FAQs

A Psychologist is a mental health professional who has undertaken a minimum of 6 years combined university study and applied workplace supervision. Psychologists work in a range of different settings, some include workplaces, schools, hospitals and in private clinics. Psychologists lean on their knowledge of human behaviour to support individuals who may be experiencing mental health concerns as part of therapy services or may involve education and facilitation of workshops to support community awareness and skills development for managers, however there is much more that they do! Psychiatrists are medical professionals who have also undertaken training in mental health and understanding human behaviour. In contrast, Psychiatrists are able to prescribe medication. Some Psychiatrists will also provide therapy services alongside the management of their client's medication. Psychologists and Psychiatrist will often work alongside together to support their clients collaboratively.

Depends! If you wish to claim a rebate from Medicare you will need a referral from your GP or Psychiatrist prior to your appointment as a referral is required by Medicare. We also accept appointments without a direct referral. We do however, value collaboration with your professional support team so will still seek to understand who your current team are and will discuss the logistics of this with you individually. If you don't have a referral, a rebate may still be available to you under your Private Health Insurance. It will be most helpful to check in with your insurance provider directly about this.

Authentic Self Psychology provides therapy for Adults 18 years+. Our services focus on providing accessible, inclusive and affirming therapy, with the view of empowering our clients in living a life that is value-aligned. We prioritise working with clients in the LGBTQIA+ and Disabled community, including us ADHDers and Autistic folk. **Please note that Authentic Self Psychology is not an emergency service**

You are most welcome to discuss this in a New Enquiry Call with Darcy - this is something Darcy will check in with you about during this call, however if you'd prefer to discuss in session, that is more than fine too! Alternatively, there is an option to advise of this in your intake form which will be sent to you in your Welcome email for completion prior to the initial appointment. Some examples of accessibility needs/requests that clients have noted to Darcy in the past include: customising communication in therapy and admin tasks eg. more frequent appointment reminders having customisable features of the physical clinic environment use of fidget toys/sensory tools in the therapy room (we have a variety of these available both in the waiting room and therapy room but please feel free to bring along your own if you'd prefer) sound can be changed eg. volume up/down - Darcy will usually have some background music upon first entering the therapy room, however if you'd prefer to change this/have a preference for none please let us know. Darcy will also check in with you about this directly Darcy does not expect clients to follow "usual"/neurotypical expectations around eye contact and/or 'small talk' before, during and/or after sessions

Yes. When you make an appointment, that time is set aside for you. When you cancel or reschedule an appointment with little notice, this is a loss to: -You, as your therapy is delayed -The client who has been waiting to see the clinician, sometimes urgently, and -The clinician who spent time preparing for your session. When you make an appointment, you have committed to paying for the appointment regardless of whether you decide to attend. If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please kindly provide more than 48 hours notice on business days. If cancellation occurs within 2 business days of the appointment then a cancellation fee will apply. A DNA (Did Not Attend) is considered to have occurred if the client is late by 20 minutes or more to an appointment. Cancellation fees are as follows: Cancelled with less than 48 hours but more than 24 hours (on business days) = 50% of appointment fee DNA/No show/Cancelled with less than 24 hours notice (on business days) = Full cost of session All clients will receive an appointment reminder via email 5 days and 48 hours prior to a booked appointment (if you would prefer more or less reminders please feel free to add this into the 'notes' upon booking the appointment). Please note that reminder messages are a courtesy service only and can be impacted by technological difficulties. As such, it remains your responsibility to attend appointments and the absence of an appointment reminder will not lead to fees being waived if you do not attend your appointment or cancel with less than 48 hours notice. If you are unable to attend please either utilise the Client Portal to reschedule (if more than 2 days prior to appointment) OR email admin@authenticselfpsychology.com.au

Our location is in Preston (Melbourne), Victoria on Oakover Road - the specific address and details will be provided in your booking confirmation and appointment reminder emails. Public Transport: Tram: We are an approx. 2 minute walk from Tram Stop '38-Oakover Rd/Gilbert Rd (Preston)' on Route 11 Train: Bell Station (Preston) and Thornbury Station are an approx. 20 minute walk away. Bus: Bus Stop 'Gilbert Rd/Bell St' is also close by with an approx. 8 minute walk (Bus Routes 513, 514 and 903) Parking and Travelling by Car: Travelling by Car: Our location is within a 5 minute drive from Northcote VIC and 10 minute drive from Brunswick VIC Parking: There is free (no time limit) street parking in front of the practice.

That's great! To book in a New Enquiry Phone Call with Darcy, all you need to do is book this in via the below link. For more information about our location and enquires, please feel free to click the below link.

We sure do! Telehealth and Online video appointments will remain available for those who prefer this and where telehealth/online video enables therapy to be more accessible for them.

Psychology Session Fees The fees for an Initial Psychology Appointment and Subsequent Psychology Appointment are at the same rate of $260.00. This rate applies to both business hours (Monday - Friday; 9am - 5pm) and outside of business hours (Monday - Friday; before 9am, after 5pm & Saturdays 9am - 5pm). Medicare Rebates If you have a valid referral from your medical practitioner (eg. GP, Psychiatrist) under a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) or Eating Disorder Treatment Plan (EDTP), the Medicare rebate for an appointment with a Registered Psychologist is $96.65 (updated 1st July 2024). This means your total out of pocket fee for an appointment is $163.35. We can usually process the Medicare rebate on your behalf if your bank details are registered with Medicare. Please note that a Medicare rebate cannot be accessed for appointments not attended (eg. Late cancellation or No Show fees). Please see below for more information regarding our Cancellation Policy. We also accept valid referrals under a Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDMP), where the Medicare rebate for a psychology appointment is $60.35 (updated 1st July 2024). This means your total out of pocket fee for an appointment would be $199.65 under a CDMP.

