Yes, absolutely. As an Australian registered Clinical Psychologist I am able to provide a Medicare rebate of up to $149.05 to clients with a valid referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP). A referral and MHTP can be arranged by your General Practitioner, psychiatrist, and/or paediatrician through the Australian Government ‘Better Access’ system.

To claim a Medicare rebate for your psychology appointments, Medicare requires two distinct documents, a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan and a separate valid referral letter (which requires specific key elements).

I encourage checking with your referrer that your referral letter includes:

• Patient details: Your name, date of birth, and home address.

• Clinical details: Your symptoms, a provisional diagnosis, and any current medications.

• Plan status: A statement confirming you have a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) or Psychiatrist Assessment and Management Plan (PAMP).

• Service limit: The number of sessions you are referred for up to a maximum of 6 per referral. Note that if accessing up to the 10 rebated sessions per year, such as the additional 4 sessions available after the initial 6 sessions are completed, you will require a new referral letter.

• Provider information: The referrer's name, signature, date, and either their provider number or practice address.

Many people have been caught out in the past because they did not realise they also required the referral letter to access a rebate, so if you are looking at having a MHTP created, it is best to let your GP know ahead of time so you can book a double appointment to provide enough time to get everything organised in one go. What is also helpful to know is that if you already have a valid MHTP and referral letter these can still be accepted and used to obtain a rebate if they are addressed to a different clinician or clinic, saving you time and money from having to organise a new ones.

If you are ineligible for a MHTP or have utilised your maximum number of sessions per calendar year, you might still be able to get a rebate through private health insurance depending on your policy and level of cover. It’s best to check with your provider to see what’s covered and if telehealth sessions are included. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

In our first session, I’ll take some time to try my best to understand what’s going on for you. I’ll ask a bit about your background, mental and physical health, family history, social supports, if there’s anything you’ve tried in the past, and any other challenges you’re facing at the moment that might be making things harder.

It’s also a chance for you to ask me some questions and make sure that you feel comfortable with me and the way that I work.

The number of sessions you’ll need really depends on you. Some people feel better after just a few sessions, while others may need or want longer support. I’ll work with you to create a plan and we can talk about what you’d like to focus on and how long therapy might take for your situation.

Confidentiality is a key part of the work that psychologists do, and I take it very seriously. Everything you share in our sessions is private and will not be discussed with anyone without your consent. This includes personal details, thoughts, and feelings you share during our time together.

However, there are some rare situations where I may need to break confidentiality. For example, if I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, I’m legally required to take steps to ensure everyone’s safety, which could involve sharing information with next of kin, your medical professionals, or relevant authorities. Another situation where I might need to disclose information is if I’m required to do so by law, such as in the case of a subpoena or if I’m asked to provide information by a court.

If anything like this were to happen, I would discuss it with you first and explain the situation. I think it’s important that you feel comfortable and know what’s going on throughout the process, so I’ll always keep the lines of communication open if any confidentiality issues arise.

You don’t really need to bring anything specific to your first appointment. You will just need a private and quiet space where you can talk freely.

If relevant, you can bring along any medical or psychological reports that might be helpful, as well as a list of any medications you’re currently taking.

Other than that, some people like something to jot down notes, ideas, or things for between sessions to help them get the most out of their appointments, so depending on whatever works best for you please feel free to bring a phone, tablet, or some good old fashioned pen and paper to do so with.

Online therapy can be really helpful for many people, but it’s not the right choice if you’re in crisis, feeling actively suicidal, or engaging in deliberate self-harm. These situations benefit most from immediate, in-person support where someone can assess the situation face-to-face to make sure you're safe and coordinate with local emergency services.

Similarly, if you're currently experiencing mania or psychosis online therapy might not be suitable to provide the care you need. These conditions can affect how you think or perceive reality, so having someone physically present can help with grounding and reality testing.

Finally, if you’ve been recently hospitalised for a serious mental health issue, it can be best to have therapy in person for a little while. When you're in a crisis or in the early stages of recovery, being able to connect with someone directly can be useful.

The goal is always to make sure you’re getting the right support at the right time. If you're dealing with any of these challenges, please reach out to your general practitioner to establish a treatment plan.

There are several things that you can try to improve your telehealth connection and experience.

1. Find a quiet and private space where you can turn off background noise like TVs, radios, or noisy air-conditioning; and, if you have young children/pets try to arrange care in advance if required so that you’re less likely to be interrupted.

2. Ensure adequate lighting so that your face is well-lit and try not to sit in front of a light source, like with a window or light/lamp behind you, as this can make it difficult for your webcam to focus and decrease video quality.

3. If possible, when using a shared WIFI network like at home, try to reduce things like other people streaming videos, downloading movies, or playing games at the same time as this uses up available bandwidth.

4. Check your computer, tablet, or smartphone is up to date and any pending updates or restarts have been completed as this can create technical issues with drivers/apps.