Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about what to expect at a psychology session, referrals and reports, and questions about fees and rebates.

Book an appointment with a psychologist in Essendon or Kensington, or online Australia-wide via telehealth

Referrals

It’s common to feel nervous about starting therapy. Our psychologists are trained to create a comfortable, supportive environment to help you feel at ease throughout the process. During your first session, you’ll have an initial assessment where we discuss your concerns and goals. We’ll then outline a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

You can schedule an appointment by calling our clinic directly or by completing a website enquiry on the Contact Us page.

Therapy sessions typically go for 50 minutes. In some circumstances your psychologist may recommend 90 minute sessions for a period of time, particularly those who are undertaking EMDR.

The number of sessions varies depending on the individual’s needs and treatment goals. We will discuss your progress and adjust as necessary.

We understand that things come up and that sometimes we need to reschedule or cancel a session. We kindly ask that you contact our office as soon as possible to make changes.

We have a firm cancellation policy:

If a session is cancelled within 48 hours of its schedule time, you will be charged 50% of the session fee.

If a session is cancelled within 24 hours of its scheduled time, you will be charged 100% of the session fee.

In the event that you need to cancel your appointment within the cancellation policy, you will be offered a telehealth appointment as an alternative in the first instance.

Please note that cancellations are marked at the time they are completed (e..g, via email or phone) as opposed to the time they are received. Cancelled sessions are not eligible for a Medicare rebate.

Yes, we offer telehealth services for clients who prefer remote sessions or cannot attend in person.

We do not offer any crisis support.If you are in crisis, please contact Lifeline on 131114, Kids Helpline (5 – 25 years) on 1800 55 1800, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467, or 000 in an emergency.

Appointments

In most cases, you do not need a referral to see a psychologist. At Essential Minds Psychology we accept self-referrals, meaning you can contact us directly to schedule an appointment. However, if you’re planning on seeking a rebate from Medicare, you will require a referral from either a General Practitioner (GP), Psychiatrist or Paedatrician.

As long as your referral is valid, we will accept your referral even if it has another practitioners name on it.

We currently don’t accept TAC referrals

Essential Minds Psychology no longer takes workcover referrals.

We currently accept clients who are self managed through NDIS.

Payments and Rebates

If your GP refers you under a Mental Health Care Plan, then you may be eligible for a rebate from Medicare. You can access up to ten psychology sessions in a calendar year. Initially your GP will refer you for six session after which you will need to have a review with your GP to determine if you can access another four sessions. A psychiatrist or paediatrican can also refer you to a psychologist and you would be eligible for a rebate.

If you are referred under an Eating Disorder Management Plan, you may be eligible for up to 40 sessions in a 12 month period.

For private health insurance rebates please contact your private health insurer as rebates vary depending on your fund.

Please note that you cannot claim private health and Medicare at the same time.

As of the 1st of July 2026, the rebate for a Clinical Psychologist is $149.05. As an example, if a session is $250, after receiving the rebate of $145.25 you would be out of pocket $100.95.

When you complete your intake forms, you will be asked to nominate a credit card to pay for your sessions where they are stored securely. If you do not have a credit card, you are also welcome to pay via direct deposit. Unfortauntely we do not accept cash.

At Essential Psychology clients are charged the full amount for a session 30 minutes into the session. For your convenience, we process your rebate immediately after your session has finished.

Provided you have given us your most recent medicare details, you should receive your rebate within 24-48 hours.

Reports

No we do not write court reports

We are required to provide some referrers (e.g., a GP or psychiatrist or Paedatrician) with reports.

Contact Us

Essential Minds is conveniently located at:

1 Woodland Street, Essendon VIC 3040
and
77A Stubbs Street, Kensington VIC 3031

Phone 03 8899 8870
Fax 03 9968 9555
Email support@essentialminds.com.au

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which our clinic stands. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise their ongoing connection to this land.