Appointment fees are processed via Direct Debit on the day of your appointment (or prior to appointment if you opt to pay in advance).

The day of your appointment: If you'd like, please feel free to bring along any relevant documents along with you to your appointment. Alternatively, you can upload these to your intake form within our secure practice management platform (this is accessed within your New Client Welcome email). It can be useful to arrive a little early to your session to allow you plenty of time to find parking, locate our office, and relax in the waiting room before the session starts. Once Darcy is ready, she will come out to greet you and welcome you into the therapy space. During your appointment: At your first appointment with Authentic Self Psychology, we usually prioritise discussing your current concerns and what brought you to embarking on the therapy journey. Questions surrounding some key personal history will be discussed where appropriate/relevant (eg. have you engaged with a therapist before? what did you find helpful and what is important to you in working with a therapist?) This information will help us to develop a space which provides you the best opportunity to work with us to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe, affirming and empowering way. During the session, you will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the therapy process, and we will explore different strategies and approaches that may be helpful for you.

Following your initial enquiry, you will receive a 'New Client Welcome email' which will include secure links to 3 key forms to complete within our secure practice management platform. Following completion of the forms, you will receive a follow up email either confirming your initial appointment day/time OR proposed options for your initial appointment. The 3 forms to complete are: 1) An Intake Form which will include: - completing some basic contact details, contact details about key professionals already supporting you and any other key information related to your support overall -an option to upload any relevant documents and/or referral from your GP/psychiatrist (eg. for provision of psychological support under Medicare) 2) An Informed Consent & Service Agreement Form: - including information about telehealth services, fees and other key information about our services overall 3) A brief questionnaire related to current mood and symptoms you are experiencing All of the above can be viewed and completed online. All clients will receive an appointment reminder 5 days and 48 hours prior to a booked appointment (if you would prefer more or less reminders please feel free to discuss this with us of course!). Please note that reminder messages are a courtesy service only and can be impacted by technological difficulties. As such, it remains your responsibility to attend appointments and the absence of a an appointment reminder will not lead to fees being waived if you do not attend your appointment or cancel with less than 48 hours notice. Please see below for more information related to our Cancellation Policy.

Authentic Self Psychology accepts referrals via Fax (03 9125 5801), HealthLink (EDP: authslfp) and Medical Objects. If any of the above referral options are not accessible for you, or, if you'd prefer:

We value collaboration and working as a team in the best interests of our mutual client. Please get in contact with us directly regarding any specific questions about this via admin@authenticselfpsychology.com.au

Darcy is unable to provide support via email and/or between sessions. There are several reasons for this, including (but not limited to): • A great deal of time is needed to read, reflect and respond sensitively. On work days, Darcy spends the majority of her time in sessions with clients, writing notes, corresponding with other health professionals, and preparing for sessions. In consideration of this, there is little to no time to monitor, and therefore respond to, emails • Written communication is prone to misinterpretation • Emails do not include sufficient information/context for Darcy to provide support; she is not able to assess the mental state of the writer, nor will she have the information required to give appropriate therapeutic support.

Any emails sent to Darcy will not be responded to until your next appointment, however, where appropriate, she will review your updates in the context of preparing for your appointment. To support this, Darcy’s administrative assistant will upload any correspondence securely to your file. Please note that it is not recommended to convey sensitive information via email and Darcy encourages the use of the 'Client File Upload' and/or 'Session Prep Form' links included in your appointment reminders instead.

If you have set up your Client Portal account, you should be able to manage your invoices and receipts online at any time. If you have any issues with accessing the portal, you are also welcome to email admin@authenticselfpsychology.com.au (whereby Darcy’s virtual administrative assistant can support with this).

If you have set up your Client Portal account, you should be able to manage your appointments online. If you are cancelling/rescheduling an appointment with less than 48 business hours’ notice, you will need to contact Darcy’s virtual administrative assistant via email (please also refer to our cancellation policy).

It is common for clients to want to contact their therapist between sessions for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to): appointment scheduling, requesting support letters, providing updates, and seeking advice/support. Based on Darcy’s boundaries and capacity, the below are some examples of common requests and how best to manage/communicate these.

New clients with Authentic Self Psychology can engage under a valid Medicare referral from their treating medical practitioner (eg. GP and/or Psychiatrist) or engage Privately (ie. without a referral). Darcy does not currently have the capacity or scope to work with new clients under third-party funding streams, this includes Workcover/Workers’ compensation schemes, VOCAT or TAC. Please also note that Darcy prioritises individual therapy services and therefore does not conduct assessments (including Medico-Legal Assessments or Reports).

You can make this request directly during a session or via an email to Darcy's administrative assistant, however, Darcy cannot provide a letter unless and until you have had an appointment to discuss it; this is integral so that Darcy can: • ensure it is appropriate for her to provide the letter requested • review whether she has the information she needs to complete the letter • confirm exactly what information she has consent to share Please also be aware that Darcy requires at least 2 weeks’ notice to provide a letter of support and cannot provide letters to clients who are not currently engaged in therapy (i.e. past/discharged clients). Darcy wants to help her clients as best as she can, and that means dedicating the necessary time and thought to writing a letter that is not only supportive, but also meets ethical, legal, and professional standards.