FAQ

Life events that cause confusion, distress and emotional reactions can occur frequently and affect children and adults of all ages. Providing effective ways of clarifying thoughts, feelings and the causes of this distress as well as developing practical, evidence based strategies to assist with a broad range of issues in a safe supportive environment is the core work of a psychologist.

Individuals experiencing recent or long standing symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, grief, low self-esteem, family breakdown and relationship problems and a range of mental health issues, including children, adolescents and adults. Parents seeking behavioural and educational assessments and interventions for children experiencing learning problems, or behavioural difficulties including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder, Obsessional Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Specific Learning Disabilities such as Dyslexia. Young children who have developmental delay and adjustment difficulties at kindergarten or early primary may also require a cognitive assessment to identify if there is any intellectual delay. People wanting assistance in achieving their life goals, life coaching, relationship and communication skills, or wanting assistance in particular aspects of their life such as work or family relationships.

Generous Medicare rebates are available for appointments with psychologists and concessions are available for clients who qualify (See Rates) Bulk billing is generally not available across the profession, however at Creating Praxis Consulting we endeavour to offer a service that is accessible for all rural communities, at a reasonable cost and if you are experiencing financial strain bulk billing is considered on a case by case basis.

Consult your GP and seek a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) with a referral to a psychologist. Eligibility is based on the diagnosis given to you by your GP and includes common problems including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, sleep disturbance and a range of clinical disorders.

Up to 10 individual sessions with a psychologist can be claimed in any one calendar year (Jan to Dec). Progress will be reviewed with your GP after your first 6 sessions and a further 4 sessions may be claimed following review.

Yes. Creating Praxis Consulting utilises the HICAPS system, so if your health insurance provides cover for psychology you may receive a rebate on payment on the day of service. The rebate amount and the number of sessions covered varies between different health insurance providers. Check your policy to identify the level of gap that may apply.

Yes. Our psychologist is registered to provide services under all these agencies.

We are focussed on providing practical solutions to the issues being experienced in an effective manner. The first session will involve completing a form with your details and a questionnaire that gives information about how you have been feeling in the last week and providing information about your physical and mental health history and the issues of concern. You will set some goals in the initial session and it is the responsibility of the psychologist to prepare a practical plan to enable you to meet these goals. A focus on practical strategies that you can employ immediately to achieve the outcomes you want is a feature of the approach at Creating Praxis Consulting. Subsequent sessions focus on your treatment plan and are subject to review to ensure effectiveness to meet the best outcomes for you.

Evidence based practice is important and the treatments that have proven to be effective are based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) especially for anxiety and depression. Our psychologist is also well trained in the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) a new wave behavioural, CBT approach that focusses on…. the activation of value-congruent, observable behaviour or explicitly on living better. “The key goal of ACT is to support clients in feeling and thinking what they directly feel and think already, while also helping them move in a chosen, personally valued direction” (Luoma, Hayes, Walser, 2007). Luoma, J.B., Hayes, S.C., & Walser, R.D. (2007). Learning ACT: An acceptance & commitment therapy Skills Training Manual for Therapists, p.3. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland, CA.

This will vary according to individual client circumstances; some clients may benefit from longer-term assistance whereas other clients may resolve issues in a few sessions. This will be discussed with you by the psychologist at the beginning of treatment. If children require learning or cognitive assessments there will be at least three sessions to undertake the assessment process and then a comprehensive report will be prepared at an additional cost.

The relationship between a client and a psychologist is one of trust, as a registered psychologist I am obligated to protect the privacy of client’s personal information as part of the ethical guidelines that govern the profession. Consent is required before personal information can be provided to others, unless the file is subpoenaed by a court and subject to legal process. All personal information gathered during provision of psychological services will remain confidential unless the client completes a consent release form to enable the psychologist to share information with other professionals as necessary. Confidentiality is preserved unless subpoenaed by a court or failure to disclose information to an appropriate person would place the client or another person at risk of harm. (Refer to our Privacy Policy for further information)

Creating Praxis Consulting makes every attempt to meet individual client needs, including appointments to suit students at school, and after work appointments where possible. Please ring and discuss with reception at the time of booking an appointment.

Creating Praxis Consulting can produce a range of reports including cognitive, learning and educational assessments, reports for employers, paediatricians and government agencies. Fees apply for reports and assessments independently of the Medicare system as rebates do not apply in these circumstances. The Creating Praxis Consulting psychologist has been trained and registered to provide assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorder and registered to provide treatment interventions for those with a diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder. Psychologists are required to be registered in Victoria to provide these services and Creating Praxis Consulting is able to provide services under the Medicare rebated program of “Helping Children with Autism”. The psychologist works closely with local paediatricians and GP’s to confirm possible diagnoses, and has expertise in the preparation of applications for funding by schools under the Program for Students with Disabilities in the Department of Early Childhood, Education and Training.

Payment is strictly at the time of the appointment. We accept cash, EFTPOS, or credit card. We can process your Medicare rebate on the spot using our HICAPS online processing system.

We reserve the hour appointment for individual clients and it is important if clients are unable to attend to be able to offer the time to another client. Therefore, 24 hours’ notice of cancellation is required to be fair to everyone. If you don’t give 24hrs notice or fail to attend your appointment a cancellation fee of $60 will apply. (This is an out-of-pocket cost and the cancellation fee is unable to be rebated under Medicare.