Frequently Asked
Questions
How long does therapy take?
Do I need a
doctor’s referral?
How much will it cost?
What rebates apply to
me?
What is CBT?
That depends on many factors unique to each person’s
situation. The first session is devoted to assessment and understanding what the problem
is and how it came about. So at least one more appointment for counselling or therapy is
required. Most psychological problems require a further 8-15 sessions. Some complex
problems may need longer and less complex problems may only require 1-2 sessions after the
initial assessment.
After the assessment, your clinical psychologist will be able
to give you an idea of how many appointments or weeks the recommended intervention would
take.
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No, it is not necessary. However, having a referral from a GP
can be a good idea for two reasons: 1) Medicare rebates are available if
your GP writes a 'Care Plan' for a chronic condition requiring psychological
help, and 2) Keeping your GP informed about your psychological needs means
they are better placed to give advice now and to help you in the future.
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The standard rate recommended by the Australian Psychological Society is $212
(for a one hour appointment from July 2010). Our fees for private counselling are
lower than this. Our group programmes are even more affordable. To find out what rate
applies to you phone our office on (02) 9891 1766.
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There are several ways that you might be able to obtain a
rebate for psychological services.
Medicare now provides rebates for eligible
clients. To be eligible for the Medicare rebate, you must obtain a referral from
your GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician. Your
GP will be required to initiate a Mental Health Care Plan (MBS Item No: 2710) before your
appointment with the psychologist. The rebate
amount is approximately $117 per session for up to 12 sessions in a calendar year. If you wish to claim through Medicare, please
ensure that you bring your referral from your doctor. We have facilities for you to claim
the rebate direct from Medicare after each appointment. To find out more about Medicare
rebates click here.
For clients with an insurance
or compensation claim, your insurer or employer will be invoiced. Otherwise, all fees
are payable on the day of your appointment. We
accept cash, cheque, Visa, MasterCard, and EFTPOS. Please phone and ask what fees would
apply to you.
Most good private health funds will also give you a
refund on part of the fee, with an annual limit. We recommend that you
contact your health fund directly to find out what level of rebate you will receive and
what the annual limit is. We also have the
facilities for you to claim directly from most major health funds.
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Cognitive
Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that emphasises the importance of
'cognition' (our thoughts, assumptions, predictions and beliefs) and 'behaviour' (what we
do) in determining our emotions and general psychological wellbeing. CBT assumes that the
way you think can influence how you feel and behave, and vice versa. Therapy focuses
on helping you to learn the connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and
learn specific skills to begin to think, feel and behave in more positive and helpful
ways.
How
effective is CBT?
CBT
is often referred to as an 'evidenced-based' therapy. This means that CBT has been
scientifically studied and carefully compared with other types of treatment for
psychological disorders. Many studies have been conducted, the results of which show that
CBT is:
l
Effective
in treating most mental health problems
l
The most
effective treatment for both anxiety and depression
l
More
effective than medication in the long-term, as people taking medication are likely to
relapse after they stop taking it
For
all of these reasons, CBT is the preferred approach of the Australian medical community
and Medicare will provide rebates for up to 12
sessions of CBT per calendar year. To take advantage of the Medicare rebate you simply
need to ask your GP for a medicare referral to a psychologist.
What
else do I need to know?
CBT
is brief and time-limited. Some forms of therapy (e.g., psychoanalysis)
can last for many years. CBT, on the other hand, is a short-term therapy. In fact, the
average number of sessions clients attend is around 12.
CBT
is structured
The
therapist and client together develop a structured agenda for each session, so that
specific techniques and concepts are taught during each session.
The
exact strategies will vary depending upon the issue that the client wants to address,
however techniques that are commonly included in CBT treatment include:
- An initial assessment, setting goals, and
planning treatment
- Psychoeducation – learning about factors
that cause and maintain the problem
- Identifying and challenging unhelpful
thoughts and assumptions
- Changing behaviours that may inadvertently be
maintaining the problem
- Problem-solving skills
- Coping skills
- Planning for the future and preventing
relapse
The
client and the therapist are active. Rather than the client doing all the
talking, the therapist takes an active role in providing information, teaching, planning
treatment and setting a flexible agenda for each session to help the client reach their
goals. The client’s role is to express their concerns, learn new strategies, and
implement those strategies to make changes in their life.
CBT
emphasises client education. It is not simply about “just
talking”. One of the goals of treatment is to teach the client about the problem and
help them to understand how and why they think, feel and behave the way they do. Once
clients understand this, they can learn how to make changes in their life. This
understanding helps the client and therapist to have the COLLABORATIVE relationship in
therapy work, as mentioned above.
CBT
involves weekly homework. Clients are asked to take the strategies
learnt in session and apply them to their daily lives by practising them at home. In this
way, therapeutic work continues outside the therapy room. The client can make changes
faster and speed up their recovery.
CBT
emphasises self-mastery. In other words, it is about learning the
skills needed to make changes, and to implement this learning and maintain these
changes once formal therapy has ended.
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