The APS recommended fee for a standard 50-minute psychology session in Australia is $279. Our current (2022-2023) fee for a standard 50-min consult standard is $240. Please anticipate a small increase in fees each financial year of approximately 5-10%. Psychology services are GST-free.

Fees are paid up to 24 hours in advance of any scheduled appointment via direct debit (from a nominated credit or debit card). Receipts are issued via email within 48 hours of your appointment.

Please note this is a semi-automated process using encrypted software.  Your credit/debit card details are therefore required to access Rhythm Psychology and Wellbeing services.

You do not need a referral to see a psychologist, however, if you talk to your GP they may help you by completing a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) under the Better Access Initiative (a longer GP appointment may be required). You will then be able to receive a Medicare rebate of $93.35 per session for up to 10 sessions a year.  Depending on your circumstances, further subsidised sessions may be available via GP Management and Team Care arrangements (speak to your GP about your eligibility).

You will need to send your MHCP and referral letter to info@rhythmpsych.com.au prior to your first appointment to claim. Your GP can do this, or you can send a copy (scan or photo) to us in advance. You will need a re-referral from your GP after the 6th and 10th sessions.

Further information about Medicare and the Better Access to Mental Health Initiative can be found here:

https://psychology.org.au/psychology/medicare-rebates-psychological-services/medicare-faqs-for-the-public

A Factsheet for Additional 10 MBS Mental Health Sessions can be found here:

http://www.mbsonline.gov.au/internet/mbsonline/publishing.nsf/Content/Factsheet-10MentalHealthSessions

If you plan to use private health insurance for your treatment, you do not need a referral. Private health insurers may provide rebates for psychology services. You will need to confirm your level of cover with your insurance provider. Note you cannot claim a rebate from both Medicare and your private insurer.

We do not conduct formal assessments for ADHD or Autism; however we do offer basic screening and support before, during and after the assessment process.

Yes. This is a great way to access support if you are living regionally, to far to travel to us, have limited transport options, are sick or just stuck and want to avoid cancelling (we can swap to Telehealth at a moment’s notice with a quick text or email). In the event your session is conducted via Telehealth (video), our software has an inbuilt Telehealth video function. This link is individual to your profile and is 100% secure and safe. We are open to using another platform of your choosing (e.g. Facetime, Google Meets, Zoom, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams) however cannot ensure confidentiality and security.

Yes.  We support a small number of clients who are plan managed or self-managed.  Our ability to provide this support will depend on your needs and our expertise.  Feel free to get in touch to see if we are the right fit for you.

Not at this stage.  We currently support adults 18 years and older.

No, however we do have a few colleagues that we can recommend. 

Appointment times may vary but a session will typically last 50 minutes, allowing 10 minutes for your practitioner to take notes.

Yes. We understand confidentiality and privacy may worry you. Any information you disclose is treated confidentially (including case notes, records, and test results) and stored accordingly. No information will be disclosed without your consent however we do need to provide routine updates to your GP if you are under a MHCP. There are some legal limitations to confidentiality related to safety which will be explained to you in our Welcome Email and discussed as needed within your first session.

The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another. For us, it’s to understand you, your goals, and how we might be able to assist. For you, it’s the opportunity to communicate your struggles, needs, ambitions, and goals whilst also finding out if you feel comfortable and safe as you share these aspects of yourself. By the end of the session, we should both have a general sense of whether we could make a good partnership and if it’s worth planning some future sessions.

The demand for mental health support right now is very high and many people are on waitlists. We therefore have a particularly strict cancellation policy. Providing sufficient notice will give us the chance to offer your appointment to someone else in need.
If you provide more than 48 hours notice no fee will be changed.  Notice received between 24-48 hours of your appointment will incur a $100 flat fee. Notice of cancellation received within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment will incur the full session fee.  Please know we can move to a Telehealth or phone session with a moments notice. 

We are uniquely trained to tailor a range of therapeutic approaches to meet your unique needs and goals.  Some of these include:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Mindfulness and biofeedback
• Solution-orientated therapy
• Person-centred therapy
• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Motivational interviewing
• Somatic therapy
• Positive psychology
• Inner Family Systems (IFS)
• Psychodynamic approaches

All our psychologists have tertiary qualifications in psychology and hold registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and Psychology Board of Australia. To maintain registration, we continue to undertake professional development, ensuring we can provide you with the best and latest treatment approaches. All our psychologists hold full membership with the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

All three works in the field of Mental Health but differ in their training, qualifications, and approaches.

• Psychologists have typically completed 6 years of education and training (an undergraduate degree, and or postgraduate degree with specialist training with both practical and theoretical components). They do not prescribe medication.

• Psychiatrists are medical practitioners (doctors) who have studied 6 years of medicine and undergo further study to specialise in mental health. They can prescribe medications such as antidepressants as a treatment of psychological distress.

• Counsellors and Psychotherapists vary in their education, training, and therapeutic approaches. The titles “counsellor” and “psychotherapist” are not regulated in Australia so anyone can use these titles.  Some of these practitioners have years of experience and are exceptionally skilled.  It’s just worth doing your research.

Yes.  To safeguard your welfare and the integrity of our profession we abide by the Code of Ethics unique to psychologists.  Our APS Code of Ethics can be found here for those interested.

APS Code of Ethics (download)

One of the ethical guidelines that can cause some confusion and lead to preventable ethical dilemmas relates the way we must manage our relationships with clients.  More specifically, the way we maintain professional boundaries and mitigate any risk associated with us playing multiple roles in our client’s lives.  For example, if you are a close friend, next door neighbour, or work colleague, we would be unable to play a secondary role as your psychologist.  For those wishing to learn more we include a link to these Complementary Guidelines below.

 APS Complementary Ethical Guidelines Dual Relationships (Download)

https://psychology.org.au/getmedia/aaf59074-7646-4e96-9f03-126c3f5f37ef/ethical-guideline-boundaries.pdf

No. We are not a crisis service and are unable to provide immediate support outside of our business hours. The following options are available for immediate help.  We recommend you put these into your phone, so they are immediately accessible if you ever need them.

• In case of emergency, please call 000 or contact your nearest hospital emergency department
• Lifeline on 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service  (1300 659 467)
• 24-hour Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL) on 1300 555 788
• More information and support can be found at Healthy WA – Mental Health & Emergency