No, you do not need a referral to make an appointment. You can contact Carefree Minds Psychology directly to arrange an initial appointment.

If you are wishing to access a Medicare rebate, you will need to obtain a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP before your appointment.

A Mental Health Care Plan is a plan developed with your GP to support you in accessing mental health treatment. It can provide access to Medicare rebates for up to 10 psychology sessions each calendar year.

Your GP will usually discuss your mental health needs with you and determine whether a Mental Health Treatment Plan is appropriate.

If you’d like to use Medicare for your psychology appointments, here’s how it works:

1. See your GP. Your GP can assess whether a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) is appropriate for you and provide a referral for psychology sessions. Please send your referral to us before your first appointment.

2. Attend your appointment. You’ll pay the appointment fee upfront. We can then process your Medicare claim for you, with the rebate paid into your nominated Medicare account.

3. How many sessions can I have? Your GP will usually refer you for up to 6 sessions initially. After this, you can return to your GP for a review and, if appropriate, receive a further referral for additional sessions.

You can access up to 10 individual psychology sessions through Medicare per calendar year, depending on your circumstances and what your GP recommends.

4. What happens if I don't use all my sessions? Unused sessions don’t increase your allowance for the following year. Your 10-session limit resets each calendar year, although any unused session from a previous referral may still be used in the new year if the referral remains valid.

Carefree Minds Psychology currently work with adults aged 18 years and over and do not offer psychology services to children or young people under 18.

Standard appointments are $220 for a 50-minute session, payable at the end of each appointment.

Medicare: If you have a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP), you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate of $101.55, leaving an approximate out-of-pocket cost of $118.45 per session.

WorkCover: We accept WorkCover clients, with fees charged in accordance with the relevant WorkSafe fee schedule. For approved standard psychology sessions, there is generally no out-of-pocket cost to the client.

Private clients: Should you wish to access our services privately, you do not need a Mental Health Treatment Plan or referral. The fee is $220 per 50-minute session. If you have private health insurance with psychology cover, please let us know and we can provide you with a receipt following your session to submit to your insurer for any eligible rebate.

Reduced-fee appointments.A limited number of reduced-fee appointments are available for clients experiencing financial difficulty. Existing clients may be prioritised for these appointments. Availability is limited and offered on a case-by-case basis.

Please note: Medicare rebates and WorkCover fees are subject to the relevant government or insurer fee schedules and may change.

Your first session is an opportunity for you and your psychologist to get to know each other and talk about what has brought you to therapy. You’ll discuss what you’re currently experiencing, your background and what you would like support with.

There’s no expectation that you have everything figured out before you arrive. Together, you and your psychologist will explore what you’re hoping to get from therapy and begin developing a plan that feels right for you.

You’re welcome to ask questions, share any concerns about therapy, and take things at your own pace. You don’t need to have the right words or know exactly where to start. That’s something you can work out together.

It’s also a chance for you to get a feel for your psychologist and decide whether you feel comfortable with their approach — finding the right fit matters.

It’s completely okay if you’re not sure whether it feels like the right fit straight away. For many people, around three sessions is a helpful point to reflect on whether the therapeutic relationship feels comfortable, collaborative and right for you.

Yes, we provide supervision to early career psychologists and provisional psychologists engaging in the 5+1 pathway.

Carefree Minds Psychology does not currently provide formal ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic assessments.

However, ADHD screening is available to help identify whether further assessment may be appropriate. Following screening, your psychologist can provide a brief one-page letter to your treating GP outlining the screening results and recommendations regarding whether further assessment may be appropriate.

Please note that ADHD screening is not a diagnostic assessment and does not confirm or guarantee an ADHD diagnosis. A formal diagnosis requires a comprehensive assessment by an appropriately qualified health professional.

The letter is charged pro-rata based on the time required to prepare it.

We can provide some treatment-related letters and reports where appropriate, such as brief treatment summaries, progress updates or information requested by another treating professional.

Reports are separate from standard therapy appointments and may incur an additional fee depending on the purpose, complexity and time involved.

We do not provide reports for:

• Disability Support Pension (DSP) applications or reviews

• NDIS access, planning or functional capacity assessments

• Family Court or parenting matters

• Legal or medico-legal proceedings

• Victims of Crime applications

• Independent psychological or impairment assessments

• Expert witness reports or court testimony

• Assessments of parenting capacity, fitness or capacity for specific legal or occupational purposes

If you are unsure whether we can assist with a particular request, please contact us before booking an appointment.