Question 1

How do I book my first appointment?

Accepted Answer

Simply call the practice on (02) 8091 7867 or email us at admin@mindbodypractice.com.au and a member of our Client Relations Team can help with booking your first appointment.

Question 2

Do I need a referral to book an appointment?

Accepted Answer

You do not need a referral to make an appointment.

Should you wish to access Medicare rebates, a valid referral letter is then required. You can visit your GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician to obtain a referral letter to see a Psychologist or Dietitian.

Simply call us on 8091 7867 to start treatment.

Question 3

Can I make an appointment for my child?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the process for making an appointment for your child is the same as making an appointment for yourself. To book your child's appointment, simply call the practice on 8091 7867 or email us at admin@mindbodypractice.com.au.

Question 4

Can I make an appointment for my partner or family member?

Accepted Answer

Starting treatment can be a daunting process and we appreciate how much you want to help your partner or family member in the process. However, due to each adult's right to privacy and confidentiality, we are not able coordinate appointment times or confirm bookings without written or verbal consent from the intended person who would be engaging in treatment.
 
Moreover, it is important that for therapy to be effective, the person seeking treatment is on-board and willing to create change. One part of this process is being an active member in developing and maintaining the therapeutic relationship, which starts from the first appointment. This is why we strongly recommend that the adult requiring treatment contact the practice directly to organise their appointments.
 
If you are concerned that your partner or family member requires treatment but may not be willing to see a Psychologist, we recommend that you discuss your concerns with your family doctor. Alternatively, you can contact mental health services that are most relevant to your situation for more information and support. The names and contact details of these services are available on our Resources page.

Question 5

What do I need to bring to my first appointment?

Accepted Answer

Prior to your first appointment, a member of the Admin Team will have sent across consent forms and health questionnaires via email to you. If these forms are not completed and submitted online prior to your appointment date, you will need to complete these in-person.

If you have a referral from a health practitioner (e.g. your GP, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician), it is important that this is provided to the practice to claim the Medicare rebate.

Please note that we require ALL the pages, front and back. You can either attach the referral letter as a scanned PDF or as photos to an email and send it to us. Alternatively, you can get your GP practice to fax a copy directly to us. Our email address is admin@mindbodypractice.com.au and our fax number is (02) 8088 1014.

Most importantly, the referral letter must clearly indicate the following information in order to considered as a valid per Medicare standards:

the full name, date of birth and home address of the patient
the patient's symptoms or diagnosis
a list of any current medications of the patient
the referral type (i.e. Mental Health Care Plan aka MHCP or other referral scheme) 
the number of sessions the patient is being referred for (i.e. the 'course of treatment')
the full name, signature and Medicare provider number of the referring doctor 
the date the referral was written up

In the event any of the above information is missing, incorrect or unclear, we will advise you on what the next steps are and whether any action is required on your end.

If we do not receive your referral letter prior to (or even on the day of) your first appointment, this may result in a delay with receiving your Medicare rebate or receiving a rebate at all, pending the validity of the referral.

Question 6

What should I expect at my first appointment?

Accepted Answer

The first session is important for us to get to know one another.

It is essential that you feel comfortable and clear about what treatment involves. Your rights to confidentiality will be addressed at the outset.

After getting to know you outside of the problems, your clinician will then spend most of the session exploring the difficulties and the contexts in which they arise. As we go, your clinician will help you to develop a clear understanding of how the difficulties came to be and what might be maintaining them.

Based on our working understanding, we will develop a plan for how to create change in your life and, if you would like to proceed, set up the next appointments.

Question 7

Is psychological therapy confidential?

Accepted Answer

All personal information gathered by your Psychologist during the provision of the psychological service will remain confidential. However, there are three situations where confidentially may be required to be breached. 
 
The first situation is if your Psychologist is worried that not disclosing information to the appropriate persons or services may place yourself or others at risk of harm. 
 
The second situation is if the Psychologist is worried about the safety of children or young people, this information will also need to be reported to the relevant authority. Psychologists are legally mandated to report any young children being in harms way to ensure that our children and young people are always protected.
 
The third situation is where clinical files may be subpoenaed by a court of law. If this is a concern for you, please discuss this with your Psychologist prior to the start of treatment.

Outside of these situations, your Psychologist is unable to disclose any personal information to any other persons or organisations without your prior written consent. 
 
If you would like your Psychologist to work closely with your other health professionals, such as your doctor or dietitian, please provide your Psychologist with written permission. You can nominate these professionals through the Consent to Release Information section of the Consent Form you would have received via email before your first session. 
 
Your right to confidentiality will be addressed at the start of your first session. We encourage you to raise any concerns about your privacy to ensure that you are comfortable and feel safe in therapy.

Question 8

How long does a therapy session last?

Accepted Answer

Each session lasts for 50 minutes, with 10 minutes following the session being used by the Clinician to complete notes. This allows your Clinician to dedicate one hour per visit to your treatment.
 
Sessions are typically 50 minutes in duration as it is helpful to create a frame around the therapeutic relationship. The 50 minutes provides a structure that can be helpful in ensuring that there is enough time to unpack difficult thoughts, feelings and memories with a manageable end time to ensure that there is containment without therapy becoming overwhelming. 
 
Furthermore, The Mind Body Practice offers treatments that have been shown to be effective and backed by research. The majority of these treatments tend to be backed by studies which deliver treatments in 50-minute sessions. The Mind Body Practice remains consistent with the research.
 
In some cases, such as in Family Based Therapy for Eating Disorders, sessions may be increased to 80 minutes. This is to make sure that there is sufficient time allocated to complete the necessary components of treatment. In these circumstances, your Clinician will discuss this with you in detail.

Question 9

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

Every person is different and will require an individualised approach to treatment. This will be discussed at your first session. Please contact the practice to discuss your needs in detail.

Question 10

Do you accept NDIS funding?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we accept NDIS funding. However, we only accept plan and self-managed funding, and not NDIA funding directly.

The Mind Body Practice

Frequently Asked Questions