Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Information about our clinic operationsHow do I book an appointment?
How much does a session cost?
Do you have appointments after hours?What are the clinic’s days and times?
What is the location?
Does EMDR Consulting have a cancellation or re-scheduling Policy?
Fees, Medicare and Private HealthHow does Medicare work?
What does my Private Health cover?
Am I eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan?
Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?
Do you see clients through Workcover, TAC, Victims of Crime, Employee Assistance Program or other third party organisations?
Do you do one-off assessments or court reporting?
What to expect when seeing a psychologist
What should I expect in my first session?
How long are sessions with a psychologist?
How many sessions will I need to come in for?
How does confidentiality work with a psychologist?
What is the process for booking an appointment?
What happens if I don’t feel like it was the right fit/match with the psychologist I met with?
What is the difference between a Counsellor and Psychologist?
What training and qualifications do you need to become a psychologist?
Information about our clinic
How do I book an appointment?
Fiona Mawson click here
Before you can submit your appointment you will be asked to create an account if you do not already have one. Once you register this will create a unique account for you, where you can check past and future appointments, cancel or modify an existing appointment or view invoices. How much does a session cost? The fees and rebates page can be located here. Do you have appointments after hours?There are limited after hour appointments available, and Saturday by prior arrangement. What are the clinic’s days and times?The clinic is open for Face to Face or Virtual appointmentsVirtual Appointments Monday 9-5Virtual and Face to Face Tuesday 9-5Virtual and Face to Face Wednesday 9-5 Where is the location?EMDR Consulting is located at; Benchmark Corporate CentreUnit 35, 93 Wells RoadChelsea Heights, VIC 3196
Does EMDR Consulting have a cancellation or re-scheduling Policy?EMDR Consulting has a 48 -hour cancellation and rescheduling policy. This means that if you need to change or cancel your appointment you must arrange this no later than 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time. This gives us enough time to offer your appointment to other clients. If you cancel or change your appointment within 48 hours and it is not an emergency, you will be charged 50% of the fee for this session (Medicare and private health insurance do not provide rebates for cancelled or unattended appointments). If you do not attend your appointment and have not let us know, the full fee (100%) is payable. You can cancellation your appointment via our Client Portal
Ready to make an appointment?To make an appointment complete the enquiry form or go directly to our Client Portal
Before you can submit your appointment you will be asked to create an account if you do not already have one. Once you register this will create a unique account for you, where you can check past and future appointments, cancel or modify an existing appointment or view invoices. How much does a session cost? The fees and rebates page can be located here. Do you have appointments after hours?There are limited after hour appointments available, and Saturday by prior arrangement. What are the clinic’s days and times?The clinic is open for Face to Face or Virtual appointmentsVirtual Appointments Monday 9-5Virtual and Face to Face Tuesday 9-5Virtual and Face to Face Wednesday 9-5 Where is the location?EMDR Consulting is located at; Benchmark Corporate CentreUnit 35, 93 Wells RoadChelsea Heights, VIC 3196
Does EMDR Consulting have a cancellation or re-scheduling Policy?EMDR Consulting has a 48 -hour cancellation and rescheduling policy. This means that if you need to change or cancel your appointment you must arrange this no later than 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time. This gives us enough time to offer your appointment to other clients. If you cancel or change your appointment within 48 hours and it is not an emergency, you will be charged 50% of the fee for this session (Medicare and private health insurance do not provide rebates for cancelled or unattended appointments). If you do not attend your appointment and have not let us know, the full fee (100%) is payable. You can cancellation your appointment via our Client Portal
Ready to make an appointment?To make an appointment complete the enquiry form or go directly to our Client Portal
Fees, Medicare and Private Health
MedicareIf you have a referral from a GP or a psychiatrist for a Mental Health Treatment Plan you will be eligible to receive a Medicare rebate per individual session for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. You will also be eligible for a rebate for 10 group workshops per calendar.After we have processed your payment we can process your rebate for you via our online system. Medicare advises us that these funds will appear in your bank account within 2-3 business days.
