’.

At the first session your therapist may also discuss the recommended type or styles of therapy likely to produce the best outcome for you, and if time allows, initial strategies will also be provided to start working on straight away.

Most people feel like a huge weight has lifted after the first session. It’s a great feeling, knowing you are finally tackling things head on with a skilled clinician who’s invested in your happiness.

2. Can I claim MONEY BACK FOr MY sessionS?

Yes, Under Medicare or Private Insurance.

The Medicare rebate for seeing a psychologist is $93.35 for 10 sessions per calendar year. Once you are a client of ours we take care of your Medicare claiming so you can get your money back the very next business day. To claim with Medicare, talk to your GP about a Mental Health Care Plan referral before your first appointment with us. Private health insurance rebates are also available and (depending on your cover) can cover a portion of, or the full session fee.

3. how many THERAPY sessions do I NEED?

Your lived experiences and personality are completely unique to you, and what you may want to achieve from therapy can vary the session number greatly. This makes it difficult to say how many sessions you will need without meeting you first. 

That said, some people benefit from short-term therapy (6 to 12 sessions) while others will find forming a lasting connection with a psychologist more helpful. Weekly sessions are recommended initially if you are feeling very distressed, and as you start to feel better, sessions can be held fortnightly or monthly. 

If time or financial investment are a concern we can work together using a brief solution focussed approach. This is where our work is broken into stages where you focus on one set of goals, for example improving sleep and anxiety levels, and leave the rest for later.

4. HOW DO I SCHEDULE MY FIRST THERAPY SESSION?

Give us a call, email, or book your first appointment with us online here. Our wonderful admin crew will then guide you through our intake process.

If you are planning to take advantage of the Medicare Rebate or Private Insurance just let us know at the time of booking and we can support you through organising it.

We can explain how to get a referral from your GP, or if it’s more convenient, help you book in with one of the GPs just down the road from our clinics before your first appointment.

5. What's the difference between a session with a Psychologist and a session with a Psychotherapist?

There's the short answer and a long answer!

The short answer is, despite the fact that psychologists and psychotherapists have different training and education, when you're in the room with a therapist it’s mainly their own personality and appreciation of different modalities that’s the key factor. One therapist may provide quite a different experience to another therapist, depending on who you resonate with. For this reason, we suggest reading through the profiles of our team to get a feel for their vibe and see what makes them unique.

The longer answer comes in two parts.

First, Rebates. Psychologists are covered under Medicare, which means if you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, you are eligible for Medicare rebated sessions. Psychotherapists are not yet covered under Medicare, which is why we have a lower fee for our psychotherapists to make sessions more accessible. The psychotherapists we select to be on our team are gifted clinicians. So from a cost perspective they are probably the best option for you if you’re not wanting to get a Mental Health Care Plan from the GP. Both psychologists and psychotherapists are covered to provide private health rebates, depending on your private health funds coverage.

Second, Training. Our psychologists have all completed a bachelors and/or masters degree in psychology, and then a two year practical registration program in order to be qualified as a registered psychologist. Our psychotherapists have a bachelors and/or masters degree in psychotherapy and are also required to complete a practical component within their degrees. We must mention again that there are more differences between each of our clinicians than there are differences between psychologists and psychotherapists in general, which is why it’s actually a difficult question to answer! 

Again, the best answer for “who you should choose as your therapist” would be who’s profile most resonates with you and whether you are wanting to claim with Medicare. If yes, choose a psychologist, if no, a psychotherapist is a solid option!