The Remote Psych office is open Weekdays* from 9am-4pm AEDT (*excludes public holidays). Contact can be made at any time, via phone (03) 5222 4789, Fax (03) 9086 4179 or email info@remotepsych.com.au.

Kim Douglas - Counselling Psychologist & Director
Alison Dougall - Clinical & Counselling Psychologist
Felicity Wiseman - Clinical Psychologist
Donna Pike - Registered Psychologist
Shrey Sharma - Clinical Psychologist

Your GP can complete a Mental Health Treatment Plan (or another Better Access referral), which allows you to receive Medicare rebates to subsidise the session fees. You are most welcome to refer yourself and speak to us directly and access private sessions, without involving your GP. Our team also work with clients funded through NDIS, WorkSafe and motor vehicle accident claims such as TAC and NRMA.

See our new client information page for more information on referral types.

Remote Psych is a private mixed billing practice and gap fees may apply. Session fees are set at the discretion of the individual psychologist. Fee payment is discussed with each client during the initial intake and session fee information is outlined for each client when booking. Invoices are sent on the day of your session, with fees payable prior to your session. You can view our session fees or request a copy of our Fee Policy at any time. Please be aware that you are responsible for any costs incurred in relation to the provision of your own software, hardware and data usage associated with this service.

If your financial situation changes at any time, please don’t hesitate to discuss this with your psychologist and request a fee review.

Please see our Session Fee page for more information.

You may choose to get a Mental Health Treatment Plan or other Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) referral to receive Medicare rebates to subsidise the cost of your sessions. Clients are usually referred by their GP and in some instances, by another medical specialist. Medicare allow for up to 10 rebate-able sessions per year under the Better Access initiative. A valid referral is required to access Medicare rebates and bulk-billing, and eligibility is limited to the number of sessions available on your referral.

How to access Medicare rebates for psychological services under the Better Access initiative.

If you would like to claim Medicare rebates, you will need to;

• Visit your GP (or other medical practitioner) to create a Mental Health Treatment Plan or other valid MBS referral,

• Have them complete a written referral, allowing for up to 6 sessions of individual psychological therapy, Don’t forget to get a copy for your records also

• The clinic will fax or email us a copy of the referral letter and a copy of your MBS referral. Don’t forget to get a copy for your records also.

• Your medical practitioner will bill a relevant MBS Item number to trigger your eligibility for funding under Better Access*,

• Complete the client registration and consent forms which we will email to you once your sessions are booked in,

• Will process your Medicare rebate (after full payment has been received). Rebates from Medicare are usually received overnight, or within 1-3 days. You will receive an SMS from us once your claim has been processed, to let you know it’s on it’s way.

Remote Psych will do all we can to support you to claim Medicare rebates. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are eligible. On the rare occasion that a claim fails, we will provide you with the details for resolution.

How to access Medicare Bulk-Billing for psychological services under the Better Access initiative.

If you would like to access bulk-billing, you will need to;

• Visit your GP (or other medical practitioner) to create a Mental Health Treatment Plan or other valid MBS referral,

• Have them complete a written referral, allowing for up to 6 sessions of individual psychological therapy,

• The clinic will fax or email us a copy of the referral letter and a copy of your MBS referral. Don’t forget to get a copy for your records also.

• Your medical practitioner will bill a relevant MBS Item number to trigger your eligibility for funding under Better Access*,

• Complete the client registration and consent forms which we will email to you once your sessions are booked in,

• Provide us with your Health care or Pension card details to confirm your bulk-billing eligibility,

• We will process your Medicare bulk billing claim after your session and send you a copy of the Medicare voucher (assignment of benefit form) as a receipt of your agreement to be bulk-billed. Please note, you are liable to pay the 'Medicare Benefit Amount’ in the event that a claim is rejected. We will advise you of any issues with a claim should they arise.

*If you are uncertain whether your GP has completed all the necessary steps to activate your eligibility for Medicare rebates or bulk-billing, please confirm this with your GP clinic or call Medicare on 13 20 11.

We provide all counselling sessions remotely, via telehealth. The use of our services requires a suitable device with internet access, certain software (including email, web browser), and security. Sessions occur through Zoom videoconference on your computer or smartphone. You do not need to download or install anything, and you do not need to create an account. It’s a very simple process with the same link being used to access the ‘Virtual Waiting Room’ each session.

