Seeing a Psychologist FAQs

We understand that seeing a psychologist can bring up a lot of questions and we want to make this process as comfortable and transparent as possible.

These FAQs will help you feel more informed and at ease before you begin

Whether you’re wondering about what to expect in your first session, how to choose the right psychologist, or the types of therapy we offer, you’ll find the answers here. We also cover practical details such as fees, rebates, and scheduling appointments. Our goal is to provide you with all the information you need to make the best decisions for your mental health and wellbeing.

If you have any other questions that aren’t covered here, please get in touch.

Fees and Rebates

Fees for a standard 50 minute session range from $240 to $285 depending on which clinician you see.

Medicare may provide a rebate for up to 10 sessions each year, meaning your out-of-pocket cost will be approximately $130-$145 per appointment. Private health fund rebates may also apply.

All of our psychologists offer Medicare rebates. You can receive a Medicare rebate under the government’s Better Access scheme if you’re referred by your GP under a Mental Health Treatment Plan, or if you’re referred by a Psychiatrist or Paediatrician.

If you provide us with this paperwork we can submit your claim to Medicare on your behalf, and Medicare will deposit your rebate for part of the session cost into the bank account you’ve nominated with them.

Medicare will rebate $96.65 or $141.85 depending on the clinician you see, which means your out-of-pocket cost for each session will be approximately $130-$145.

If you’ve reached your Medicare family ‘safety net’ threshold for the year, the rebate will be almost all of the session cost. Click here to read more about the Medicare safety net.

Medicare doesn’t offer rebates for Couples Therapy.

All of our psychologists offer private health fund rebates. Most private health funds provide rebates for psychology services depending on your level of cover. We invite you to contact your health fund to get a quote.

No, you can only claim from either Medicare or a private health fund for each session, not both. Private health won’t contribute towards the ‘gap’ between the Medicare rebate and the session fee. We’ll provide you with a receipt with either a Medicare or private health fund item code depending on your requirements

Payment is required in full via credit card at the time of your appointment. Credit card details are stored on our secure online system using Stripe.

We don’t provide Medicare bulk billing services. We are a private billing practice, and while you can receive a Medicare rebate it doesn’t cover the full cost of the session and you will have an out-of-pocket expense.

Attending sessions regularly means you’ll get the most from your treatment. We understand that sometimes life will get in the way of this, so if you need to change an appointment we ask that you provide us at least 48 hours notice to organise to help someone else in that session time. We do offer video sessions as an alternative should you be unable to attend in person.

As a courtesy we send an email appointment reminder 4 days before your session, and an SMS reminder 3 days prior. If you can’t make it, use our client portal to reschedule or just get in touch with our Client Relationship Team to change your appointment time.

Fees for missed appointments and appointments rescheduled or cancelled with less than 48 hours notice are as follows:

  • 1st occurrence: 25% of the full session fee
  • 2nd occurrence: 50% of the full session fee
  • 3rd and subsequent occurrences: 100% of the full session fee

Cancellation fees will be charged to the credit card you’ve provided. Medicare, private health funds and most third party payers do not provide a rebate for cancellation fees.

For any appointments on Mondays, notifications of any reschedules are to be received by the latest the Friday prior. Weekends are considered out of hours.

We’ll do our best to fill your appointment time with someone from our waiting list, and if we’re successful you won’t be charged.

Cancellation fees are charged in accordance with the Australian Psychological Society’s guidelines.

What’s the process for seeing one of your psychologists?

Our goal is to make your journey to better mental health and wellbeing as smooth and supportive as possible. We understand that taking the first step to seek help can be daunting, so we’ve designed our process to ensure you feel comfortable and informed every step of the way. Our dedicated team is here to guide you, from your initial inquiry to your first session and beyond.

Here’s how to get started with seeing a clinical psychologist at our practice:

  1. Book a Free 15-Minute Telephone Call: The first step is to schedule a complimentary 15-minute telephone call with our Care Coordinator at a time that’s convenient to you. This initial call is necessary for understanding your needs and determining whether our practice can help you. In preparation for your call you’ll be asked to complete a brief online form (5 minutes) to provide some basic information such as your contact details, availability, therapy preferences, and a brief overview of your concerns.
  2. Conducting the Intake Call: Our Care Coordinator will call you at the time you’ve booked, and they will ask you some general questions about your current situation and the challenges you’re facing. A broad overview is all that’s needed and you won’t be required to go into a lot of detail. This information helps us assess your needs and match you with the most suitable psychologist on our team.
  3. Allocation to the Most Clinically Appropriate Psychologist: Based on the information gathered during the intake call and in consultation with you, our Care Coordinator will allocate you to the most clinically appropriate psychologist. This ensures that you receive personalised care tailored to your specific needs, from a psychologist with the appropriate expertise and training. If we don’t think we can help, we’ll do our best to recommend alternative services that may be suitable for your needs.
  4. Scheduling Your First Appointments: Once you’ve been matched with a psychologist, we’ll help you schedule your initial appointments. You can choose between in-person or video sessions, depending on what works best for you. We’ll answer all your questions and make sure everything is in place so that you’re ready for your first session.

We’re here to help you take that important first step toward a healthier and happier life. If you have any further questions or need assistance with booking, feel free to contact us directly.

