Yes. Under the Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative you are entitled to a Medicare rebate of $84.80 for up to 10 sessions per calendar year, with a progress review required by your GP after 6 sessions. To access this initiative you will need to obtain a ‘Mental Health Care Plan’ from your GP, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician. You will need to bring a referral letter and a Mental Health Care Plan to your first session.

You do not need to access the Medicare rebate to attend counselling. If you choose not to access the rebate, you do not need a referral letter to make an appointment.

Depending on your level of cover, many private healthcare funds offer rebates for psychology services. Please contact your healthcare fund directly to find out what level of rebate you are entitled to.

Please note, you cannot claim both the Medicare rebate and a private health fund rebate, only one or the other.

Yes, your confidentiality is of paramount importance to us. We work in accordance with the Australian Psychological Society code of ethics in regards to confidentiality. The only time we may need to break confidentiality is if one of our psychologists believe you or someone else is at risk of serious harms. In this case, the psychologist will need to take appropriate measures to ensure your safety, which may mean disclosing information about you to another party. We will always include you in this process, and work with you to ensure your needs are heard and respected. Under law, confidentiality may also be broken if your files are subpoenaed by the courts.

All records are stored online in a password protected account, and will be deleted after seven years. For children under the age 18, records will be kept until they reach the age of 25.

The cost of an individual session with a psychologist ranges from $140 – $150, which equates to a gap fee of $55.20 – $65.20 with a valid mental health care plan.

The cost of a family session ranges from $160 – $170, which equates to a gap fee of $75.20 – $65.20 with a valid mental health care plan.

We also offer a reduced fee for pension card holders and full time university/college students.

Yes, payments can be made by Eftpos, credit card or cash. We also offer a safe and easy way to process payments and Medicare rebates through Healthkit, a secure and reputable practice management software platform. For private health claims, we can provide you with a receipt for you to claim through your health fund.

As scheduling a counselling session requires the reservation of time specifically for you, we require a minimum of 24 hours notice to reschedule or cancel an appointment. Unless in the case of exceptional circumstances, a full fee will be charged for missed sessions without a 24 hour notification.

Our psychologists are all fully registered and highly skilled. They have training in a range of modalities, including narrative therapy, acceptance commitment therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness and family therapy.

Finding the right counsellor is like finding the right partner, you want to find someone you click with, who understands you and is willing to stand by you during difficult times.

To find out if my approach and way of working fits with you, I suggest exploring this website or calling one of our friendly staff on 0420 320 322. Our psychologists are happy to chat with you as well if you would like to find out more about whether they are the perfect fit for you. Talking on the phone can be a really helpful way of deciding whether a psychologist is the right fit for you.

If you decide one of our team are a good fit for you or your child or family, we can schedule an appointment. There is no commitment beyond the first session.

If, after reading our website, talking to us on the phone or having an initial session, you decide we are not the best fit for you, we are happy to suggest alternative psychologists or other health professionals you can access.

We can help support you or your child to address problems in your life, including serious concerns like self harm, suicidal thoughts and risk taking behaviours. However Fostering Hope is not a crisis service. If you do not feel safe, or if you are worried about your child’s safety, please call emergency services, your local acute care mental health team, Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or Lifeline (13 11 14).

The first session is a chance for you to explore how you and your psychologist might work together to support you to make the changes you want to make. It is an important time for your practitioner to hear your story, and to suggest ways counselling can help you see things in a new light and open up new possibilities. The first session is also a time for the two of you to establish goals, hopes and intentions for therapy, to ensure the therapeutic process is of the most benefit to you.

The number of session a young person or family will need depends on their individual circumstances. For some people, short term therapy is sufficient, however others benefit from medium to long term therapy. As a general rule, we suggest a person commits to 6 sessions in order to gain the benefits of therapy, and to develop and implement meaningful and lasting changes in their life.

Our practice hours are Mondays through to Fridays, with after hours appointments available.

Call our friendly team on 0420 320 322 or email info@fosteringhope.com.au to find out if our services are a good fit for you or fill out the contact form below and we will get in touch with you as soon as possible.