Very broadly, psychology is the study and understanding of the way that people behave, think, and how they feel, and considers the impact of people’s personal history, current situation, and also the impact of their biology. A psychologist is trained and skilled in the assessment and psychological treatment of mental health difficulties, emotional and behavioural problems, and psychological disorders.
At Foresight Psychology, all our psychologists have completed at least 6 years of tertiary education in the area of psychology, the brain, and human behaviour, and have specialised postgraduate training in psychological assessment, diagnosis and evidence-based psychological treatment.
A clinical psychologist is a psychologist who is an expert in mental health, having undertaken highly specialised training in the assessment, diagnosis, formulation, and psychological treatment of mental health, behavioural, and emotional disorders across the lifespan, ranging from mild to severe and complex conditions.
A counselling psychologist is a psychologist who is an expert in psychological health, including the prevention, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. They provide a wide variety of techniques that meet the specific needs and circumstances of clients, including in areas such as grief and loss, trauma, significant life transitions, relationship difficulties, and maintaining healthy lifestyles.
Education and training of clinical or counselling psychologists takes at least 8 years.
A clinical psychology registrar is a psychologist who has completed at least 6 years of tertiary education in the area of psychology including at least 2 years in clinical psychology, and is currently undergoing a period of supervised practice prior to becoming a clinical psychologist.
‘Psychologist’, ‘clinical psychologist’ and ‘counselling psychologist’ are protected terms meaning that only people who have suitable qualifications and certified skills can call themselves a psychologist. Anyone can call themselves a ‘counsellor’ or ‘therapist’, so when choosing a mental health professional its helpful to check that they are suitably trained and qualified.
If you are experiencing anxiety, stress, low mood, depression, sleeping difficulties, low self-esteem, interpersonal difficulties, having trouble breaking bad habits, procrastination, low motivation, or poor body image: seeing a psychologist will help you to develop important skills to overcome or better manage these difficulties.
If you have a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder (such as generalised anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder), a depressive disorder, an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), chronic pain, complex trauma, childhood trauma, a personality disorder, or an eating disorder such as bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder: seeing a psychologist will help you develop a greater understanding of your disorder and to gain skills to better manage your symptoms with the overall aim of helping you to enhance your quality of life and functioning. Your psychologist will work in consultation with your GP and/or psychiatrist.
If you are a parent of child or adolescent who is struggling or is experiencing mental health or behavioural difficulties; seeing a psychologist for parenting support, parent/child therapy or adolescent therapy will help improve communication skills within the family and aim to assist in reducing any unhelpful behaviours occurring at home.
No, anyone can book in to see a psychologist, and no referral is needed. However, if you wish to receive Medicare rebates you will need a referral and appropriate plan from your GP.
No, you can use your GP’s referral letter to see any psychologist you choose. This is also the case if your GP has referred you to a specific psychologist at Foresight, you may wish to see a different team member due to preference or availability.
If you have been referred to see a psychologist by your GP you may be eligible for Medicare rebates under the Better Access to Mental Health Scheme. Clients who have been referred by their GP under Mental Health Care Plan are eligible for a rebate of between $88.25 and $129.55 for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. Clients may also be eligible for Medicare rebates if referred by their GP under other eligible plans such as the GP Management Plan (Chronic Disease Management Plan) or an Eating Disorder Treatment Plan.
International students who have been referred by their GP under Mental Health Care Plan are also usually eligible for the equivalent of Medicare refunds from their OSHC insurers ($88.25 per session for up to 10 sessions). Ask your individual insurer for more details.
Many Private Health Funds offer some refunds for psychological services, including OSHC insurance for international students. The amounts vary depending on your plan, check with your individual insurer for more details.
Treatment time will vary depending on a number of factors. For many, six to ten psychology sessions will be enough to build up skills to manage or overcome your mental health symptoms. For longer-term or more complex difficulties, your treatment may take more than 10 sessions.
In your first appointment you will fill in forms and questionnaires (the reason that we ask you to arrive 15 minutes early), you will meet your psychologist who will ensure you have completed your forms and will answer any questions you have about confidentiality, treatment, or any of our practice policies. In your first session, your psychologist will ask a lot of questions to get to understand your situation, your reasons for starting treatment and your life history. This ‘information gathering’ allows your psychologist to get an understanding of your current symptoms in the context of your individual experience which will allow your psychologist to come up with an individualised treatment plan to address your concerns.
Psychology sessions typically last for 50 minutes and usually involve the discussion of pertinent issues and life events, the teaching and practicing of skills, collaborative problem solving for any difficulties in your life or in treatment, encouraging and promoting more flexible and helpful thinking, and the setting of goals or tasks to be worked on between psychology sessions. The specific nature and structure of your sessions will depend upon the treatment approach used by your psychologist and what stage in your treatment you are up to.
Foresight Psychology strongly believes in making quality psychological treatment affordable and accessible to all, no matter your background or situation. Rates vary depending on a number of factors so please contact us directly for more specific information and to discuss your needs. Generally our fees are $240 for an initial session and $210 for subsequent sessions with our psychologists (Medicare rebate, if seen under a Mental Health Care Plan: $88.25) and $280 for an initial session and $250 for subsequent sessions with our senior clinical psychologists (Medicare rebate: $129.55). We also offer a sliding-scale approach for some circumstances.
Yes – if you are a self-supporting full-time student or a holder of a concession card (Centrelink Low-Income Health Care Card) we do offer reduced rates on selected appointment times with Foresight Psychology team members.
Our practice is located at 22-36 Mountain Street, Ultimo. Our practice rooms are located on Level 2 of this building (Suite 2.12). We have chosen this location in Ultimo as it is conveniently located close to public transport, making our practice more accessible and affordable for our clients. The building is also close to Broadway Shopping Centre, which offers parking options.
When you arrive, please take a seat in the waiting area and your psychologist will come to collect you at the time of your appointment. If your appointment takes place after-hours or on Saturday, the doors may be locked, in which case please ring the doorbell at the building entrance and your psychologist will meet you at the door and grant you access at the time of your appointment.
We are proud of our therapy rooms which are set up for comfort and privacy, making them the perfect space for effective psychological therapy to take place.
We also offer psychological support and evidence-based treatments via telehealth for those who are unwell, or unable to make it into our practice.
Based on your individual presenting concerns, your psychologist will select an evidence-based treatment. If you have a preference for a particular treatment approach you can discuss this with your psychologist who will consider that approach should it be an appropriate, evidence-based treatment for your presenting issues. Your treatment will be individualised to meet your specific needs. All of our psychologists have a strong foundation in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) as the treatment approach with the best evidence-base for most common disorders. Our psychologists also have training in the delivery of specialised treatments such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Metacognitive Therapy (MCT), Trauma-informed care, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Mindfulness-integrated CBT (MiCBT), Parent-Child Interaction Training (PCIT), systemic psychotherapy, narrative therapy and psychodynamic-informed psychotherapy, and other treatment approaches.
Telehealth means sessions delivered remotely over video conferencing (e.g. Skype or Zoom) or telephone call. See our Telehealth information page for more details.