You will need to make an appointment with your GP who will assess whether you are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan.
Private Health InsuranceIf you have private health insurance that includes psychological counselling as extras cover you may be eligible for a partial rebate. It is recommended that you contact your individual insurance provider for further information about your individual coverage.
Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?No, you do not need a referral. You can make an appointment without a referral from your GP or a psychiatrist. If you decide to do this you will need to pay the full amount for your sessions out of your own pocket.If would like to see whether you are eligible for referral under a Mental Health Treatment Plan you will need to speak with your GP or a psychiatrist prior to making your first appointment. Do you see clients through Workcover, TAC, Victims of Crime, Employee Assistance Program or other third party organisations?Yes, but you will need a referral from your GP and agree to our cancellation and missed appointment policy. Do you do one-off assessments or court reporting?Yes, and no. We don’t do one-off assessments but we can write reports for court. Reports are not released until payment in full has been received.
Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?No, you do not need a referral. You can make an appointment without a referral from your GP or a psychiatrist. If you decide to do this you will need to pay the full amount for your sessions out of your own pocket.If would like to see whether you are eligible for referral under a Mental Health Treatment Plan you will need to speak with your GP or a psychiatrist prior to making your first appointment. Do you see clients through Workcover, TAC, Victims of Crime, Employee Assistance Program or other third party organisations?Yes, but you will need a referral from your GP and agree to our cancellation and missed appointment policy. Do you do one-off assessments or court reporting?Yes, and no. We don’t do one-off assessments but we can write reports for court. Reports are not released until payment in full has been received.
What to expect when seeing a psychologist
What should I expect in my first session?After making your first appointment you will be sent an introductory email confirming your appointment date and time. This will also outline information about fees and rebates, and details about the location of EMDR Consulting. If you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan you will need to bring along this paperwork to your first appointment.At the beginning of your first session we will briefly run through important paperwork with you. This will include completing a form with basic personal information (such as your name, date of birth, address and contact details) and a consent form that cover issues such as confidentiality, fees and other important information about sessions. If you have been referred by a GP or psychiatrist, we will discuss the details of your Mental Health Treatment Plan at this point.After completing paperwork the remainder of the session is usually spent discussing the issues that have brought you into therapy. As well as developing a thorough understanding of your concerns, we will explore relevant background history, for example, information about your family, social relationships, work history and any past counselling that you have done. Based on this information we will begin to help you to understand more about what might be triggering and maintaining your current issues. If time allows we will also work with you to develop a collaborative and flexible plan for future therapy sessions.
How long are sessions with a psychologist?Session at approximately 50 minutes. How many sessions will I need to come in for?Every person has a different journey through therapy. This is largely dependent on the nature of why they are coming in and what it is that they are hoping to get out of sessions. At EMDR Consulting we tailor therapy to suit each of our client’s needs and preferences. Some people come to therapy to develop coping strategies to reduce or manage symptoms of mental illness. This type of work can be short to medium term, but might also involve checking in less frequently over the longer-term to deal with setbacks or prevent relapse.Other people come to therapy to understand long-standing patterns (such as relationship issues) that stem from experiences during their childhood, or to receive ongoing support. This type of work tends to happen over an extended period of time, although again, this is dependent on client preferences. Sometimes people come to therapy for a one off session or just a handful of sessions to speak about a specific issue in their life or to talk through a particular concern. How does confidentiality work with a psychologist?All information that you disclose in your session with a psychologist is confidential. There are two exceptions to this rule. The first exception is if you are at risk of harm to yourself or someone else and the second exception is in relation to court orders. If either of these situations become relevant your psychologist will discuss this with you.For a copy of our Privacy Policy click here. What is the process for booking an appointment?You can book an appointment via phone or our online booking form here. Whichever way you book, we will ask you briefly about:• Some brief information about what’s bringing you in. This helps us to ensure we’re matching you with a psychologist who is experienced in the area you’re seeking assistance with. If there is nobody on our team who is suitable we will provide you with some external recommendations.• Details like your date of birth and contact information.• Whether you have a Medicare referral and the details of your GP.• Any preferences you have around days or times you’d like to be seen We will also send you a welcome email. This email outlines your appointment time, date and location, as well as a few other useful information, like how to find us and what to bring to your first appointment. You will also be sent an SMS reminder 24 hours before your first appointment. What happens if I don’t feel like it was the right fit/match with the psychologist I met with?Trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel like the right match after a few sessions, as frustrating as this can be, don’t give up. We each have unique personalities, so we can’t possibly gel with everyone we meet. Although it can be a pain to have to tell your story again to another psychologist, in the long-run it’s better to find someone who you feel comfortable with than stick with someone who doesn’t feel right.
