Visiting a psychologist can seem like quite a daunting experience. Many people who experience challenges with their mental health or relationships are often hesitant to seek this kind of support. All sorts of fears and misconceptions exist about what it’s like and how a psychologist can help you, so in this short blog post we hope to set the record straight.
Firstly, it’s important to note that millions of Australians have, or have had concerns with their mental health, with a large number taking the leap and reaching out for help. Some will reach out for help to manage stress, anxiety, depression or anger. Others will be needing support to manage past trauma, or to help process grief. Thankfully, Australia has a robust mental health system ready to assist all sorts of individuals, no matter their concerns.
“So what’s stopping people from making use of it?”
Unfortunately, many people incorrectly believe seeking help will be difficult because their troubles are just too severe or dark. Their concern, put simply, is that they will walk into the office of someone they have never meet and begin discussing their deepest problems and fears. This is simply not the case.
While a psychologist might initially feel like a stranger, it’s important to remember that they are experts in dealing with people. Their job is to discuss all sorts of things with people from all walks of life. Everyone knows that practice makes perfect, and someone constantly practicing the skills of compassion and empathic listening tends to get pretty good at it. On top of that, even though your personal situation will be unique, it’s very likely that your psychologist has worked with someone experiencing something similar before.
“So that’s all well and good, but won’t it still feel uncomfortable to discuss certain things right away?”
Well, yes. But no psychologist is in the business of making you uncomfortable by forcing you to share anything before you’re ready. For your sake, you’ll be encouraged to share your concerns at a rate that feels acceptable or comfortable to you. It’s important to use your sessions wisely, but it’s even more important to feel a good alliance and sense of trust you’re your psychologist. After all, that’s what’s going to enable you to work through the challenges that you’re facing.
“Okay, so I won’t be rushed and hurried, and I can go at my pace… but what do the sessions themselves actually look like?”
Well, generally sessions go for around 50 minutes, although sometimes they might run shorter or longer depending on the circumstances. This length tends to work pretty well for both the psychologist and the client. It’s not too long that it strains your focus or makes you feel overloaded and overwhelmed. It also gives the psychologist the time between hours to take notes, keeping them on track with your situation and progress.
Typically, sessions begin with a catch up on how you’ve been and what’s been happening since you were last seen. If there have been challenges since the time of your last session, this will often provide a good start point to discuss psychological strategies and techniques which your therapist feels might benefit you. It might also serve as a base for reflection, thereby leading into other topics of conversation.
As your session progresses, your psychologist will be thinking about doing one of four things, but usually all the above.
- Building their therapeutic alliance and rapport with you,
- Assisting you in reflecting on an important area or topic,
- Helping you develop and implement strategies and techniques,
- Considering how to develop, apply, or adapt your treatment plan going forward
In later sessions you’ll probably see a bit more of #2 and #3, but in initial sessions, you’ll probably see a bit more of #1 and #4. Early on, your psychologist will also be asking a lot of questions, usually about your background, current concerns, goals for seeking therapy, past concerns and history, and sometimes about your family.
While these things aren’t always fun to discuss, they do help your psychologist to understand you, your needs, and to tailor their treatment specifically for you. Remember, it can feel like ‘just a chat’ but they are highly-trained professionals using evidence-based methods. Share whatever you feel comfortable sharing — help them help you better!
“So okay, this all sounds fair enough… but what are the costs?”
Sadly, this can be the tricky bit. Your psychologist will do what they can to ensure your session is as affordable as it can be. However, the fee for sessions can seem a bit high. In Australia, in Brisbane specifically, most psychologists charge between $210 and $260 for sessions. Here at RealMind Psychology for a standard session, we charge $210.
While the fees can be frustrating, clients are encouraged to consider therapy as an investment in themselves. Many people pay thousands of dollars for a nice holiday, but fewer people want to spend that money on their mental health. Just remember, as nice as it feels to sit on the beach in the sun, it’s much nicer to finally be in control of your mental health and feel comfortable within yourself. We encourage you to make the investment in you that you deserve.
“Alright, so I think I’m onboard. How do I actually start?”
Generally, the best place to start is by going to your GP for an appointment – usually it’s best to book a slightly longer session. Your GP is great to keep at the centre of your care, and they’ll first check you out and see if medication or other interventions might assist you. It’s good to listen to their advice, but you can make whatever decision is right for you about medication.
From there, your GP will usually refer you directly to a psychologist that they already have a relationship with. However, you are welcome to go to any one that you like – just let your GP know who if you’ve already found someone. The referral that they write is critical. Without it, you won’t be eligible to receive a rebate from Medicare for your psychology appointments! This can heavily reduce your out-of-pocket expense, sometimes by as much as 40-50%! This referral will cover your rebate for 12 months, in which you can have 10 rebated sessions (starting with 6, and then extending for 4 more if needed, per calendar year).
If you don’t have a referral, you can still go directly to a psychologist. You just won’t be eligible for a rebate. However, some private health insurers will cover a portion of the cost — it’s best to check in advance if you think this might apply to you. Also note, you can’t claim a rebate from both Medicare and a private insurer for the same session.
“So how often do I see you?”
That’s a great question but it’s one that can only be answered by your psychologist when they meet you and understand your circumstances better. RealMind Psychology sees some clients as often as weekly and others as often once a quarter. Your psychologist will work to understand your needs but will also balance this with your preferences and timetable.
This blog post covers most of the basics, but if you have any more questions we really encourage you to reach out. We will be happy to answer anything else you might want to know about seeing a psychologist, how it works, and what to expect.
We also have current availability for sessions, so please reach out if we can assist you. We’re non-judgement, constructive not critical, and we have worked with clients from every walk of life. We look forward to working with you too. Give us a call.