When should I see a psychologist?

There are lots of reasons people chose to see psychologists, some of these include:

• Mental heath concerns such as Anxiety or Depression
• Having difficulties in personal relationships
• Grief and loss - such as losing a loved one, a job, or experiencing an injury
• Work related concerns
• Struggling with making a decision or being "stuck" in a dilemma
• To manage and/or change addictions
• Support around chronic illnesses
• Low self-worth and self-esteem
• Substance abuse
• Anger issues
• Adjusting to life changes
• Feeling lost or isolated
• If you are worried about safety, self harm or suicidal thoughts

However its not just limited to periods in life when "things are going wrong", seeing a psychologist may also be for self development, such as;

• Building skills including communication, assertiveness, and boundary setting
• Preparing for career changes for example interviews, promotions, and retirement
• Coaching and management skill enhancement 
• To gain clearer perspectives on life goals and how to achieve them
• To strengthen and improve interpersonal relationships 
• Enhancing helpful thinking strategies
• Building resilience

What to expect

Seeing a psychologists for the first time can be daunting, so we would like to give you a couple of options. You can email or call us.

Our friendly reception staff will take your details and a psychologist will call you back to confidentially discuss access to best funding and treatment options. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions or talk about concerns regarding attending your appointment. 

On your first appointment, reception will welcome you in and ask you to be seated in our comfortable waiting area. Your psychologist will invite you into the consulting room and begin the process of understanding how to help you. He or she will introduce themselves, explain about confidentiality, the Mental Health Care Plan (if relevant) and answer any questions you may have about the forms. They will need to ask numerous questions about your mental health, stressors, medical conditions, personal history, family and relationships to help understand your circumstances and to formulate what is happening for you. For complex situations this may take more than 1 session.

Most importantly the psychologist will endeavour to make you feel at ease, develop a positive relationship with you and engage in counselling that will be most helpful. He or she will ask you about your goals for therapy, explain treatment options that could meet those needs, the supporting evidence and describe what is involved. It is our priority that throughout the process you feel heard, respected and supported. 

Things we don't do

Please note, our Psychologists do not specialise in:

• Providing reports for court
• Emergency or crisis management

If you are in crisis please call Lifeline on 131 114 or your local hospital emergency department.