Zoom operates across bandwidth availability in rural, remote, and overseas locations. Data usage on your device is the only cost to you when using Zoom.

Your first session is focused on understanding and assessing your situation and getting to know you and your treatment goals. It is usual for the first 3 appointments to be weekly, with others then spaced 2 weeks apart, depending on your needs (as decided between you and your psychologist).

See our Zoom Instructions & Telehealth Tips page for more information.

The use of our services requires a suitable device with internet access, certain software, and security. You should follow all security instructions and suggestions provided by your device’s manufacturer or system provider. You are liable for ensuring your device is locked and encrypted at all times, as well as installing all security and system updates as recommended or provided to you by your device’s manufacturer or system provider. All Personal Meeting ID (PMI) meetings will be passcode protected. Meeting passcodes will be encrypted and included in the invite link to allow clients to join with just one click without having to enter the passcode. Or, if you prefer and if pre-arranged, your psychologist can provide you with a unique Meeting ID and Passcode, generated for each consultation.

Results from psychological interventions can be as quick as a few sessions or can be more long term if that’s what collaboratively you and your psychologist decide is warranted. It is largely dependent on the issue you are addressing, the intervention used and your commitment to the therapy. The average number of sessions per episode of care are 4-8 sessions. The number of sessions your psychologist anticipates you needing will be discussed with you once they have a sense of your situation.

We aim for episodes of care, meaning that once there has been some resolution or improvement in the presenting issue the sessions stop. You are most welcome to return at any point in the future to address other issues as needed. That said, for clients facing complex issues, care is ongoing. Additionally, for some clients, interventions are better conducted in a face- to-face clinical setting. In this instance a referral to another psychology practice would be discussed and arranged.

A telehealth service will only be provided where it is safe and clinically appropriate to do so.

The security of your personal information is important to us. Your personal information will not be used, sold, rented or disclosed for any other purpose, unless otherwise required or authorised by law. We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

If receiving Medicare rebates or Medicare bulk billing, there are reporting requirements to your referrer. At certain intervals, a report will be sent to your referring clinician, outlining the treatment undertaken, progress and any ongoing needs, together with recommendation of how these needs can be met.

If you are receiving treatment funded by a third party such as your NDIS plan, Worker’s compensation or a TAC claim, your case manager or insurer may request a treatment and progress report, or similar. This may also be required to approve further sessions.

Our Privacy Policy (For Management of Personal Information) can be viewed here.
Our Privacy Policy (For use of this Website) can be viewed here.

Remote Psych offers clients the opportunity to communicate by email for some limited purposes, such as providing information and setting up appointments. Invoices will be sent as email attachments (which can be password protected if desired). Our Privacy Policy (For Management of Personal Information) provides information about the risks of email, how we will protect your information and your responsibilities regarding email communication.

Once engaged with your psychologist, you can work together to establish when and how you communicate. If wanting contact with your psychologist outside session times, you can email them via their remote psych email address. If urgent, please contact us and we will endeavour to contact your clinician on your behalf or assist as needed.

Email is not appropriate for urgent or emergency situations, nor is it a substitute for telehealth consultations.

Any email communication between you and Remote Psych may be added your client file. As emails are a part of a client file, other individuals authorised to access the file may have access to those emails.

Appointment Reminders

To avoid missed appointments, your psychologist will confirm your next session day/time at the end of each session. We will also send you an appointment reminder via SMS (by default) or email, around 48 hours prior to your session time, asking you to confirm your appointment.

How to cancel your appointment

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, you can;

1) Reply “No” to your SMS appointment reminder (at least 24hours prior to your appointment),

2) Call us on (03) 5222 4789,

3) Email us at info@remotepsych.com.au.

Cancellation Policy

If for any reason you are unable to make your appointments, please let us know as soon as possible. Our sessions are in high demand, and your advanced notice will allow another client access to that appointment time. Please note that a cancellation fee applies where 24 hours’ notice is not given and in the unfortunate event that your session cannot be filled.

Remote Psych is not a crisis support service. Please call 000 or present to your nearest hospital if in imminent danger. Alternatively, you can contact Lifeline (13 11 14) for after hours support, or view our crisis support contacts page.