You don’t need a referral to see a psychologist at our practice. However, a referral from a GP, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician is required to access Medicare rebates for psychology sessions.

On average new clients are seen within a week or two of contacting us. Our psychologists’ availability fluctuates, and we’ll only book you in with a psychologist that is likely to be a good clinical fit for you, and also has ongoing availability to provide you with continuity of care.

If we don’t have an available psychologist we’ll do our best to provide alternative referral pathways for you.

The purpose of your initial sessions with a clinical psychologist at MyLife Psychologists is to help you feel comfortable and begin building a trusting therapeutic relationship. These sessions are designed to gather information about your current situation, understand your needs, and develop an initial plan for your therapy.

The first session will begin with your psychologist introducing themselves and giving you a brief overview of what you can expect. Your psychologist will discuss confidentiality and ensure you understand your rights and the limits of confidentiality in therapy. They will take the lead in creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere, allowing you to settle in and feel comfortable.

You’ll have the chance to discuss the reasons that brought you to seek therapy. Your psychologist will guide the conversation, asking about your current situation, the challenges you’re facing, and any symptoms or issues you’re experiencing. This helps your psychologist understand your needs and concerns without requiring you to know exactly where to start.

Your psychologist may ask about your personal history, including any relevant psychological, medical or social background. This information provides context and helps in developing a comprehensive understanding of your situation.

Together, you and your psychologist will start to identify your goals for therapy. Setting clear and achievable goals is a crucial part of the therapeutic process. Your psychologist will explain how therapy works, including the methods and approaches they might use, the frequency of sessions, and any other relevant details. This is also a good time to ask any questions you may have about the therapy process.

Based on the information gathered during the initial sessions, your psychologist will work with you to develop a plan for your therapy. This plan will outline the steps and strategies that will be used to help you achieve your goals.

Finally, you will discuss the next steps, including scheduling your future sessions. Your psychologist will provide any immediate recommendations or resources that may be helpful as you begin your therapy journey.

Remember, the first session is a time for you to get to know your psychologist and for them to understand your unique needs. It’s natural to feel a bit nervous, but our team is here to support you and ensure you feel comfortable and heard.

If you have any further questions or need more information before your first session, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help you every step of the way.

You can book appointments via our online client portal, or by contacting our Client Relationship Team during business hours on (02) 7229 7338 or info@mylifepsychologists.com.au.

Video sessions are conducted via Power Diary, our secure practice management software. You will be sent your unique video link via email in your initial appointment confirmation as well as in subsequent appointment email reminders. This link is unique to you, so you can save it on your device and re-use it for every session with your psychologist.

Prior to your appointment:

  • Decide which device you’re going to use for your video session, you can use your phone, iPad, laptop or desktop. We can recommend using something with a larger screen if that is an option.
  • Check that you’re using the latest version of your web browser. This website will quickly check for you: https://www.whatismybrowser.com/
  • have properly connected your microphone and camera to your computer, and are accessible by your browser. You can quickly test this here: https://www.loom.com/webcam-mic-test
  • are getting the proper internet speeds as advertised by your Internet Service Provider. To check your internet speed, please visit: https://fast.com/
  • Find somewhere quiet and private to do your video session where you’re not likely to be interrupted or distracted, and where you can talk freely.

At your scheduled appointment time:

  • Click on the video link, which should automatically open in your preferred web browser on the device you’re using. If not, you can copy and paste the link in your web browser’s URL bar and click Enter to load the link.
  • When your browser successfully loads your video link, you will see a blue ‘Join Telehealth Session’ button. Click on it to start your session with your psychologist.
  • Give your browser permission to access your microphone and camera – click ‘Allow ‘when your browser asks for your permission.
  • Wait for your psychologist to join. If your practitioner has not joined the session on their end, you will see this message ‘Waiting for the practitioner to join…’  Your face should also be visible instead of the black box showing in the screenshot below. At this point, you simply need to wait for your practitioner to join the session, and it will successfully start.
  • If your practitioner is already in this session, they will simply need to admit you on their end, and your session will begin.

If you have any questions or difficulties with accessing your video session, please get in touch with us.

Who we help

Our psychologists provide individual therapy to adults and older adolescents (16+), as well as couples therapy.

Yes – we have an experienced couples therapist at our practice. Read more about couples therapy.

Yes – we have a number of clinical psychologists at our practice that are part of the LGBTQ+ community or are allies. Refer to our Meet Our Team page to find out more about our psychologists areas of special interest and expertise, including those more specific to LGBTQ+ counselling.

We don’t work with children or young people under 16 years of age, and we don’t offer family therapy.

We provide psychological therapy only and our psychologists do not do assessments (e.g. educational/cognitive, medico-legal, ADHD/ASD).

Our psychologists do not provide reports or documentation for court or legal matters.

We see private paying clients and we do not provide services under WorkCover or CTP.

No, however we see many self-managed clients. Self-managed NDIS clients are treated as private paying clients – we issue invoices and clients claim privately. We do not accept referrals for plan or agency managed NDIS clients.

Book a free 15-minute consult call

Ready to take the first step towards better mental health? Schedule your free 15-minute call with our Care Coordinator today to discuss how we can help you.