Confidentiality, Pricing & FAQs

Confidentiality

All enquiries and psychology sessions are private and confidential, with two exceptions:

  1. In the rare circumstance that there is a perceived risk that you may cause serious harm to yourself or another person, ensuring your safety overrides the commitment of confidentiality.
  2. If you are involved in legal proceedings the courts may have a right to information regarding your mental health and may request a report or access to files notes.

Please note that if you have been referred by a GP and have a mental health care plan, a psychology summary will be provided to your GP after 6 sessions and 10 sessions to enable a coordinated approach to your care.

Paper and electronic file notes are held securely, with password protection, and stored in locked filing cabinets to ensure no other party can access these files. Psychology files are held for seven years and then destroyed.

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Session Pricing

Individual assessment and therapy sessions:

Approximately: 50-55 mins

$310 or $168.15 after the Medicare rebate*

Review appointments (following therapy/treatment stage):
Approximately: 30 mins

$240 or $143.35  after a Medicare rebate*

Extended appointments**:
75 min duration

$380 or $238.15 after a Medicare rebate*

From July 1st 2024 individuals referred by their GP with a mental health care plan are eligible for a $141.85 Medicare rebate per 50 mins session, and $96.65 per 30 mins session. Currently, 10 sessions are available for each year.

**Most psychology sessions will be standard therapy appointments. Review sessions can be booked after the therapy/treatment stage is completed. Extended sessions may be required if you are undertaking EMDR therapy. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Initial assessment sessions are 60 mins.

Subsequent sessions are approximately 50-55 mins duration.

If you undertake EMDR therapy, you may require some extended appointments (e.g. 75 mins).

To get the most from psychological therapy it is recommended that you spend some time, at least 10 minutes, before each appointment reflecting on your hopes and goals for the session.  After each appointment, it can be very helpful to spend another 10 minutes or so reflecting on what you learned during the session and plan for any changes you wish to make in the weeks ahead. It can be helpful to write these thoughts in a journal to keep throughout the treatment.

The number of sessions required for effective psychological therapy will depend entirely on the nature of problems you are facing, the history of these problems, and any other complicating or stressful factors you might be dealing with.

Some people may only need a few sessions to work through a specific problem, however more complex issues might need a longer treatment approach. You will always be involved in any decisions about treatment length, and this will be reviewed throughout therapy.

Yes.  If you have a referral from a GP or a psychiatrist for a Mental Health Treatment Plan you will be eligible to receive a Medicare rebate for your sessions. Please go to the “Session Pricing” section for details on current Medicare rebate rates.

Please note, you cannot claim a rebate from Medicare and your private health insurer for the same session. You’ll need to choose which funder to use for your rebate.

If you are claiming under Medicare, after your psychology session your can elect for us to submit your Medicare claim on your behalf.  Medicare will transfer the funds to your bank account within 2-3 business days.

Please note, that you will need to meet with your GP for a review of your Mental Health Treatment Plan after attending six psychology sessions. Your then decide with your GP whether or not you would like to be referred for a further four sessions.

Most private health insurers offer a rebate for psychology services, however the amount returned will depend on which level of cover you have. Please contact your individual insurance provider for further information about your individual coverage.

No. Anyone can make an appointment with a psychologist without a referral from your GP, which is considered a self-funded appointment. You can access a rebate from your private health insurer if you have the relevant cover.

A referral from your GP under a Mental Health Treatment Plan will allow you to access Medicare rebates for your sessions. To find out if you are eligible for this referral, please see your GP before your first psychology appointment.

Sorry, we are not registered to provide services under NDIS, Workcover, TAC or Victims of Crime.

However, if you have a self-managed NDIS fund then yes we can offer you treatment. There is no change in session fees if you are using an NDIS self-managed fund.

There are important differences between a psychologist and psychiatrist. In a nutshell, a psychiatrist has a medical degree and is therefore able to prescribe medication if you need this. A psychologist typically has trained for 6+ years in a range of therapies that help people manage psychological and emotional distress, and they do not prescribe medication.

No. In Australia, psychologists do not prescribe medications. Psychologists used a range of evidence-based therapy interventions, based on psychological, social and behavioural methods.

Please go to the booking page for more information on booking an appointment.

Yes. The unique challenges faced by people from minority communities that have often been stigmatised or disadvantaged, whether on racial, sexual, gender, physical ability/disability religious, age-related or other grounds, is recognised and respected. Psychological therapy can help people to value their uniqueness and draw strength from the resilience already developed through challenges faced in their life.

Avoka Health has a 48-hour cancellation and rescheduling policy. This means that if you need to change or cancel your appointment you must arrange this no later than 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time.

This gives us enough time to offer your appointment to other clients. If you cancel or change your appointment within 48 hours and it is not an emergency, you will be charged the full fee for this session. Please note that Medicare and private health insurers do not provide rebates for cancelled or unattended appointments.