Question 1

What info do I need to book my first appointment?

Accepted Answer

When booking your first appointment, our team will ask for your name, address, contact details, Medicare card details, whether you’ve received previous counselling/therapy, and what your presenting issue is (feel free to provide as much or as little information as you feel comfortable). Our team will try their best to match you with a Psychologist that will suit your needs if we are aware of your presenting concern. Otherwise, please feel free to request the Psychologist of your choice.

Question 2

What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?

Accepted Answer

We require at least 2 business days' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. If you’re unable to provide notice in this timeframe, 50% of the full fee will be charged to cover the cost of time to your Psychologist, admin support, and the lost opportunity for another client to take the appointment.   If your appointment is filled by another client, then no cancellation fee will apply.

Question 3

Why do you recommend booking my first 3 sessions in advanced?

Accepted Answer

The first three sessions are very important for your Psychologist to get to know you, understand your background, concerns, and goals for therapy.    When these sessions are booked in this way, we can work together with a clear roadmap for working on your goals. If you try to book an appointment only when you’re feeling unwell, there may be a significant wait before you’re able to see your Psychologist again.

Question 4

Are after hours appointments available?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely, we offer several after hours options. These include: 8:15 am Tuesday to Friday, 4:00 pm Tuesday to Friday, and All day Saturday. Pleae note, after hours appointments will incur an additional $15 fee.

Question 5

How do I book an appointment?

Accepted Answer

To book in your first appointment, we ask that you please reach out to us over the phone on (03) 8330 5588, This is important to ensure that we can best match you with a Psychologist that suits your needs.

For returning clients, we'll send you a link to access your own booking portal where you can login, check availability, and manage your appointments!

Question 6

Is everything I say in therapy confidential?

Accepted Answer

Everything you share with your Psychologist is strictly confidential; however, there are some unique situations where your Psychologist might need to break confidentiality for legal or ethical reasons. These include:   If your Psychologist is concerned about your safety or the safety of others, they are professionally and ethically obliged to break confidentiality by telling someone who can ensure your safety (e.g., partner, GP, police). If you are able to be contacted, your Psychologist will try their best to let you know this is what they’ll do so that you have a head’s up; If there is a court matter, and the courts subpoena your notes, your Psychologist is legally obliged to provide your notes to the court. Again, your Psychologist will let you know that this is the case so you know what’s happening with your information; If you have a referral from your GP under a Mental Health Care Plan, then it is required, as a condition of accessing the Medicare rebates, that your Psychologist liaise with your GP (usually via letters or phone) to ensure appropriate care; If your Psychologist requires professional advice on issues that arise as part of therapy, they may speak to a colleague or supervisor (another Psychologist) to debrief or seek advice on the best way forward for you. However, in this situation, your identifying information is not provided to the other Psychologist unless prior consent has been obtained.

Question 7

Can I see the same Psychologist as my family/friend/partner?

Accepted Answer

Ideally not. This is because your Psychologist will get to know you from an unbiased position and essentially “take your side”. If your Psychologist were to see someone you’re close to, then it becomes very challenging to stay unbiased and try to provide unconditional positive regard when you’re hearing two sides to the same story.   If your Psychologist finds out there’s a connection, they will advise you to seek support from another Psychologist if possible, otherwise, it may not be possible to speak about that specific relationship unless it’s been 2 or more years since the Psychologist engaged with your family/friend/partner.

Question 8

How do I get there?

Accepted Answer

Please note: We are currently offering telehealth services only as we set up the office.   We are located in 3 Howard Street, West Melbourne. We’re the ground floor office on the left-hand side of the big red brick building.   We have metered parking directly in front of the practice and on Saturdays, there is free on-street parking on Rosslyn Street. Public transport is a short walk away. For more information, please click here!

Question 9

Is your practice wheelchair accessible?

Accepted Answer

Yes it is! There are no steps in the clinic and there is a disabled toilet. 3 out of 4 of the practice rooms are wheelchair accessible. Please let our admin team know if you require a wheelchair accessible room and we'll make sure it's available for your session.

Question 10

What about Telehealth?

Accepted Answer

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we at Reimagine Psychology Melbourne have continued to provide Telehealth as an option to our clients. You can choose to have your session over the phone or via videoconferencing. This option has remained to support those in vulnerable populations who may be more comfortable engaging their Psychologist from home.   *Medicare rebates continue to be available for telehealth services until 31 December 2021 for those with a Mental Health Care Plan from their GP or Psychiatrist.

Question 11

Do I need a referral to see a Psychologist?

Accepted Answer

You don't need a referral to see a Psychologist. However, having a referral from your GP or Psychiatrist under Medicare's Better Access Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) will mean that you can claim rebates of $87.45 when working with a General Psychologist or $128.40 for Clinical Psychologists per session. Each person is eligible for 10 rebates in a calendar year, and for 2021 to June 2022 an additional 10 rebates per calendar year with a review done by your GP.  If you have been affected by the 2019-20 financial year bushfires, you may be eligible for an additional 10 rebates. You do not need a referral from your GP to access these sessions.

