Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?
No, you do not need a referral to see a psychologist. However, if you wish to receive a Medicare rebate, you do need to consult with a GP and obtain a mental care plan.
Individuals, couples, and families commonly see us without a mental care plan. Many people have been referred directly by word of mouth, recommendations from their family, friends, or school, or visiting our website online.
What kind of fees can I expect?
Fees are consistent with the Australian Psychological Society’s recommended rates. Session fees are payable at the time of the consultation. We accept Mastercard, Visa, Eftpos, AFTERPAY.
We take full payment from you. If you are eligible for a Medicare rebate or private health fund rebate. We can process the Medicare claim for you as long as you have provided us with your Medicare Card details. For private health fund rebates, the onus is on you to claim your rebate.
What Medicare will I receive?
If you have a mental health care plan from your GP you can receive a Medicare rebate of:
- $129.55 for a Clinical Psychologist per session for up to 20 sessions per calendar year.
- $88.25 for a Registered Psychologist per session for up to 20 sessions per calendar year.
- Once you reach your Medicare safety net, Medicare will cover 85% of the fee.
What is a Mental Care Plan?
In order to receive a Medicare rebate you will need to first go to your GP who will determine your eligibility for a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). You have the right to choose the Registered or Clinical Psychologist you wish to see. You must bring your MHCP to your initial appointment.
Please note, it is up to your GP to grant the Mental Health Care Plan as well as the number of sessions you are eligible for. The Intake Specialists at Anxiety Solutions CBT Psychology Practice will do their best to assist you. It is not their fault if a GP does not give the documentation you require, or Medicare refuses a payment. Please be courteous and respectful to our staff.
How often will I need to go to my GP?
Acquiring a new Mental Health Care Plan is necessary for each calendar year and involves ongoing reviews with your GP. Currently, you need to go at least 3 times to your GP in a calendar year. You need to go initially to get the plan, after session 6, and after session 10.
As this is a complicated bureaucratic process, our Intake Specialists are available to assist you.
Will I get a rebate from my private health fund?
Rebates can be claimed through most private health funds. The amount will vary depending on your fund and your level of cover.
What will happen when I make an appointment?
When you call to make an appointment, you will speak with one of our friendly and caring Intake Specialists. They will answer any questions you have and work with you to find a time that suits you for an appointment. If you do not have a specific therapist in mind, they will need to ask a few brief questions to determine which psychologist is best suited to your needs.
If you have not seen a Clinical Psychologist or Psychologist before, it is common to feel a little anxious or hesitant about making the initial appointment. Most people feel more at ease once they have made that initial contact and attended their first appointment. We provide a warm, caring, and supportive atmosphere and are happy to answer questions at any time.
How many appointments should I make?
We recommend that you book at least 10 appointments when making your initial appointment, to avoid delays in follow up appointments. Psychologists usually recommend seeing a client weekly to start to obtain the best results. Later, sessions may be spaced out depending on your individual needs. You and your psychologist will determine this together.
Our current policy is not to make a single booking for a new client. We have learnt from experience how demoralising it is to find a psychologist you like, be ready to proceed with treatment but cannot, as there are no available sessions. Our policy is for your benefit and well-being so please cooperate with the Intake Specialist(s).
Will I feel better straight away?
You may not feel better straight away, sometimes people even feel worse before they begin to feel better. Meaningful change takes time. Therefore, it is important to persevere and not to miss appointments. If you are frustrated or wanting to cancel, please discuss what you are going through with your psychologist before dropping out.
Is bulk billing available?
We have limited capacity for bulk billing. In rare cases, when we do bulk bill, it is only for individuals who have a Centrelink/Concession Card (Commonwealth Government Health Care card), a valid Medicare card and a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.
To encourage people to keep all their appointments, we have regrettably brought in a cancellation fee for bulk billing clients. This fee of $50 is applicable for all clients who do not cancel 24 hours in advance.
Bulk billing clients are now required to sign a credit card authorisation form before proceeding with treatment. Failure to sign that form will prevent treatment from proceeding. We like to work with serious committed patients who demonstrate their commitment.
Bulk billing clients who do not show up for their initial appointment, will be removed from the calendar. If 2 consecutive sessions are missed without proper cancellation, all subsequent appointments will be removed from the system.
What is the difference between a Clinical Psychologist and a Psychologist?
Clinical Psychologists are Registered Psychologists who have extended their training. Clinical Psychologists have a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with a further two years of supervised clinical practice after receiving their degree. Clinical Psychologists have Clinical Psychology endorsement with the Psychology Board of Australia and are Clinical Psychology providers under Medicare.
All our psychologists are experienced clinicians and are supervised by the Principal, Renee Mill ensuring high quality psychological care.
What is the cancellation policy?
We require cancellation with a minimum of 24 hours in advance. We send reminder texts 48 hours before a session so it is easy to cancel if you cannot make it. We appreciate it if 48 hours’ notice, or more, is provided if you need to reschedule an appointment.
Failure to cancel without 24 hours’ notice incurs the full appointment fee.
What will happen when I come to my first appointment?
Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your first appointment to complete any required paperwork.
Your first session is dedicated to obtaining some background information, a detailed understanding of the nature of your concerns and the areas where you would like our help. Sometimes a plan of treatment is discussed in the first session but often it is not. A lot of background detail may be required before treatment formulation is complete. You psychologist will answer any questions to provide clarity and confidence in the way forward.
If you are coming about your child, our Intake Specialist will inform you about who needs to be at the first session and what is required.
If you are seeking couple counselling, there may be specific requirements which you will be told about.
How long are the sessions?
Sessions are 50 minutes long. At Anxiety Solutions CBT Psychology Practice, we start and end sessions on time. If you are late, your session will still end at the same time. Please be mindful of the time in the sessions and work with your psychologist to keep within the time limit.
How many appointments will I need?
This will depend on your individualised treatment plan. Your psychologist will collaborate with you to decide on an effective treatment path that will suit your needs.