At EMDR Consulting we understand and genuinely value the importance of finding someone you click with. We won’t be offended or defensive if you decide that you would like to try another psychologist. We think these discussions are important and pride ourselves on being open to feedback about the way we work.If it doesn’t feel like the right match you can speak directly with us about how you feel and we can make suggestions in terms of who might be a better match. What is the difference between a Counsellor and Psychologist?Counsellors can come from a broad range of training and backgrounds. Currently in Australia the term “counsellor” is not protected. This means that anyone can refer to themselves as a counsellor. Having said this many counsellors have undertaken training and education in educational settings, ranging from a Diploma up to a Masters degree. An organisation called the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) has also been set up to protect the standards and ethical training of the counselling profession.
What training and qualifications do you need to become a psychologist?To become a fully registered psychologist you must undertake an undergraduate degree, an Honours degree and at least two years of practical, supervised experience as a provisional psychologist which may also include postgraduate university education in the field of psychology (either a Masters, Doctorate or PhD degree). Fiona is a fully registered psychologist.
How long are sessions with a psychologist?Session at approximately 50 minutes. How many sessions will I need to come in for?Every person has a different journey through therapy. This is largely dependent on the nature of why they are coming in and what it is that they are hoping to get out of sessions. At EMDR Consulting we tailor therapy to suit each of our client’s needs and preferences. Some people come to therapy to develop coping strategies to reduce or manage symptoms of mental illness. This type of work can be short to medium term, but might also involve checking in less frequently over the longer-term to deal with setbacks or prevent relapse.Other people come to therapy to understand long-standing patterns (such as relationship issues) that stem from experiences during their childhood, or to receive ongoing support. This type of work tends to happen over an extended period of time, although again, this is dependent on client preferences. Sometimes people come to therapy for a one off session or just a handful of sessions to speak about a specific issue in their life or to talk through a particular concern. How does confidentiality work with a psychologist?All information that you disclose in your session with a psychologist is confidential. There are two exceptions to this rule. The first exception is if you are at risk of harm to yourself or someone else and the second exception is in relation to court orders. If either of these situations become relevant your psychologist will discuss this with you.For a copy of our Privacy Policy click here. What is the process for booking an appointment?You can book an appointment via phone or our online booking form here. Whichever way you book, we will ask you briefly about:• Some brief information about what’s bringing you in. This helps us to ensure we’re matching you with a psychologist who is experienced in the area you’re seeking assistance with. If there is nobody on our team who is suitable we will provide you with some external recommendations.• Details like your date of birth and contact information.• Whether you have a Medicare referral and the details of your GP.• Any preferences you have around days or times you’d like to be seen We will also send you a welcome email. This email outlines your appointment time, date and location, as well as a few other useful information, like how to find us and what to bring to your first appointment. You will also be sent an SMS reminder 24 hours before your first appointment. What happens if I don’t feel like it was the right fit/match with the psychologist I met with?Trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel like the right match after a few sessions, as frustrating as this can be, don’t give up. We each have unique personalities, so we can’t possibly gel with everyone we meet. Although it can be a pain to have to tell your story again to another psychologist, in the long-run it’s better to find someone who you feel comfortable with than stick with someone who doesn’t feel right.