Question 12

What are the fees?

Accepted Answer

The fees for a General Psychologist are $190 for in hour appointments and $205 for after hours appointments (before 9am and 4pm onwards and all day Saturday).  If you're seeing a Clinical Psycholoigst, the fees are $235 for in hour appointments and $250 for after hours appointments.

Question 13

What are the rebates under Medicare?

Accepted Answer

If you have a Medicare Mental Health Care Plan from your GP or Psychiatrist, you will be entitled to a rebate of $87.45 for a General Psychologist or $129.55 for a Clinical Psychologist per session. Each person is eligible for 10 rebates in a calendar year, and for 2021 - June 2022 an additional 10 rebates per calendar year with a review done by your GP. If you have been affected by the 2019-20 financial year bushfires, you may be eligible for an additional 10 rebates. You do not need a referral from your GP to access these sessions.

Question 14

Am I covered by private health?

Accepted Answer

Please check with your private insurance provider if you’re eligible for a rebate of psychological services under extras cover. Each person may have a different policy and limit so it's important to confirm this with your insurance provider before booking in an appointment to avoid any unexpected suprises!

Question 15

What’s the difference between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist?

Accepted Answer

A Psychologist has been trained in the science of human behaviour (how a person operates in this world and the factors that influence that) and the specific strategies that can help people achieve their goals (e.g., through Cognitive Behaviour Therapy). There are lots of different types of Psychologists – Clinical, Organisational, Sports, Forensic, Educational & Developmental to name a few.   A Psychiatrist on the other hand is a medical doctor first, who then does further training to specialise in the field of psychiatry (the medicine of mental health). This means that a Psychiatrist is trained in physical health and illness and can prescribe medications whereas a Psychologist cannot. Our Psychologists will often work closely with Psychiatrists and GPs to ensure that your therapy is supported with appropriate holistic strategies to ensure you get the most out of therapy.

Question 16

What should I expect from therapy?

Accepted Answer

The first 1 - 3 sessions are part of the intake assessment where your Psychologist will get to know you and your goals for therapy by asking you lots of questions about your current situation and background. This is also a chance to get to see if you feel comfortable with your Psychologist. Once your Psychologist has a broader picture of your situation, they will discuss a treatment plan for therapy in partnership with you. This is to make sure you're both on the same page. Then your Psychologist will make some suggestions as to what therapy could look like in order to work towards your specific goals. If your priorities change over time, please let your Psychologist know that you would like to change direction.

Question 17

How long do sessions normally go for?

Accepted Answer

Your session with a Psychologist typically involves 50 minutes of discussion and 10 minutes for your Psychologist to fill out your paperwork.

Question 18

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

This will vary from person to person depending on your individual situation and goals for therapy.

In general, shorter periods of therapy may range from 6 – 12 sessions to address a specific stressor that has popped up for the first time. Other clients may have longer involvement in therapy over years to maintain their mental wellbeing, work towards their goals for therapy, and to prevent relapse.    Please let your Psychologist know if you have any concerns about how many sessions you might need and they will be able to give you a clearer estimate based on your goals.

Question 19

How often will I need sessions?

Accepted Answer

This will also vary person to person but typically, in the early stages of therapy, weekly to fortnightly sessions are recommended.   This is so your Psychologist understands your situation, background, and goals for therapy and can begin working with you on a plan. Once this plan has been made, having more frequent sessions means you’re able to remember what’s been spoken about in session and momentum can build much faster.   If sessions are infrequent or sporadic, this may slow down the progress that can be made in therapy. Once you feel more confident in your ability to tackle the stressor, sessions can be extended out to longer frequencies (e.g. monthly).

Question 20

How do I make the most out of therapy?

Accepted Answer

Great question! Some clients find it beneficial to take dot points of things they would like to discuss with their Psychologist. These may include incidents that happened, reflections you made, any homework tasks, or questions you have.

Question 21

What if I don't like my Psychologist?

Accepted Answer

Just as you wouldn’t necessarily stay with the first GP you’ve seen, you're not expected to stay with your first Psychologist too! Therapy is all about you and it's so important that you have the right fit so that you feel comfortable to share your experiences in the sessions. Please let your Psychologist or our admin team know your concerns and they will do their best to refer you on to a colleague who may be better able to connect with you. ​ It's a very normal thing to not immediately connect with everyone you meet - and this applies to your Psychologist too!

Question 22

Are you an acute service?

Accepted Answer

No, we aren’t an acute service as we don’t have the capacity to manage after hours crises.   For emergencies, please contact 000.   For other acute services please contact Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800, Lifeline on 13 11 14, North Western Mental Health (24/7 triage service) on 1300 874 243, Safe Steps (family violence) on 1800 015 188, or Suicide Callback Service on 1300 659 467.

Question 23

Do you see clients through Workcover, TAC, EAP, ATAPS, NDIS, Victims of Crime, Comcare or other third parties?"

Accepted Answer

No, we unfortunately don’t currently have capacity to take on clients through third parties.

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