FAQ
Your questions answered
Answers to common questions about starting therapy, what to expect and the practical details along the way.
Starting Therapy & Session Structure
We are currently closed to new referrals and accepting enquiries for our waitlist. Wait times vary, and we’ll provide an estimate of current availability when you enquire. We’ll be in touch when an appointment becomes available, and you can decide whether you’d like to proceed. Join the wait list here.
The easiest way is to join our waitlist via our secure online platform. Alternatively, you can send a short enquiry via our contact form and let us know what kind of support you may be looking for. We’ll be in touch when an appointment becomes available.
You are welcome to book an appointment without a referral. However, if you would like to access Medicare rebates, you will need a referral from your GP, along with either a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) or an Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan (EDP) where suitable.
A Mental Health Treatment Plan is prepared by your GP and may allow eligible clients to access Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual psychology sessions per calendar year. Your initial referral may cover up to 6 sessions, with a further 4 sessions becoming available to you following a GP review and referral, up to the annual Medicare limit.
An Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan is available to eligible individuals with a diagnosed eating disorder and provides access to Medicare rebates for up to 40 psychological treatment sessions and 20 dietetic sessions over a 12-month period.
Your plan requires review by your GP after every 10 psychological treatment sessions, alongside ongoing medical monitoring.
To access rebates beyond the first 20 psychological sessions, a specialist review with a psychiatrist or paediatrician is also required and can be completed at any point before your 20th session.
Your plan requires review by your GP after every 10 psychological treatment sessions, alongside ongoing medical monitoring.
To access rebates beyond the first 20 psychological sessions, a specialist review with a psychiatrist or paediatrician is also required and can be completed at any point before your 20th session.
The first session is an opportunity to get to know you and your story. We’ll spend time exploring what brings you to therapy, your current concerns, relevant history and what you’d like to work towards. We’ll also discuss privacy and confidentiality, answer any questions and begin considering what may be most helpful moving forward.
Standard appointments are 50 minutes and are typically scheduled weekly or fortnightly to begin with. This helps build momentum, establish rapport and support consistent progress.
As therapy continues, the frequency and overall length of therapy will be reviewed with your psychologist and discussed based on your needs, goals and progress.
As therapy continues, the frequency and overall length of therapy will be reviewed with your psychologist and discussed based on your needs, goals and progress.
Appointments are available online via Telehealth wherever you are in Australia. Sessions are held via a secure video platform, with a link provided before your appointment. You’ll need a private space, reliable internet connection and a device with a camera and microphone. Please note that Telehealth sessions cannot be conducted while you are driving.
Psychologists & other Mental Health Professionals
Each profession can play a role in supporting mental health, but they differ in their training, registration and scope of practice.
Clinical Psychologist
A Clinical Psychologist is a registered psychologist who has completed advanced postgraduate training in clinical psychology and holds endorsement in clinical psychology. They are trained in psychological assessment, diagnosis and evidence-based treatment across a range of mental health concerns, including more complex presentations.
Psychologist
A Psychologist has completed accredited psychology training and meets the requirements for registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Psychologists provide psychological assessment and evidence-based treatment across a range of mental health concerns. Some may also undertake further training or develop expertise in particular areas of practice.
Counsellor
A Counsellor provides support for emotional, relational and life difficulties, with training that can vary depending on their qualifications and professional membership. Unlike psychologists, counsellors are not registered with AHPRA and their services are not eligible for Medicare psychology rebates.
Psychiatrist
A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has completed specialist training in psychiatry. Psychiatrists can assess and diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medication and provide medical management. Some psychiatrists also provide psychological therapy.
For Parents & Carers
We work with adolescents aged 16 years and over, as well as adults of all ages. For adolescents under 18, consent and parental involvement will be considered according to the young person’s age, maturity and capacity to understand and consent to therapy.
Either the adolescent or their parent/carer can make the initial enquiry. For adolescents aged 16–17, we encourage the young person to be involved in the process wherever possible, particularly when deciding whether they would like to proceed with therapy.
