Topic Tuesday 1: Special guest psychologist YvonneS answers your questions *CLOSED*

Hi Shiva that’s a tricky question. If your friend knows where they are going, it might be helpful to ask his current psychologist to recommend someone if they can or to provide some notes which will provide a bit of a background. Also in this day and age, your friend might want to check if their current psychologist can do any online work, like online counselling or online therapy. I understand your friends problem it can feel overwhelming constantly starting at the beginning each time. Encourage him to talk about his problem with his psychologist!

When your taking a holiday or moving to another location and your living with a mental illness, planning ahead can make all the difference!

Thanks YvonneS. So how do you find a psychologist that is appropriate and suitably qualified? My experience has been patchy. I had one that was truly brilliant, a woman with a lot of wisdom. And I had another that seemed to need more care than I did! Thta's probably unfair, but how do you find the right person?

Swift finding a new pscychologist especially when you have had one thats been such a good fit for you can be difficult. When you’re thinking about seeing a psychologist, its important to ‘interview’ them. Find out what their theoretical approach is and ask questions, like how long have they been a psychologist and or practicing. Also talk about why your considering therapy and what you hope to gain from it. If you don't feel a connection try someone else and remember it can take a few tries before you find someone that feels right.

Its important that you feel comfortable with the person that your seeing, the relationship is crucial!

Swift to find a pscychologist:

You don't need a referral to see a psychologist. You can call the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and they will give you the names of 3 psychologists in your area or you can look in the phonebook/online and make an appointment.

If you choose to do this however, you will not be able to claim any rebates for the sessions as seeing a psychologist is not claimable under Medicare generally. You may be eligible for some level of rebate if you have private health insurance but this is dependent on your plan.

Several years ago the government implanted a program called ‘Better Outcomes’ which provided limited funding for psychological services. Psychologist services are available to people who meet the criteria for this program. To access these rebates, you will need a referral and a 'mental health care plan' from your GP. You cannot claim session through Medicare without the item code for the mental health care plan so this must be done first.

There may still be an out of pocket expense dependent on what the psychologist is charging.

Under a mental health care plan, you will be eligible for 10 subsided individual and 10 group sessions per calendar year. There are extenuating circumstances to get addition session but it can be difficult.

I always encourage people to do a bit of ‘leg work’ and find someone who suits their needs, you feel comfortable with and who you can afford. Its can be hard if your only getting a $57 rebate and you were charged $200 or more for the session. Fees charged by psychologists can vary however some will be open to bulk billing.

There are also other programs you may be eligible for which fully cover the cost. For more information on other programs or for the APS’s telephone number you can call the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 7263 and speak with an Advisor.

In addition to these, you can also access psychological services through your local Community Health Centre. They are very inexpensive however they generally have long waiting times. If you don't know where your local CHC is located, contact your local council.

Universities generally have low cost clinics staffed by Psychologist who are completing their studies. Again they are relatively inexpensive and also can have long waiting periods. For information contact local universities.

Hi Tommy, Self medicating or self treating can be frought with potential problems. Before you decide to go down that path I would encourage your to talk with your GP. The GP may have some great ideas about the treatment your considering.

So many great questions so far!

@YvonneS, we have a question from @snoo who isn't able to make this timeslot, but is keen to know

"I understand that psychologists cannot prescribe medication, but apparently this may change. If this does change, what would be the difference between a psychologist and psychiatrist? "