Take the first step...

Counsellors, psychotherapists and hypnotherapists are able to help you with your Mental Well Being without a Mental Health Plan from your GP. If you have a Mental Health Disorder, you should seek the advice of your GP who may then refer you to a psychologist or a psychiatrist under a Mental Health Treatment Plan. 

A Mental Health Treatment Plan gets you up to 10 sessions covered by Medicare so the appointments will be cheaper than if you didn’t have the plan. You’ll generally still be out of pocket (unless you find a psychologist who bulk bills), but Medicare will cover some of it. You won’t get all 10 sessions in one block. After 6 sessions, you’ll head back to the GP to check on your progress. They can then refer you to get more sessions if you need them. 

Please be aware that when you’re filling out a life insurance, income protection or total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance application, insurers generally require that you disclose your medical history. This includes mental health issues such as any episodes of anxiety, depression, stress, or other psychological conditions for which your GP has provided a Mental Health Treatment Plan. If you disclose that you have received treatment for mental health issues, then an insurer may impose a broad exclusion on your insurance policy for any mental health related condition. For example, if you’ve seen a GP or psychologist because you’re feeling stressed or anxious, your insurer might apply this exclusion to your policy. If you don't have a Mental Health Disorder but are struggling with personal or lifestyle issues, counselling or psychotherapy could be a good option for you and will not be included in your medical history. It is also often the case that the cost to see a counsellor is similar to the cost of seeing a psychologist with a Mental Health Plan and a counsellor can usually give you an appointment sooner. If you’re not sure what kind of Mental Health support you need, we could have a brief chat and if I am not the right person to help you, I will either refer you to a colleague or suggest you seek the advice of your GP.

My apologies for such a long answer to a "Yes or No" question but there is more to understand about what a Mental Health Treatment Plan is and whether it's the right way forward for you than you might be aware of (and if you knew this already, no harm done!)

This depends upon the individual and the nature of the issue(s) but as a general guide, most people can be helped effectively within 4 to 8 sessions. In some cases, even a single session can be enough to help you to create a shift in your perception and thought patterns to enable you to become "unstuck" and move towards making the changes you want to make.

Payment is via bank deposit.

Please note that I take your well being seriously and make a commitment to your booking. If you need to cancel an appointment for whatever reason with less than 48 hours notice, a 50% cancellation fee will be applicable and every effort will be made to reschedule your appointment  as soon as possible thereafter. Should you fail to attend an appointment without notice, full payment for the session is required.

All consultations are at present via tele-health either online using Zoom or via telephone.