Seeing a Psychologist: FAQs

If you would like to see a psychologist using the Medicare Better Access rebates scheme, you will need to first obtain a referral from your GP, also known as a Mental Health Care Plan. Most GPs will require a double-session to complete this for you, so it is a good idea to check the requirements of the medical practice and plan ahead for your appointment time.

Your GP will have a list of psychologists in the area they can recommend and refer you to, or a local psychology clinic that you can call and arrange an appointment with directly.

Alternatively, you may independently source a psychologist that you would like to see, either by recommendation or research, and you can request that your referral be directed to them instead. 
To support you in finding the right psychologist for you, the APS has a free online service called Find a Psychologist. This is a database of APS psychologists around Australia that allows you to search for psychologists in your area according to the topics you would like support with. You will be able to explore their individual profiles, and even use the PsychEngage feature to make appointment requests directly. 

In your first session with your psychologist, you can discuss the number and frequency of your sessions as part of your overall treatment plan. 

Factors to consider may include:

• your current needs and goals you are hoping to achieve;
• the treatment approach you will be working on together;
• any constraints regarding time or finance you may need to consider.

The Medicare Better Access Scheme provides rebates for up to 10 sessions per calendar year with a psychologist when referred by your GP under a Mental Health Care Plan.

Having a collaborative and open discussion with your psychologist will help you both work out the session frequency and duration that best fits your needs, and this is something that can be reviewed as the treatment progresses. 

All psychologists are trained in evidence-based practice, which informs their treatment approach. Psychotherapy itself has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms related to a wide number of common mental health disorders, including but not limited to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder¹, Depression², and Anxiety-related disorders³.

Interestingly, there is also a strong research base indicating that a positive therapeutic relationship with your psychologist can play a very important role in how effective your sessions are. The quality of the relationship is not only connected with better treatment outcomes^4,5, but it may even have as much as, if not more, impact on the effectiveness of your sessions than the treatment itself⁷.

A positive therapeutic relationship is one where:

• You and your psychologist work together to establish your treatment goals⁶
• You are able to provide regular feedback on how you feel your sessions are going⁷
• You feel genuine warmth and empathy from your psychologist⁸

Finding the right ‘match’ can be an important step into experiencing a positive therapeutic relationship⁹. Every psychologist has different therapeutic styles and personality factors, and you may find that trying a few different psychologists to start with may help you find the best match for you.

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^{1. Kline, A. C., Cooper, A. A., Rytwinksi, N. K., & Feeny, N. C. (2018). Long-term efficacy of psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clinical Psychology Review, 59, 30-40.}

^{2. Munder, T., Flückiger, C., Leichsenring, F., Abbass, A. A., Hilsenroth, M. J., Luyten, P., Rabung, S., Steinert, C., Wampold, B. E. (2019). Is psychotherapy effective? A re-analysis of treatments for depression. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 28(3), 268-274.}

^{3. Van Dis, E. A., Van Veen, S. C., Hagenaars, M. A., Batelaan, N. M., Bockting, C. L., Van Den Heuvel, R. M., Cuikpers, P., Engelhard, I. M. (2020). Long-term outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety-related disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 77(3), 265-273.}

^{4. Baier, A. L., Kline, A. C., & Feeny, N. C. (2020). Therapeutic alliance as a mediator of change: A systematic review and evaluation of research. Clinical Psychology Review, 101921.}

^{5. Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2018). The alliance in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic synthesis. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 316.}

^{6. Tryon, G. S., Birch, S. E., & Verkuilen, J. (2018). Meta-analyses of the relation of goal consensus and collaboration to psychotherapy outcome. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 372.}

^{7. Norcross, J. C., & Wampold, B. E. (2011). Evidence-based therapy relationships: research conclusions and clinical practices. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 98.}

^{8. Norcross, J. C., & Lambert, M. J. (2018). Psychotherapy relationships that work III. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 303.}

^{9. Nienhuis, J. B., Owen, J., Valentine, J. C., Winkeljohn Black, S., Halford, T. C., Parazak, S. E., Budge, S., Hilsenroth, M. (2018). Therapeutic alliance, empathy, and genuineness in individual adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic review. Psychotherapy Research, 28(4), 593-605.}

Attending your first session with a psychologist can be daunting, and it is very normal to feel nervous and even anxious about doing so. Your psychologist will be aware of this, and will ensure as smooth and comfortable a process for you as possible.

Most psychologists will spend the first session focusing on getting an understanding of your history/background and what has prompted you to seek psychological support. To do this, they may ask you a number of questions about your life (e.g., family and history) and overall mental health experiences, and may ask you to fill out some questionnaires. 

Your psychologist is also there to answer any questions you might have about what to expect from the course of treatment, confidentiality, and modes of treatment available (i.e. in person or telehealth).

Before commencing your sessions with a psychologist, you will be required to complete intake and consent forms. Some psychologists will send these to you to complete beforehand, while others may ask you to come early to your first session so that you have time to complete these before your appointment. 

Consent forms often cover issues such as privacy, confidentiality, and access to information. If you have any questions about these or your rights in therapy, this is a great opportunity to start that discussion with your psychologist. 

Take some time before the session to write down any other questions you might have, or main points you feel are the most important to communicate. If it is hard to clarify exactly what you would like to achieve from seeking psychological support, it can handy to frame it in what is called the “Miracle Question”¹: If a miracle happens and whatever that brings you here gets solved, how would your life be different? How would you think, feel and behave differently?

Reflecting on this may help you clarify and communicate your goals, needs and purpose in attending sessions with your psychologist.

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^{1. Tryon, G. S., Birch, S. E., & Verkuilen, J. (2018). Meta-analyses of the relation of goal consensus and collaboration to psychotherapy outcome. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 372.}

As mentioned before, psychologists are informed by evidence-based practice. This covers a wide range of treatment approaches that can be tailored to your specific goals, presenting issues, and treatment preferences. Some common treatment approaches include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy, however most psychologists are trained in a wide range of modalities which they can then tailor to create an individualised treatment plan.

In general, the underlying premise of many of these approaches is an exploration of your emotions, thoughts, and behaviour, and how these interact with each other. Your psychologist may also use specific approaches tailored to your individual circumstance, addressing issues such as trauma, relationship difficulties, grief, and life transitions.

Being an active participant in your sessions and taking an open and collaborative approach with your psychologist is the best way to get the most out of your sessions. 

Some treatment approaches will require you to do some homework between sessions, or practice skills and tools discussed in sessions. Writing a few notes on these experiences between sessions and bringing them in to explore is a useful way to support the transfer of what happens in sessions to your outside world.

On a practical note, ensuring your sessions are at a time and place where you can commit your full attention is important. This means, where possible, eliminating distractions related to work, family, or technology.

You can now access your sessions with a psychologist via phone and videoconferencing, which has recently been made permanent under the Medicare Better Access Scheme. It is a good idea to check with your psychologist to see what options they have available for you, and to ensure they are able to work with your preferences. 

As a general guideline for using telehealth, it is important to ensure you have a good internet connection, space to talk privately, and a time where you are not likely to experience any distractions related to work or family. Your psychologist will give you more information on how to best utilise these telehealth options now available.