FAQs

Services for Flourishing

Frequently Asked Questions

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Listed below are some of the most frequent questions that get asked about seeing a member of the Prosper team.
If you have any questions that are not answered below please contact us on 08 6381 0071 or nfo@prosperhealthcollective.com.au or complete our general enquiry form.
We would be happy to hear from you and to answer your questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Yes. All health professionals are ethically bound to keep information about you private and confidential. We will not disclose to anyone details about your attendance at the practice. We also do not provide your contact details, personal information, or information pertaining to your treatment to anyone without your consent.

Health Professionals also have an ethical and legal obligation to protect you and others from harm and may be required to disclose information to third parties in the following circumstances:

  • If there is a risk of serious harm to you or another person, including a child
  • If there is a legal obligation to do so (e.g., a subpoena, information about a serious crime)

In all other circumstances information about you is only shared with third parties with your consent.

Practicing psychologists have the professional training and clinical skills to help people learn to cope more effectively with life issues and mental health problems

Psychologists can undertake advanced training in a specific area of psychology. Under the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority (AHPRA) Psychologists can apply to be endorsed in a specific area and use a different title such as Clinical Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist and Educational and Developmental Psychologist. 

In Australia all Psychologists must complete 4 years of undergraduate study in human behaviour at university. From 2022 new psychologists are also required to complete a one year Professional master degree before they can apply for registration as a psychologist. 

 

All Psychologists must register with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and adhere to strict ethical and professional standards and that they remain up to date with the most recent advances in the treatment of psychological conditions through ongoing training and professional development.

 

Psychologists may then complete further specialised training at a postgraduate level (i.e., 2 year Masters or 3 or 4 year Doctorate degrees). Once completed they may apply for an Area of Practice Endorsement (AoPE) with AHPRA.  AoPE identifies psychologists who have completed an approved postgraduate qualification and supervised training in an area of practice, and who can use a protected title associated with that area of practice. These titles include Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology and Educational and Developmental Psychology.

 

Clinical Psychology training is focused on the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses and complex psychological problems. Clinical Psychologists are therefore specialists in the application of psychological theories and scientific research to solve complex psychological problems and to develop individually tailored interventions for mental health disorders.

 

Counselling psychology addresses the emotional, social, work, school and physical health concerns people may have at different stages in their lives, focusing on typical life stresses and more severe issues with which people may struggle as individuals and as a part of families, groups and organisations. Counselling psychologists help people with physical, emotional and mental health issues improve their sense of well‐being, alleviate feelings of distress and resolve crises.

 

Educational and Developmental Psychologists work with people of all ages to understand and support their growth. They address issues related to development and conduct assessments to determine people are tracking developmentally.

 

Unlike psychologists, there is no requirement to be registered with any governing body in order to practice as a counsellor or therapist and there is no legislation which limits the use of these titles. This means that the practice of counsellors and therapists may not be monitored to ensure that it adheres to certain ethical and professional standards.

 

Psychiatrists are medical professionals with general medical training who have specialised in mental health, in the same way that other medical professionals may specialise in various forms of surgery or in general practice. Psychiatrists therefore specialise in prescribing medication which can assist in managing mental illnesses. Psychologists and psychiatrists often work together to provide comprehensive management and support for complex mental health issues.

There are many reasons that a person may benefit from seeing a psychologist. People may need to seek professional assistance  when their psychological or emotional difficulties start to get in the way of them being able to take part in their daily activities. Psychologists can also help people to improve skills  in a particular area such as being more assertive, managing conflict or public speaking. You do not have to have a serious or chronic mental health concern to see a psychologist and experience benefit from therapy.

Emotional difficulties can happen to anyone and may arise at any age. There is no such thing as being too old or too young to seek treatment. Our psychologists are trained to work with patients of all ages from young children through to older adults. It is never too late or too early to seek assistance in managing your difficulties more effectively and improving your wellbeing.

If you are unsure whether therapy can assist you and you would like to discuss this further please contact us on 08 6381 0071 or info@prosperhealthcollective.com.au  or complete our general enquiry form. We would be happy to hear from you and discuss how we can work together to achieve your goals.

Speech pathologists are university trained professionals who work with people of all ages to diagnose, manage and treat speech, language, fluency, swallowing and voice difficulties. 
They may assist with social skills, reading and communication skills including alternative forms of communication such as assistive technology. 

Occupational therapists often work with children and adolescents to help them achieve their daily occupations that may include self-care, school and play. By focussing on these key areas, OTs help children in developing confidence, self-esteem, social skills and general wellbeing.

Fees and Rebates

Our fees vary depending on the type of clinician and expericne level of our clinicians as well as the fundng type you may be attending under. 
It is easiest to call our client relationship team to get a price estimate. 

