Thinking about booking your first session? Here are answers to questions prospective clients usually ask…
Q - Do I need to talk to you before I book my first session?
YES, please do! I am no longer accepting bookings without email contact first. Please email me on vm@victoriamatthews.com.au to check in to my availability. I am tightly scheduled during the day, but will endeavour to make contact as soon as practicable.
Q – How much are your sessions?
Individual Psychotherapy - $120 per hour
No additional costs for Zoom sessions
Hypnotherapy - $120 per hour
Relationship Counselling - $180 per 1.5 hours
Parent Consult - $120 per hour
Mentoring Sessions for Clinicians - $120 per hour
NDIS – Standard NDIS rate for therapy
Q - What kind of session should I book?
If you are booking a session for yourself, book under either:
- Individual Psychotherapy
- Individual Psychotherapy via Zoom
If you are booking for someone else, such as an adolescent child, how you book will depend on whether you feel the need to see me first:
- Parent consult (if you would like a session prior to starting your teen with me)
- Individual Psychotherapy (If you’d like to simply book for your teen)
If you are booking as couple:
- Relationship counselling
If you are a mental health practitioner, psychologist, psychotherapist, counsellor etc, and would like to see me for mentoring sessions:
- Mentoring sessions for Clinicians
Q – I have a Mental Health Care Plan from the doctor, can I use it for my sessions with you?
Unfortunately not. I know this is going to be hard to believe but in Australia, counsellors, family therapists and psychotherapists aren’t covered by Medicare. Medicare funding for mental health is at this stage limited primarily to psychologists and psychiatrists.
This isn’t optimal as there are wonderful practitioners (a workforce of 36,000 additional mental health practitioners!) available across Australia that could be accessed by many more people if Medicare funding were secured.
Feel free to contact your local MP to discuss this, as we are in the middle of a mental health pandemic, and this means millions of people across Australia are being deprived of excellent mental health care.
Q - Can I use my private health insurance with you?
Yes! Depending on your provider and level of coverage, of course. Best to check with them directly prior to booking if you’re unsure. Either way, you pay upfront for your session and once your receipt is emailed to you, you can log your receipt with your health fund for the rebate.
Providers that provide rebates for counselling and psychotherapy include Medibank Private, BUPA, Police Health, Teachers Health, Doctors Health, and St Luke’s, among others.
Q – I’m on NDIS, can my Plan Manager book sessions with you?
Absolutely. I have a set NDIS rate in line with the NDIS recommendations.
Q – What happens if I need to cancel my session?
If you need to cancel your appointment, you can easily do so up to 24 hours prior.
However, late cancellations or non-arrivals occurring after the 24 hour period will attract a cancellation fee equal to the usual session cost. Given that I have a waiting list every week and every spare session can be filled, I’m sure you’ll appreciate the reasoning behind this.
Q – Can I have a trial consultation with you before my session? I notice some people advertise a free 20 minute consultation…
Unfortunately, my day would soon be eaten up if I spent twenty minutes chatting with each potential new client. I have a waiting list of urgent clients each week. If I spoke to just three people a week, I would lose an hour that I could spend with a client.
Q – How soon can you fit me in?
A lot of that is going to depend on your availability. I am usually fully booked three to six weeks in advance. After-school sessions are usually booked for several months in advance. If you’re willing to take a day session or an early morning session, you will have a better chance of getting a session sooner.
Either way, I recommend you book the first available session you can find that works with your schedule, and leave me a note requesting an earlier appointment if possible. I will add you to my waitlist and call you as soon as a session in that time frame comes available.
You’ll notice when looking at available times that the last session on each day that you can book is 3:30pm – 4:30pm. I see clients after this time frame rarely and only by request as this time slot is reserved for client emergencies. When you email me please advise if you would like a session starting at 4:30pm. Please note, it may not be possible to access this time frame on a regular basis.