FAQs
Often when people start to wonder about whether they need to see a psychologist or not, they tend to benefit from a first session with a psychologist. You can feel free to speak to one of our psychologists on the phone prior to booking an appointment. Our psychologists work in a collaborative manner either short-term or long-term depending on your needs and goals. You do not need to be in crisis or have a serious mental health issue to see a psychologist. Psychologists can help with a range of concerns, these can begin with day to day concerns in a range of life areas such as in intimate relationships, family, friends, health, work, and financial matters. Some people also benefit from addressing personal issues such as self-esteem, assertion, confidence, and identity.
A first session is an opportunity to understand you better, including your current concerns, history, resources, and goals for therapy. It allows you to see if you are comfortable with the fit between you and your psychologist. Sometimes people have difficulty knowing where to start and your psychologist will support you through this. They will make the first session as comfortable as possible and you are not required to have all the answers.
You have the choice to decide what you disclose to your psychologist. You will not be judged on the basis of your personal problems. It is often helpful to tell your psychologist anything that is central to the issue you wish to address, as this will assist the psychologist to use the best approach to achieve your goals.
The details you give your psychologist are kept private. There are important limits to confidentiality that you should be aware of. Psychologists must disclose information to appropriate people if there is a risk of imminent harm to yourself or someone else. This is part of your psychologists’ Code of Ethics and duty of care.
It is common to feel nervous seeing a psychologist for the first time or a new psychologist. We understand you might feel more comfortable bringing someone along and that is okay. Please make sure you trust this person with your personal information they may hear.
We endeavour to provide an appointment for you as soon as possible. This is often within the same week, however it can be longer as it depends on your needs and matching you with the most appropriate psychologist.
The length of therapy largely depends on your needs and goals. This can be negotiated with your psychologist.
The sessions are typically 50-60 minutes.
The fee for counselling can differ depending on the referrer source and your circumstances. Please call Integrative Psychology for more information on fees.
The main difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is that a psychiatrist has trained as a medical doctor and can therefore prescribe medication.