To make your first appointment, simply call, send us an appointment request from our website, or drop by and make a booking face to face. We will arrange a convenient booking time for you. A confirmation letter will be either posted, emailed or handed to you directly, highlighting all the important information you will need before your appointment such as your appointment time, who your therapist will be, our fees, the Medicare rebates available to you and also a map to help you to your appointment with as little fuss as possible.

Feeling uncomfortable or anxious before coming along to your first appointment is very normal. We naturally feel nervous meeting new people and going to new places. Likewise when first meeting your psychologist you may feel a little uneasy, as is normal when preparing to discuss concerns that have been bothering you.

In the first session, your Psychologist will conduct a thorough assessment of your current life situation, your difficulties and any related factors and history. This is important to enable us to help you in the most effective and efficient way.

You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have and, if time permits, we will also generate a plan for your psychological treatment.

Confidentiality and honesty.

Your Psychwest Psychologist understands and respects the need for privacy when discussing sensitive matters and as such we hold all personal information strictly confidential. Your psychologist will provide you with an honest assessment of your concerns and in turn openly answer any further questions you may have.

To be treated with respect, dignity and understanding.

We offer a non-judgmental and respectful environment where our primary goal is to see a resolution of your concerns.

A safe environment to talk openly.

Our offices are a safe and confidential place for you to speak openly and honestly about your concerns. We offer a sensitive and respectful approach to help you discuss any difficulties you are facing without feeling you’re being judged.

Guidance.

You can look forward to an honest approach to guidance that is objective and impartial. We will always take into account your specific personal situation before providing you with any direction and guidance.

Flexible session times.

The length of sessions is flexible and made in direct relation to your needs. This usually depends on your particular concerns and what will be most convenient for you. A normal appointment is 50-55 minutes in length however there are 30 minute and 90 minute consults depending on the aims of each particular session. Appointments are generally booked either weekly or fortnightly and typically most people require between 6 to 12 sessions. Following our assessment, we will endeavour to advise you of the number of sessions and frequency of appointments we recommended for best outcomes.

You will be an active participant in your own treatment.

This means that you can expect to be fully involved in your sessions and to develop with your Psychologist some tasks to practice in between sessions. This may be in the form of practical exercises or reading material. Sometimes these tasks are called ‘homework’.

To get the most out of treatment, (and to minimise the number of sessions you may need to attend), we strongly encourage you to try things out between sessions, so that we can revise, refine and tailor treatment during sessions based on what we learn about what works best for you, and to get the best outcomes.

Most people feel the benefits of treatment after a couple of sessions. However, the total number of sessions required depends on several factors. Psychological research indicates that clients typically require between 5 and 15 sessions for full resolution and relapse prevention of common psychological difficulties.

After assessment we will be able to advise you as to the number and frequency of sessions we recommend. Our treatment plans are flexible to fit in with your schedule and financial situation.

To help you get the most out of your appointments, we will periodically review the progress of your therapy, with reference to your goals. In general, sessions begin on a once weekly basis and the frequency of sessions decreases over the course of treatment, with intermittent follow up ‘maintenance’ sessions as you feel you need them.