Anyone can make an appointment to see a psychologist. However to access Medicare assistance for sessions, a referral or treatment plan from either your GP or Psychiatrist will be necessary. Discussion with your treating doctor will help you determine whether this pathway is the most appropriate for your condition. However, you only need a referral if you want to claim Medicare rebates. It is also possible to access psychological services either by agreeing to pay the full fee or by using Private Health Insurance rebates. Please note: Consultations are by appointment only.

Costs & rebates: $260.00 (payable on the day by cash, credit card, EFTPOS). On-site claiming is available for Medicare and private health insurance rebates. Alternatively, a receipt for rebate claims can be issued on request. Cancellation: Please give a minimum of 48 hours’ notice to reschedule or cancel your appointment. Cancellation fees apply for nonattendance and cancellation / rescheduling of appointments at short notice (full fees apply if less than 24 hours’ notice, 50% of the fee if between 24 - 48 hours’ notice). This applies to all initial and subsequent appointments. Telehealth may be an alternative to cancellation in some instances (please contact Kath to discuss suitability). Full Fees are payable on the day of your session. For clients with Private Health Insurance, a proportion of these fees may be covered depending upon the nature of your insurance. Affected clients are encouraged to contact their insurance provider to clarify the terms and conditions of accessing psychological services. Where applicable, maximum Medicare Rebates will be processed at the time of payment. Although there will be an annual fee increase in November, clients are also advised that these fees are subject to change without notice. Important - Please note: Referrals are not accepted for clients involved in any legal matters (civil, criminal, family court) or compensation claims (injury / workers compensation, MAC etc.). This includes active Child Protection related matters. Please advise before you attend if you are involved in (or are considering) any illegal action; failure to do so may affect your case. Kath does not offer billing to NDIS or other third-party payers. If you wish to use one of these services, payment will be required by yourself, and a receipt will be issued for you to provide to these payers. Both Medicare and private health insurance rebates cannot be claimed for the same service; check with your health insurance fund regarding eligibility if you intend seeking private health insurance rebates. Kath also only works with adult clients.

YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT: Psychologists understand that for many people the first session of therapy is often the hardest. You will be encouraged to tell your story, your way in a friendly and non-threatening environment. This process will allow your psychologist to develop an understanding of the reasons why you have chosen to get help and will then form the basis of a therapy plan which will be discussed with you. CONSENT: At the beginning of the first appointment you will be asked to read a Consent form. Alternatively, you may go through this with your psychologist. This is done at the start, because it is important for you to understand what your psychologist does with the information you provide. YOUR THERAPY: The therapy plan will help you achieve your goals. An important part of this plan will be the development and use of practical and common sense strategies to reduce distress. Between sessions you will be encouraged to practice these skills. Because psychologists are committed to the well being of their clients, we then review these skills with you to find out what works and what doesn’t. We encourage you to tell us how you feel and what you think. We want to know. This gives us the opportunity to discuss changes with you so that your therapy continues to be effective.

All personal information gathered by the psychologist during the provision of the psychological service will remain confidential and secure except where: It is subpoenaed by a court; or If there are issues related to child health and safety; or Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at serious and imminent risk; or Your prior written approval has been obtained to provide a written report to another person, professional or agency. eg. a GP or a lawyer; or discuss the material with another person, professional or agency eg. a parent or employer; or if disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law. NB it is also a condition of our Registration that we undertake at least 10 hours of mentoring per Calendar year. As such, this involves us discussing client related issues with other professionals. This is done in a professional manner and is designed to help therapy.