A parent or carer is welcome to make the initial contact on their behalf, and we can discuss the next steps and appropriate level of parental involvement from there.
Parents and carers can play an important role in supporting an adolescent’s wellbeing. Sessions are generally held individually, allowing the young person to build trust and speak openly with their psychologist, with parental involvement included where appropriate.
The level of involvement will be discussed at the beginning of therapy and will depend on the young person’s needs, preferences and circumstances. This may include parents or carers joining part of a session or being involved at key points in therapy.
The level of involvement will be discussed at the beginning of therapy and will depend on the young person’s needs, preferences and circumstances. This may include parents or carers joining part of a session or being involved at key points in therapy.
Adolescents with Eating Disorders often benefit from specialised treatment and family involvement. Depending on your child’s needs and presentation, therapy may involve Family-Based Treatment (FBT), commonly known as the Maudsley Approach, which actively involves parents and carers in supporting recovery. We’ll discuss the most appropriate treatment approach for your child in the early stages of therapy.
Fees & Rebates
The Australian Psychological Society (APS) currently suggests a fee of $330 for a standard 46–60 minute psychological consultation (2026–2027).
For information about our current session fees, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to provide further details.
For information about our current session fees, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to provide further details.
With an eligible referral from your GP, you may access Medicare rebates for up to 10 psychology sessions per calendar year under a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP), or up to 40 psychological treatment sessions over a 12-month period under a valid Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan (EDP).
As of July 2026, the Medicare rebate for a 50-minute Telehealth session with a Clinical Psychologist under a MHTP (Item 91167) or an EDP (Item 93079) is $149.05 per session (subject to change). Rebates can be processed on the day of your appointment.
Once your available Medicare-rebated sessions have been used, you can continue therapy privately or you may be able to claim through private health insurance. Your psychologist will review your progress with you and discuss ongoing treatment recommendations as needed.
Confidentiality, Policies & Practice Information
Information shared in therapy is treated as confidential and managed in accordance with professional, ethical and legal standards, including those set by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Information will not be shared with family members, employers or other professionals without your consent, except where disclosure is required by law or there are serious concerns about your safety or the safety of others.
In these circumstances, relevant information may need to be shared with appropriate people or services to ensure safety or meet legal obligations.
In these circumstances, relevant information may need to be shared with appropriate people or services to ensure safety or meet legal obligations.
Adolescents have important rights to privacy and confidentiality in therapy. For young people aged 16–17, their own consent will generally be sufficient where they have the capacity to understand and consent to treatment. We’ll discuss consent, confidentiality and its limits at the beginning of therapy, including how information may be communicated between the young person, their psychologist and parents or carers.
While an adolescent’s privacy is respected, confidentiality may need to be broken where there are concerns about the young person’s safety, the safety of others, or a legal obligation to disclose information and relevant information shared with parents, carers or other appropriate services.
Your appointment time is reserved exclusively for you, ensuring consistency and respect for all clients’ time. If an appointment needs to be rescheduled or cancelled, at least three business days’ notice is required to avoid a cancellation fee.
- 3 business days’ notice or more – No cancellation fee applies
- Less than 3 business days’ notice – 50% of the session fee applies
- Less than 2 business days’ notice, same-day cancellation, or non-attendance (no-show) – 100% of the session fee applies
Cancellation fees are not eligible for Medicare rebates. Any subsequent appointments will not take place until outstanding cancellation fees are settled.
Please note that weekends are not included in the notice period. For example, a Monday appointment must be cancelled by the preceding Wednesday.
A courtesy SMS reminder is sent three days prior to your appointment; however, clients remain responsible for keeping track of their scheduled appointments.
Begin to Become Psychology does not currently provide medico-legal assessments or report writing, or accept referrals under Workers Compensation or the NDIS. Our focus is on providing psychological therapy directly to clients.
JOIN THE WAITLIST
When you’re ready, we’d love to hear from you
We are currently closed to new referrals. Please join the waitlist and we will be in touch when an appointment becomes available.