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Telehealth Counselling

Healing Minds Psychology is providing Telehealth Counselling as a way for you to receive our usual service in a different format.

What is Telehealth?
Telehealth uses the internet to enable you to engage with a psychologist via the use of a remote video link. For those who don’t have access to a computer or the internet, Telehealth can also be provided over a traditional landline or mobile telephone. As per the existing Medicare Better Access to Psychology initiative, the Telehealth option provides for up to 10 Medicare subsidized sessions with a psychologist per calendar year.

Who is eligible for Telehealth appointments?
Anyone is eligible to make a telehealth appointment, however if you wish to receive a rebate for your sessions you will need to obtain a referral and mental health care plan from your GP. If you have an existing Mental Health Care plan, you can automatically use your plan for Telehealth sessions. Our usual billing practices will be applied to telehealth sessions, as they are to face to face sessions.

What do I need to do for a Telehealth appointment?
Steo 1: Choose whether you want to engage with your Psychologist over Video Conference or Telephone.
Step 2: Complete our Telehealth Consent Form (pdf)

Download the form here.

Step 3: Return the form to us by any of the following options:
- Email to admin @ healingmindspsychology.com.au
- Fax: 03 9978 9428
- Regular Mail: to 165 Hilton Street Glenroy, Vic, 3046 or;
- In person at your next appointment at the clinic.

How do I engage in Video Conferencing?
Make sure that you have access to the internet and either a smartphone, tablet, or computer which has a camera, microphone, and good quality video. After making an appointment, your psychologist, or one of the Healing Minds Admin team, will be in touch with you prior to your appointment to advise of the necessary steps involved to engage in your remote video session.

Healing Minds Psychology will only be using video conferencing platforms that satisfy the stringent data security requirements for Telehealth and have been recommended by the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

How do I prepare for my Telehealth appointment?
- Please ensure that your Telehealth space is quiet, private, and comfortable, with minimal distractions.
- Try to engage in your Telehealth session like a normal face-to-face meeting.
- Be honest with your Psychologist about how you are finding the Teletherapy appointments.

Can I still see my psychologist face-to-face?
Yes! As an essential service we are still providing normal in-clinic sessions according to strict COVID-19 protocols. As such, we have implemented a range of measures to substantially reduce the potential for personal contact and transmission of COVID-19 within our clinics. These In-clinic face-to-face sessions will also be billed in accordance with our Telehealth fee schedule and existing concession arrangements.

What happens after I use up my 10 Telehealth sessions? You can still engage in Teletherapy or face-to-face sessions, however, you will be unable to claim a Medicare rebate or be bulk-billed for any of these additional sessions.

Further Questions?
Please contact our client support team on 1300 732 725, or submit our enquiry form here and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

**Maintaining your mental health and capacity to cope during this extremely challenging time is very important, so please take care of yourself and others by accessing all available support.**

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