roy@wyattpsych.com.au

Client Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Wyatt Psych is not a crisis or emergency service. If you need immediate assistance with your or someone else’s mental health please call: Psychiatric Triage on 1300 661 323 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

Sessions are typically between 50-55 minutes in length.

Please allow a little longer for the first session.

Sessions involve talking about your current difficulties and working together on a plan to make some positive life changes.

The first session is always different from the rest. The first session will involve Roy getting to know you and you getting a feel for whether you are comfortable having further sessions with him. Psychologists are all different and approach things differently and it is important that you are comfortable talking to him – naturally sometimes this takes time. That first session will include some paperwork, probably some brief questionnaires, and a number of questions about why you have come in and what you want to work on.

Thereafter we work on the things that you want to be different. Usually this will involve giving you some things to think about or do between sessions, but always this will involve talking in detail about your past, present and future, thoughts and feelings.

No.

However, if you do have a referral from your GP then you will likely be eligible to receive a Medicare rebate for a large portion of the session fee.  To access the rebate you will need to have had your GP set up a Mental Health Care Plan.

A Mental Health Care Plan is a plan set up by a GP for people with a diagnosed mental illness.  The plan needs to be set up in order to be eligible for Medicare rebates when you see a Psychologist. The setting up of the plan will activate the Medicare process for claiming the rebates.

A Medicare rebate is the amount of money that Medicare will refund you to go towards your session fee, just like if you were seeing a GP or other medical specialist.

With a referral and Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, Medicare will offer part rebates for up to ten sessions per calendar year (see fees section for the up to date amount of this rebate).  The rebate will be claimed through medicare for you on site at the time of your appointment and will be refunded into your Medicare nominated bank account within approx. 24hours.

No.

The sessions are heavily subsidised by Medicare for anyone referred by their GP on a mental health care plan.  For more fee information see Fees.

Roy has a single standard fee for all of his clients.  The Australian Psychological Society (APS) recommend that Psychologists charge $310 per 50min session.  Roy's standard fee of $240 provides a considerable concession to all patients, which combined with significant Medicare rebates (upon GP referral) hopefully makes his services accessible to most.  The out of pocket cost will be just $98 (after the Medicare rebate).

No.  Unfortunately Roy is not in a position to be able to assist with Workcover or TAC claims or billing.

Psychologists and Psychiatrists both help people with their mental health, and most people get them confused because they sound so similar.

Psychologists are not medical doctors, unlike Psychiatrists. This means that Psychologists can’t prescribe medication, but instead focus on counselling and helping people talk through their problems, emotions and underlying thoughts, as well as come up with practical strategies to help them move forward with their difficulties. Sometimes a client may see both a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist to ensure that both psychological and medical aspects of their mental health concerns are cared for in tandem

Clinical Psychologists are specialists within the field of psychology. They require a Masters degree or Doctorate specifically in clinical psychology. To obtain these qualifications it involves mandatory training involving the whole spectrum of mental illnesses, their assessment and best evidence-based treatment. Their training typically involves training in ‘clinical’ settings (such as psychiatric hospitals and mental health services). Generalist ‘Psychologists’ do not have this specialist training.

The specialist training of Clinical Psychologists is recognised by the government and reflected in the higher Medicare rebate that you will receive when seeing a Clinical Psychologist, compared to when seeing a generalist.

Adults aged 20 and over.  Roy is not a Child Psychologist.

Yes.  Roy is Psychology Board and AHPRA recognised Supervisor, and provides supervision services to other Psychologists and Mental Health Practitioners in need of the same.  Please contact Roy for further information and to discuss your supervision/training needs.

Useful Links

Psychiatric Triage 24 hour 7 day a week service for assessment of people in immediate psychiatric crisis
1300 661 323

Beyond Blue
24 hour 7 day a week counselling and mental health related information service. Beyond Blue also provide Online Counselling or 1300 224 636

Suicide Help Line
24 hour 7 day a week counselling and support for those with thoughts of suicide themselves, or those worried about others who may have thoughts of suicide
1300 651 251

Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) Crisis Line
24 hour crisis line for those recently sexually assaulted.
1800 806 292

Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service of Victoria
24 hour 7 day a week crisis telephone line offering information, support, referrals for refuge for women and children experiencing abusive relationships
1800 015 188

Lifeline
24 hour 7 day a week telephone counselling regarding any current concerns
131 114

Kids Helpline
24 hour 7 day a week telephone, email and online counselling Online counselling for young people 5 to 25 years (not just “kids”!)
1800 551 800

After Hours Child Protection Line
24 hour crisis line for immediate care and protection concerns for children
131 278