FAQS
ARE REBATES AVAILABLE FOR PSYCHOLOGY SESSIONS?
Medicare benefits (rebates) for clinical psychology sessions are available for those who are eligible. You can visit your GP who can assess your eligibility for a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP, or Mental Health Care Plan). This is a relatively straightforward and common pathway for people attending clinical psychology sessions. Eligible people referred under a GP MHTP can currently access Medicare rebates for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. The Medicare benefit (rebate) for a 50 min clinical psychologist session is currently $141.85.
Alternatively, some private health funds may offer cover for psychology sessions.
HOW MUCH DO PSYCHOLOGY SESSIONS COST?
The fee for clinical psychology sessions (initial and subsequent sessions) is $275. This is below the recommended schedule of fees by the Australian Psychological Society (APS).
If you are referred under a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan you are eligible to access medicare rebates for clinical psychology sessions at Marka Clinical Psychologists. For each session, your gap payment (i.e. out of pocket) will be $133.15 - as $275 (session fee) - $141.85 (medicare rebate) = $133.15 (out of pocket).
However, In circumstances of financial hardship (e.g. unable to work, or if continuing regular sessions is not affordable any longer) the session fee can be reduced - please don't hesitate to bring this up in your session. We all need a bit of extra help sometimes.
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
For full-time university students (not employed full-time) and who would find it difficult to afford the full fee for sessions, a reduced rate of $190 per session is available. This means the gap payment after Medicare rebates is $48.15 (as $190 - $141.85 Medicare rebate = $48.15). Note Medicare rebates are only available after a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan has been completed.
HOW LONG DOES EACH PSYCHOLOGY SESSION LAST?
Both the initial and subsequent clinical psychology sessions last between 50 and 60 min.
CANCELLATION POLICY
After you have booked an appointment for a specific time, and received a confirmation of your booking, please give advance notice if you wish to cancel - either contact via email or phone - preferably a couple of days in advance. Cancellations received less than 24 hours prior to the time of the scheduled appointment incur the full fee (waiving the fee or reducing it is at the discretion of your clinician), which is not subject to medicare rebate. This policy is in place to allow others to access available appointment times, as well as ensuring the practice can run smoothly.
HOW MANY PSYCHOLOGY SESSIONS DO I NEED?
This will depend on the reason you are attending psychological therapy. Some people may need only a few sessions (less than 6), whereas some people may need more time to work through the challenges which bring them to psychology sessions (up to or over 20) - although we do not offer unlimited sessions, and aim to meet treatment aims or refer on usually after at most 30 sessions, depending on circumstances.
If you are a bit unsure whether psychological therapy is for you, it is completely ok to book in an initial session or two to try it out. There is no expectation that you proceed with therapy or multiple sessions when you schedule an appointment.
DO YOU PROVIDE COUPLE'S THERAPY?
No, we offer individual psychology sessions only.
However, partners or carers that may wish to support their loved ones who are experiencing mental health problems are welcome to attend psychology sessions after this has been discussed with the person attending therapy.
DO YOU WORK WITH CHILDREN?
Alexander sees individuals age 18 and older.
DO YOU PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS?
No, Marka Clinical Psychologists provide only clinical psychology services (psychotherapy)
DO YOU WRITE REPORTS OR LETTERS FOR COURT?
Marka Clinical Psychologists do not offer the service of writing court reports, forensic reports, nor medico-legal reports. We also do not offer support letters in the context of disputes, nor in the context of workplace matters.