Frequently Asked Questions


 

Q: What happens at my first appointment?

A: At your first appointment we will listen to you and ask you a series of questions.  Key things we need to understand to make the treatment effective for you are your reasons for coming and what you hope you get out of treatment.  We will then seek to make an assessment and develop a treatment plan for you. We will discuss this with you.

Are sessions confidential and private?

A:Yes all sessions are confidential and private.  Cairnmillar has a strict Privacy Policy and a stringent Policy on the Collection and Storage of Personal Information.

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Q: Are all Psychologists at Cairnmillar registered?

A:Yes all Psychologists at Cairnmillar are registered with the Psychology Board of Australia.

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Q: How do I claim the Medicare Rebate?

A: To claim the Medicare Rebate you will need a referral from your GP to see a psychologist.

Make an appointment with your GP to discuss the issues you have been facing. Your GP will then raise a Mental Health Care plan with Medicare. At that point you will be eligible for up to 10 psychology sessions per calendar year under the Care plan.

To download the Government fact sheet click here

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Q: Can I claim under my Health Insurance?

A: If you belong to a private health fund, you may be able to claim a rebate for psychological services. The exact amount of the rebate will depend upon your level of cover, and the rebate varies between health funds. It is best to check with your fund for an exact per session rebate figure.

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Q: How many sessions will I need?

A: The number of sessions you need will depend on the issues you are facing and how quickly you wish to deal with them.  After your first consultation we should be able to provide an indication of the treatment plan.

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Q:  How much will it cost me to see a Psychologist?

A:  The standard fee for a 60 minute consultation with one of our clinical psychologists for an individual session is $160.

The standard fee for a 60 minute consultation with one of our psychologists for an individual session is $140.

Medicate rebates apply.

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Q: Is Psychological treatment effective?

A: Research shows psychological treatments are effective in managing many common mental health disorders. Some treatments are at least as successful as medication in treating the most prevalent conditions, such as depression and anxiety.

Around one in five Australians develop common disorders and they have limited access to psychological treatments. These approaches are based on changing behaviour without medication. In comparison, the use of medication, such as anti-depressants, is growing rapidly, with prescriptions doubling between1994 and 2000. Research into medication has also generally received far more funding than studies of psychological approaches.

The most prevalent adult mental health conditions are depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, which affect around 18 per cent of adults. A similar percentage of children and adolescents develop anxiety, depression and disruptive behaviour.

A review of current research shows that a range of well-defined psychological treatments:

  • are effective at treating the most common mental health conditions;
  • are effective in treating most anxiety and depression disorders;
  • are the treatment of choice for most childhood problems;
  • tend to be more effective than medication over the long term, because people receiving medication only are more likely to relapse after they stop taking it; and
  • are viable treatments, in terms of both their effectiveness and costs.

Reference Australian Psychological Society -  http://www.psychology.org.au/community/effectiveness/

Have a question we haven’t answered, please email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a confidential enquiry.

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