Frequently asked questions

If you are looking for a more in-depth approach we are the right service for you. If you are looking for psychologists who will focus more on the underlying problems driving behaviour and creating symptoms, rather than just focusing on strategies, our team is for you.

Psychology simply refers to the scientific study of the human mind. A psychologist is a university-trained health professional who has expertise in applying their scientific understanding of the mind through counselling and/or psychotherapy. Counselling generally refers to a brief form of talk therapy focusing on the present issues in conscious awareness, whereas psychotherapy is a more in-depth and longer-term treatment that is more intensive and comprehensive. Psychotherapy examines a person’s psychological history.

People from diverse backgrounds seek counselling for many reasons. Psychotherapy may be useful if you:

• Have a persistent feeling of sadness or depression
• Have negative thoughts that weigh you down
• Feel stressed, anxious, worried or overwhelmed with life
• Would like to improve your relationships with others
• Lack self-confidence or assertiveness
• Feel suicidal or have thoughts of harming yourself
• Are struggling to achieve a work/life balance
• Are having trouble in making an important decision
• Feel stuck in negative or self-destructive patterns
• Are interested in learning more about why you feel and act the way you do
• Are struggling to adjust to a new role (at work or in the family)
• Have lost someone close to you

Everyone experiences challenges in life and while you may be high functioning with good coping skills, there is nothing wrong with getting extra help when you need it. People who engage in therapy actually tend to be more self-aware and psychologically minded, which is why they are aware that they need support and a new perspective. Therapy has the potential to help you navigate challenges in a new way while avoiding old maladaptive patterns.

All psychologists are fully registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Agency (AHPRA).

The success of therapy really depends on the quality of the therapeutic relationship. Therefore, choosing to work with someone with whom you feel safe, comfortable, and with whom you have rapport is very important. Some people find that they have great rapport immediately, while for others it takes a few sessions. If you don’t feel that you can trust or communicate with your therapist, it is perfectly normal to try someone else.

Anxiety is the experience of excessive or irrational fear or worry, sometimes coupled with panic attacks. The most noticeable symptoms of anxiety are often physiological such as sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, you may have a racing heart, have difficulty sleeping or perhaps you are feeling sick in the stomach or dizzy.

Being anxious can also make it hard to concentrate, you may feel irritable, hypervigilant, jumpy or apprehensive all the time. Another sign of anxiety is that you are avoiding places, people or things so you don’t get anxious. For example, avoiding social situations, answering the phone, or avoiding leaving the house.

Depression is linked to changes in people’s mood, thoughts and behaviours. Common symptoms of depression include feeling overwhelmed, unhappy, miserable, guilty or irritable. You may notice feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or even thoughts of suicide creeping in. You may be experiencing very negative and self-critical thoughts such as “I am a failure” or “people would be better off without me”.

Changes in behaviour that indicate depression include withdrawal from friends and family, not wanting to engage in activities you once did, lacking motivation, feeling as though you can’t concentrate, having sleep difficulties, or turning to alcohol/drugs to cope.

Everyone’s therapeutic journey is different and the length of treatment required to treat psychological issues can vary from person to person. This can depend on your psychological history, the severity of your concerns, what therapeutic goals you are hoping to achieve, whether you have had any therapy before, and how regularly you are able to attend. Length of treatment will be discussed with you during the assessment process.

You do not need an official referral to see a psychologist. Self-referrals are welcome. However, if you would like to access the Medicare rebate for psychological services, you will need to obtain a referral from your GP, along with a Mental Health Care Plan. For more information please see HERE. (Link to Medicare Rebates).

Your GP will determine whether you are eligible for a mental health care plan based on your current presenting issues. You do not need to have a mental health diagnosis to access this plan. The plan allows you to access the Medicare rebate for psychological services.

Yes we do. After hours appointments (commencing from 5pm) incur a $10 surcharge.

You have the absolute right to confidentiality of your information. At MindWell you can rest assured that all personal information gathered by the psychologist during your treatment will remain confidential and secure. However, it is important to know there are some rare exceptions in which all psychologists are mandated (by law) to break confidentiality.

This can occur when the information you have given to your psychologist is subpoenaed by a court of law, when failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at serious risk of harm, or if your prior approval has been obtained to provide a written report to another professional, agency or person (eg. GP, WorkCover, carer).

All appointments are 50 minutes in duration.

We have a 24-hour cancellation policy. There is a fee of $80 if you do not notify the clinic within this timeframe. We need this cancellation policy because it is not possible to fill sessions at very short notice so this will become lost time and lost income for your psychologist. Your psychologist also dedicates significant time and care to plan and prepare for your session.

Parking is available along High Street, or in the council’s gravel carpark at Belmont Youth Centre, which is two doors down from the clinic. There is also parking available in the neighbouring streets.

The clinic has entry disabled access and bathroom facilities, however please let us know prior to your appointment about your particular needs, so we can book a consulting room that has disabled access for your appointment.

If you have a mental health care plan please bring the plan with you, as well as your Medicare card. Please arrive 10 minutes early to your first appointment to read and fill out a client consent form.

We accept payment at the end of the consultation via EFTPOS or credit card. You are welcome to pay with cash although we do not carry change on the premises.