At EMDR Consulting we understand and genuinely value the importance of finding someone you click with. We won’t be offended or defensive if you decide that you would like to try another psychologist. We think these discussions are important and pride ourselves on being open to feedback about the way we work.If it doesn’t feel like the right match you can speak directly with us about how you feel and we can make suggestions in terms of who might be a better match. What is the difference between a Counsellor and Psychologist?Counsellors can come from a broad range of training and backgrounds. Currently in Australia the term “counsellor” is not protected. This means that anyone can refer to themselves as a counsellor. Having said this many counsellors have undertaken training and education in educational settings, ranging from a Diploma up to a Masters degree. An organisation called the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) has also been set up to protect the standards and ethical training of the counselling profession.
What training and qualifications do you need to become a psychologist?To become a fully registered psychologist you must undertake an undergraduate degree, an Honours degree and at least two years of practical, supervised experience as a provisional psychologist which may also include postgraduate university education in the field of psychology (either a Masters, Doctorate or PhD degree). Fiona is a fully registered psychologist.
Information about Telehealth
You can choose to use Telehealth or to continue with face to face appointments.
Why are we using Telehealth?EMDR Consulting can conduct sessions via Telehealth (phone or video consultations) ..
What is Telehealth?Telehealth includes telephone and online video technology. Our preferred platform is Zoom which has end to end encryption. Sometimes because of technical glitches with software or issues with internet connection telephone is the best option.
How does it work?Please ask about a Telehealth appointment prior to your appointment.
If you have an online video session booked in, before your appointment we will email you with a link that you can click on at the time of your appointment to begin your session.
If you have a phone session booked in, your psychologist will call your mobile phone from a private number.You will receive the same reminder for your appointment that you always do. We’re asking people to be particularly mindful of giving us at least 48 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. This means that we are more likely to be able to offer your time to someone else who is waiting to be seen.
What do I need?You’ll need either a smartphone, tablet or computer with an internet connection, camera and microphone (these are built into most modern devices). Headphones can also help with audio quality. We also encourage you to find a private room at home so you can speak freely and won’t be interrupted. A bedroom with a door you can close works well but you can even sit in your car if that feels more private! Please ensure your phone or computer is fully charged and has adequate internet speed.
Is Telehealth effective?Research studies have found that seeing an online psychologist is as effective as face to face treatment. A systematic review (Backhaus et al., 2012) of 42 studies found that online psychology was as effective as in person treatment for a range of different client groups (e.g. children/adults, gender and ethnic background) and a range of different issues (e.g. trauma, depression and anxiety). This review also found that clients reported high levels of satisfaction when seeing an online psychologist, comparable to satisfaction levels with face to face sessions.
Another study reviewed 23 research papers to see whether the connection between the client and the psychologist (sometimes called “the therapeutic alliance) was the same via online psychology (Simpson & Reid, 2014). Client ratings of the bond between themselves and their therapist was at least as high as face to face therapy. This study suggested that clients may feel safer to speak more openly with an online psychologist, with some reports of reduced shame and embarrassment when discussing challenging issues.
What if I’m not sure if Telehealth is for me?We understand that the idea of Telehealth can be daunting. We will be more than happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. If you’re not sure if Telehealth is for you, we’d encourage you to give it a try and see what you think. Lots of people are surprised by how similar it is to face to face.
How long are Telehealth sessions?Sessions are the same length as regular sessions, approximately 50 minutes
How does Medicare work with Telehealth?If you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan/GP referral your psychologist will be able to process a rebate for each of your sessions until you have used your ten sessions for the calendar year. This means that you will need to pay for your session in full and we will arrange for Medicare to send a rebate to your bank account, reducing your out of pocket costs significantly.