Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the questions most commonly asked by those seeking to commence a counselling process.
What are the roles of Psychologist, Psychotherapist and Psychiatrist?
All are trained extensively and professionally. Whilst there is some overlap in the functions of all three, there are important differences. Broadly, Psychology is the science of addressing behaviour and mental health through thinking, reflection and changing behaviour. Psychotherapy is the process concerned with interaction, focusing upon a felt condition, or behaviour, in order to explore the underlying feelings, experience and thoughts which drive that condition, in past and present settings. A Psychiatrist has trained in medicine, followed by specialization in the area of mental health. The Psychiatrist is likely to use drugs as therapy to deal with behaviour and mental conditions. Psychologists and Psychotherapists do not prescribe drugs, and instead are trained to enlist the thinking and reflective processes to address behaviour and mental conditions.
How many sessions is my therapy likely to take?
It is difficult to say, since people’s situations differ. Some people are looking to make a one-off decision about a specific issue, and may require one or two sessions, whereas another person may require ongoing therapy to unwrap something that has been troubling them for many years. Your psychologist or psychotherapist is skilled in maintaining focus and moving towards a resolution, at a realistic pace.
What is your fee structure?
Fees are charged on a sliding scale. With the advent of Medicare and the large variability of circumstances within the community, I operate with a sliding fee scale. The base fee is $175 per session. I vary this in accordance with many factors – holders of Health Care Cards, students, Medicare cover, and so on. If you come under these or similar situations, please request further details regarding fees.
When counselling by phone, will the phone call add to my fee?
It is usually possible to access a cheap phone technology. You may have Skype or something similar, such as an international phone card, which enables you to make cheap calls. However, if you do not I will be able to make the call to you, using a low cost phone option. This will not add to your counselling fee.
How can Medicare help with my session fee?
The new Medicare option was introduced in November 2006. In consultation with a GP, one may obtain a referral to a Psychologist, for a series of up to 6 sessions of psychological counselling. For these, Medicare rebates are available, which cover much of the fee charged. In some cases, the number of sessions may be increased to 12 sessions in a single calendar year – information on this is available through your General Practitioner or myself.
What if I have Private Health Fund cover?
There are many private health funds. Levels of cover, types of cover and costs of cover vary, so it is up to each individual to clarify with their Fund whether they are covered for Psychological services, and to what extent.
Can I use both my Private Health Fund cover and Medicare to pay for counselling?
It is not possible to use a combination of Medicare and Private Health Fund cover for the same session. However, it is possible to, for example, commence a series under Medicare and eventually extend the number of sessions using Private Health Fund cover.