A referral is not required to make an appointment with our clinicians. However should you be eligible and wish to claim a rebate from Medicare, a referral letter  from your general practitioner must be provided.

Our preferred method of payment is via debit card or cash.

Credit Card payments will incur a surcharge of 1%. Rather than adding this fee into our costs and passing it on to all consumers, we would prefer to keep our fees lower but add a surcharge for clients who choose to pay by credit card. We encourage our clients to pay by debit card or cash to avoid having to pay this surcharge.

With a referral from your GP and the completion of a mental health care plan you are bale to access a rebate for Psychology Services. Please take note of the following important points regarding mental health care plans:

  • You must have seen your GP (or psychiatrist or paediatrician) get a mental health care plan (MHCP)
  • You must have a diagnosable mental health concern, unfortunately other problems (e.g. couple counselling) are not covered by Medicare
  • You can access up to 10 sessions in a calendar year;
  • Typically these 10 sessions are broken into 6 sessions followed by a re-referral from your GP for 4 sessions
  • There is often a gap to pay above the Medicare rebate, the sessions are not free
  • Rebates are $131.65 for Clinical Psychology and $89.65 for Psychology per session (June 2023)
  • You may require more than 10 sessions to overcome your particular difficulty
  • On the first of January each year you are eligible for a further 20 sessions with a current referral from your doctor (and assuming you still meet the criteria for a MHCP)

A video recorded by our Principal Clinical Psychologist Kellie Cassidy gives an overview of this information. Click here to watch it.

Services can be provided in instances where families are self or plan managing their funds. Prosper Health Collective is not a registered provider through NDIS. Please contact us to discuss this further. 

Yes. If claiming via Medicare we are able to complete your rebate online via our practice management software. A HICAPS machine is available for private health rebates.Accordion Content

Treatment and Appointments

When appointments are booked, the clinician reserves the whole time especially for you, therefore the following cancellation policy is in place.

We require 48 business hours notice to reschedule or cancel a session without occurring any extra fees. This policy is in place to allow us to offer the allocated time to another client who may be on a cancellation or waiting list for an appointment.

Cancellations will be charged as follows:

  • 0–24 hours notice: Full fee
  • 24–48 hours notice: 50% of fee

If we are able to reallocate your time to another client, you will not be charged for the cancellation.

You may call our office at anytime, even after hours, as we do have an answering service that allows you to leave a message. We will return your call as soon as possible.

Please note that a late cancelled appointment is a loss to three people:

  • The client who is delaying their therapy progress
  • Another client who has been sitting on the waiting list to see the clinician
  • The clinician who spent time preparing for the session
This is a difficult question to answer as it varies greatly between individuals and is influenced by a number of factors including the nature and complexity of the issue, goals of treatment, motivation to change and external factors separate from treatment. Some simple issues may be addressed within a short time frame of 2-3 sessions while other more complex difficulties can take much longer. Few difficulties can be resolved immediately and change requires a commitment to regular attendance as well as to implementing skills outside of the sessions. Your clinician will be able to give you some guidance on the likely number of sessions needed after a treatment plan has been established (usually at the initial appointment). This recommendation will be reviewed over the course of treatment.
First Session

We recognise that seeing a health professional for the first time can be daunting and that it is difficult to share personal information with someone you have just met. Most people feel nervous before attending their first session. Your clinician understands the range of emotions people face at their first appointment and will assist you to feel comfortable so that you can share your concerns in a safe and supportive environment. 

The first appointment is an opportunity for the clinician to meet you and to develop an understanding of the history and nature of your current difficulties so that they can make recommendations about what treatment approach might be right for you. This often involves the clinician asking a number of questions about your concerns and background. Your clinician will also ask about your goals for treatment to ensure that the plan they propose will assist you to get the most out of coming and they may ask you to complete some questionnaires.

The first appointment is also an opportunity for you to ask the clinician any questions you may have. The clinician will then discuss any treatment options that are available and will make recommendations on the best course of treatment to address your current difficulties. Although your clinician may occasionally give you guidance on some simple strategies straight away, the first appointment is best thought of as an opportunity to get to know each other rather than the start of treatment.

 

Subsequent sessions

What happens in subsequent sessions is somewhat dependent on the specific difficulties you are facing and the treatment model that you are working in (for more information about treatment approaches please click here). In most cases sessions will involve you working together with your clinician to develop practical strategies that will allow you to cope with your current difficulties more effectively. Treatment will also most likely involve you working on tasks in between sessions to assist you to develop effective skills that you can continue to apply in the long term after you have finished treatment. In this way therapy equips you to become like your own therapist!

Treatment often starts with regular weekly or fortnightly sessions but may progress over time to less frequent sessions (e.g. monthly) to allow you more time to implement skills in between sessions. Your clinician will discuss the recommended frequency of sessions with you at the initial appointment based on the treatment plan that you have developed together.

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