Why should I consider seeing a perinatal psychologist or mental health professional?
For more information about seeing a perinatal trained psychologist or mental health professional please see our blog post here.
What is Telehealth and how could it help me?
For more information about telehealth please see our blog post here.
How long are appointments?
All appointments are scheduled for 50 minutes. You will be called in at your scheduled appointment time or with a very minimal wait time if attending face-to-face. You will be phoned or admitted to your Zoom meeting room by your clinician if you are attending via Telehealth.
How often will I come to appointments?
Each person attending therapy will have different needs. Your clinician will:
-
offer a safe, trusting relationship
-
provide a treatment plan that is created with your input
-
adjust the treatment to your mental health condition and circumstances
-
keep what you say in an appointment confidential
-
offer a positive and non-judgemental approach with a view to your recovery.
You will agree the frequency of your appointments with your psychologist after an assessment phase and adjust this as necessary during your treatment. At the most frequent you would have weekly appointments.
How long will my treatment be for?
As above, each person attending therapy will have different needs. You will agree the number of sessions you require with your clinician after an assessment phase and adjust this as necessary during your treatment.
What will we talk about?
In your first session, the clinician will ask you some questions to understand your current situation and what assistance and treatment may be beneficial for you. This might include topics like:
-
What is currently bothering you – mood, sleep, eating patterns, behaviours, thoughts, relationships
-
Your medical and mental health history
-
Current medications
-
Substance use
-
Who your family and friends are and their relationship with you especially with your partner and child/dren if you have them
-
Your living situation
Your clinician may also ask you to complete some psychological scales to assess your mental health.
You will develop a treatment plan together and subsequent sessions will be spent working together on your goals.
Are there any circumstances in which this wouldn't be the right place for me to receive treatment?
As a private practice with clinicians who have additional training in perinatal mental health, we are conscious of our scope of practice and capacity. We want you to receive the treatment that is best suited to your needs so you can see the best outcomes and improve your mental health. As such, we recommend seeking treatment with alternative services if any of the following apply to you:
-
You have a current or enduring psychotic illness or eating disorder
-
You have long-standing suicidal or homicidal ideation or suicide attempts without a current psychiatrist currently providing you care
-
You have current involvement with child protection and Family and Community Services without case management support
-
You have current excessive alcohol or other drug use without Drug & Alcohol service support
In these circumstances, we are unable to provide the special knowledge for treatment and follow-up care that will be best for your recovery.
Can I bring my baby or children?
You are welcome to bring your baby or children with you to the session. Our use of Maternal and Child Health centers means there are always toys available for their entertainment. Some mothers however do like to take this time as a reflective focused time so choose to arrange childcare during the session. Older children may also listen to things that you may not want them to be aware of. Please consider this when deciding who to bring along to your session.
How much do appointments cost?
Please see our fees page for full information about costs for appointments. If you have a mental health care plan from your GP, then we are able to bulk-bill under Medicare for up to 20 sessions in total to ensure treatment is accessible to everyone.
Other information
You are able to read through our psychology consent form prior to your session which outlines other important factors like confidentiality, communication and cancellation fees. Click here to read the form in advance of your session.
We abide by the Australian Psychological Society Charter for Clients which you can read here.
Our full Privacy Policy can be read here.