Embrace Challenges, Transform Adversity & Release Potential
Guiding you to a better life experience!
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth allows you to speak to a psychologist either by phone consult or video consult. The advantage of this is that you can have your therapy session in the comfort your own home, your car, the garden or any other personally chosen venue. If you opt for a telephone consult, the psychologist will call you on your nominated contact number. If you opt for a video consult, the psychologist will send you a link that will offer you information about the secure video platform we use. You will receive detailed ‘how to’ information, which will include what to expect in the days leading up to your appointment.
How can I book an appointment?
Existing Clients:
You can access the online booking service to book, cancel and reschedule your appointments. If you prefer, you can also contact Feel Good Psychology & Counselling and speak to us directly for appointment bookings, cancellations and rescheduling.
New Clients:
You have the option of an initial free 15 minute intake/triage appointment, which you can also book online (follow the prompts on booking page) or you can book over the phone or by email.
What is Bulk Billing?
Clients who are bulk billed do not need to pay for their sessions as the fee for your session will be retrieved by Feel Good Psychology & Counselling from Medicare. There is NO FEE for BULK BILLED CLIENTS!
The fee we retrieve from Medicare is the amount of the subsidy a client would usually receive back were he or she to pay the recommended full fee to see a psychologist.
For Bulk Billing Clients, Feel Good Psychology & Counselling receive permission from the client to receive the Medicare subsidy as full payment for your session.
Clients with a valid Medicare Card, a GP Referral and a Mental Health Treatment Plan, will be automatically bulk billed, meaning there is no out of pocket expense.
Bulk Billing does not apply to after hours appointments
Do I need a referral?
PRIVATE HEALTH CARE FUNDS & REBATES
Where you do not have a current mental Health Treatment Plan and so unable to claim the Medicare subsidy/be bulk billed, you may be able to claim a partial rebate from your Private Health Care Fund
DEPT VETERAN AFFAIRS
Where you do not have a current mental Health Treatment Plan and so unable to claim the Medicare subsidy/be bulk billed, you may be able to claim the cost of your sessions if you are in possession of a white card.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)
Where you do not have a current Mental Health Treatment Plan and so unable to claim the Medicare subsidy/be bulk billed, you may be able to claim the cost of your sessions via your Employee Assistance Program; this would depend on your organisational policies and/or whether your organisation has a preferred provider of EAP services.
How long does it take to get the Medicare Rebate if I am not bulk billed?
FULL FEE PAYING CLIENTS – NO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PLAN
Please see our fee schedule for individual session rates relative to each clinician, as well as relative to daytime and after-hours appointments.
Flexible Billing Policy
FULL FEE PAYING CLIENTS – NO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PLAN
Where the potential for financial distress presents as an obstacle to getting help, please do let us know as we have a Flexible Billing Policy. That is, we wish to remain as true as possible to our mission of offering a Triple A Telehealth Service (Affordable, Accessible, Available) to all Australians.
If paying the full recommended session fee, as per our fee schedule, would create financial distress, we very much encourage you to talk to us about coming to an affordable and reasonable session fee. We would rather work with you on this than have you deterred from seeking help due to financial concerns.
What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan?
A Mental Health Treatment Plan offers eligible clients 10 Individual Medicare Subsidised or Bulk Billed Sessions per calendar year (keep reading for more information on subsidies and bulk billing).
Who do I talk to about a Mental Health Treatment Plan?
The Mental Health Treatment Plan needs to be activated by your referring GP (or Psychiatrist).
Once the Mental Health Treatment Plan has been established with your GP, you have access to an initial 6 Medicare subsidised psychology sessions. Your GP will usually write a referral letter to a psychologist or a psychology clinic and attach it to a copy of your Mental Health Treatment Plan.
Sometimes your GP will give you the option of sourcing your own psychologist or psychology clinic before writing the referral letter. It is good to discuss options around this with your referring GP or Psychiatrist.
What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan Review?
Medicare only release 6 sessions initially.
Following your 6th session with your psychologist, you will need to return to your GP for a review of your Mental Health Treatment Plan in order to access the remaining 4 sessions on your plan.
Following a review with your GP, and with your consent, a copy of your Mental Health Treatment Plan Review will be given to you and/or forwarded to your psychologist – this will then release your remaining 4 Medicare subsidised sessions.
What happens when if I have used all 10 Medicare Subsidised Sessions for the year but wish to continue seeing my psychologist?
If, after using your 10 Medicare subsidised sessions before the end of that calendar year and you wish to have further appointments with your psychologist, you can attend as a privately funded client and/or, where applicable, look to your Private Health Fund for the possibility of rebates for psychological services. You will not be able to be considered for another Mental Health Treatment Plan until the following year. See above for more information on your options relative to this.
Who can refer me?
A practicing GP or Psychiatrist can refer you.
Do I need medicare?
Yes if you wish to be eligible for Bulk Billing and/or receiving the Medicare subsidy allocated to you for the purpose of Psychological Therapy, you will need a valid and current Medicare card.
Can I use my Private Health Insurance to claim the session fees or gap fee?
Please discuss this with your private health insurance, as the answers to these questions can vary depending on both your Private Health Insurance and your individual private health plan.
Can I negotiate my fee with my treating psychologist?
Whilst Feel Good Psychology & Counselling has a recommended fee range, it is possible for you to discuss fee options with your treating psychologist, though this is at the discretion of the individual psychologist. Please see section on Flexible Billing above.
How do you work?
Once a client is registered with and allocated to a Feel Good Psychologist, she or he will discuss frequency of appointments, preferred days and times and together come up with a therapeutic plan to achieve the identified therapeutic goals.
We are busy building our Frequently Asked Question knowledge base to help you find your way around as quickly as possible. If you are unable to find the answer to your query here please do Contact Us.
When to Speak with a Psychologist
It is beneficial to consult a psychologist if:
- Anger becomes frequent or uncontrollable and increasingly destructive
- Relationships or professional life are increasingly negatively impacted
- Physical health issues arise due to chronic anger
- Underlying causes such as trauma or stress need exploration
Psychologists can provide anger management therapy using techniques like cognitive restructuring, relaxation methods, and communication skills training. These approaches help individuals find a language for their anger, use behavioural &/or mindfulness interventions to help with the regulation of emotions constructively and generally has the capacity to improve the overall quality of life of both the individual and those who live or work closely with that individual.
Our Clinical Psychologist, Graham Emery, is a master in his ability to guide individuals toward greater self-mastery of strong emotions, such as anger; further, he will assist you in containing and harnessing this emotion in a constructive way rather than it presenting as a potentially destructive force in your life and that of others!
