What To Know About Seeing A Psychologist
What is a Psychologist?
A Psychologist has university-level training and specialised knowledge in evidence-based, scientific methods to understand human thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. They assist people to identify their capabilities and needs and improve their mental health and wellbeing. After conducting a comprehensive assessment of your needs, goals, and relevant diagnoses, they will create a personalised treatment plan using the most appropriate and effective therapeutic methods.
A Psychologist is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and must meet a range of requirements to maintain their registration, including ethical practice, continued professional development, and supervision with other Psychologists. Judy's registration number with AHPRA is PSY0002571155.
Please note that a Psychiatrist is different from a Psychologist - a Psychiatrist is a medical doctor with specialisation in mental health. They can diagnose complex mental health conditions, prescribe medication, and provide other treatments to help manage these conditions. Psychiatrists assess both the physical and psychological aspects of mental health to develop comprehensive treatment plans.
Will my information be kept private?
The way Psychologists collect, store, and share your information is guided by the AHPRA Code of Conduct and the Privacy Act 1988. Information that you have provided verbally or in writing to a Psychologist must be safeguarded, kept confidential, and can only be provided to a person or organisation with your explicit consent.
There are limits to the above confidentiality
If you are at risk of harming yourself, at risk of being harmed by others, or others are at risk of being harmed by you, your Psychologist may have to disclose a level of information to ensure safety, and can do this without your consent.
A Psychologist has mandatory reporting requirements such as having to report child abuse.
Additionally, information held by a Psychologist can be subpoenaed by a court, which may be relevant if you are currently or in the future involved in court proceedings, and can be accessed by a coroner after your death.
Please note that children and adolescents have a right to privacy and confidentiality too, even in relation to their parents or guardians. The type of information that will be kept confidential and the type of information that will be shared with parents and guardians will be discussed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the client's age and their capacity to provide informed consent.
How will my privacy be maintained in a small community like Hervey Bay?
As part of confidentiality, your Psychologist cannot acknowledge you outside of the Psychology clinic in a way that can identify you as a client. This means that in public, Judy will not acknowledge you unless you acknowledge her first. Psychologists also cannot attend private functions where client's are in attendance, and cannot communicate with clients on social media platforms. This is to protect your privacy and is particularly relevant in smaller regional areas.
How often will I see my Psychologist?
The frequency of counselling sessions depends on your individual needs and may vary during your time as a client. For instance, if there are particularly pressing issues that you want to address Judy may recommend sessions weekly for a period of time. Generally, however, sessions are provided at a minimum of two weeks apart. Sometimes you may wish to have sessions several weeks apart, such as monthly, or Judy may recommend this.
The cost of sessions and how you are able to fund them is important too. You may have access to a certain number of funded sessions and want to use them more quickly, or perhaps you want to spread them out across the year. Together you and Judy will develop a plan that meets your individual needs and goals.
How much will it cost?
The fees that a Psychologist charges depend on the type of service being offered, the setting in which a service is being offered, and the way an appointment is being funded. Psychologist's fees are designed to cover their qualification and registration costs, their clinic costs, and ongoing expenses related to their practice. For some services, such as sessions funded by an NDIS Plan, WorkCover, or DVA, recommended fees are provided by an external organisation.
You may be able to access a rebate to reduce your out-of-pocket cost. For instance, If you see Judy with a Mental Health Treatment Plan from a GP you will be entitled to a rebate from Medicare for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. Some private health funds also provide a rebate for psychology sessions as part of their extras cover. This is something you should check with your private health provider.
The fee recommended by the Australian Psychological Society for a Psychologist is $330 per 45 - 60 minute session. However, Judy wants to keep her service as affordable as possible so she does not charge this fee. For information about fees that apply, please go to the Services tab in the menu.
How does a Mental Health Treatment Plan from my GP work?
The sessions that you receive under your Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) are valid until the referred number of sessions have been completed, rather than a specified time period. If eligible, you can receive up to 10 rebated sessions in a calendar year (1 January to 31 December).
Your referring doctor will provide a referral with the MHTP for a maximum of 6 sessions. They will assess your progress after the first 6 sessions and determine whether further sessions are needed, then potentially refer you for further sessions.
After reaching the maximum of 10 allowable sessions for a calendar year, you will not be eligible for further Medicare rebates for treatment until the new calendar year. However, any unused sessions can be used in the next calendar year.
For example:
You had a consult with a GP for your mental health in April, were issued a MHTP, and have been referred to a mental health professional. You complete your first 6 sessions with the mental health professional and receive a Medicare rebate for these sessions.
After going back to your GP for review, they believed it was in your best interest to refer you for another 4 sessions with your mental health professional. You completed 3 of those sessions and received Medicare rebates. As of 31 December, you have used 9 out of the 10 sessions available in the calendar year.
The session allowance resets on 01 January. You can still use the 1 remaining session on your current referral after this date. After using your remaining session, your GP will undertake a review and may refer you for additional sessions if they believe you require further support. You will be eligible for up to 9 more Medicare-rebated sessions in the new calendar year, bringing the total to 10 sessions.
A new MHTP will be necessary if your condition or circumstances change and you require psychology sessions for a different purpose than what the current MHTP covers.