Psychological services at Deloraine Medical

DELORAINE MEDICAL Centre is now providing psychological services via telehealth.

Sandi James is a registered psychologist working with the Deloraine clinic to provide counselling and psychological interventions for individuals, couples, and young people.

This service is bulk billed via Medicare and there are no out of pocket expenses unless you fail to attend an appointment without giving notice. The service is available online to meet with Sandi from home or at the clinic with an appointment.

Medicare recently announced that people with a Mental Health Care Plan from their GP can access up to 20 sessions with a psychologist.

Psychologists are mental health experts who provide psychological therapy to help people overcome a range of difficulties.

You might not know what to expect if you’ve never been to a psychologist before.

You may be nervous about talking to a psychologist.

You may be experiencing sadness or anxiety, or having difficulty doing activities you previously enjoyed.

You may want some help to get things in order or regain some control over your life.

This article may help if you want to know how to find a psychologist, how to make an appointment and what seeing a psychologist will involve.

What is a psychologist?

Psychologists are mental health professionals who have completed a minimum of four years at university plus ongoing clinical supervision. (This means working under, and reporting to, a supervisor.)

They must be registered with the Australian Health Care Registration Agency (AHPRA) to be able to practice.

To be registered, they must have completed a 2-year minimum supervised internship and/or a master’s degree in Psychology.

Why would I want to see a psychologist?

There are many reasons why you might see a psychologist. For example, anxiety, depression, stressful life events or any other mental health difficulty.

You might not even know what’s going on, but just feel that you haven’t been ‘right’ or that your life has become more difficult.You might be finding it hard to concentrate or focus, not be enjoying doing the things your used to enjoy, or just feeling lost and don’t know what to do.

A psychologist is trained to perform a detailed assessment of your mental health and to identify what’s going on for you.No matter what your reason for seeking help, it’s important to find a psychologist you can connect with and trust.

You may have to meet a few before you find one that clicks for you.Psychologists specialise in different areas, so one may refer you to a different psychologist if they feel that someone else can better treat your needs.

How do I make an appointment?

The best place to start is with your GP, who can provide you with a Mental Health Treatment Plan and refer you to a psychologist.

Your GP should know of psychologists in your area or may recommend contacting a psychology clinic directly for more information about an appointment.

With a referral from your GP, some, if not all, of your costs should be covered by Medicare.

What’s it like to see a psychologist?

The first time you see any psychologist they should always talk to you about confidentiality.

This is your right to privacy, and basically means that anything you discuss with them will remain private between the two of you.

The next thing a psychologist will do is complete an assessment of your mental health, by asking you a series of questions about what’s happening in your life, as well as asking for details about your background, family life and personal history.

The assessment is an important first step, as it will help your psychologist understand what’s troubling you and, more importantly, how to help you.

They’ll discuss with you a plan for continuing, including how often they recommend you visit them, and for how long.

Normally, they will recommend that you see them weekly or fortnightly. The length of time for treatment can vary from a few weeks to many months, depending on what you need. An appointment usually lasts about 45 minutes but can sometimes go for longer.

How much does it cost?

Some psychologists, like the one available through Deloraine Medical Centre, have no fees because Medicare covers their bill.

Others might charge you a ‘gap’ fee, depending on the amount that Medicare covers.

If you’re seeing a psychologist as part of a Mental Health Treatment Plan (mentioned above), the psychologist will have to send a report to your doctor every few sessions.

You can talk to the psychologist about what the report will say.

It’s also important to know that a Mental Health Treatment Plan is usually restricted to ten sessions a year, although this has recently been increased to 20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you’re unsure about the cost or think you might have difficulty paying when Medicare runs out, ask your psychologist if they can recommend any other options for you.