ANCHORING YOUR LIFE COUNSELLING is a Private Practice and does not receive any subsidies to offset fees.  The below information regarding private fees and subsidised fees aims to help you to make an informed decision and therefore the right one for you. 

 

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ANCHORING YOUR LIFE COUNSELLING FEES

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• Full fees start from $95 and are often equal to or less than the gap payment on the mhcp.  Services and availability can be found here.

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• There is no need for a GP referral.  Working privately means we do not disclose/report to anyone outside of our practice unless court-ordered.  There are therefore no records kept on your medicare or medical health records of a diagnosis which can be viewed by insurance companies and employers on request (see mhcp below).

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• Treatment styles are varied and working privately allows counsellors to work with you using the best option.  Registration with the Australian Counselling Association requires ongoing training and clinical supervision so you can be confident your counsellor is well prepared and well trained.

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• Therapy provided for relationships at Anchoring Your Life Counselling is through the use of specialised couples training, Gottman Method Couples Therapy.  

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•  Fees are reviewed annually, in January.  If there is an increase, the adjustment will be made with a minimum of thirty days' notice.

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PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE REBATES

 

Depending on your private health scheme, you may be eligible for a rebate under Private Health Insurance.    If you are using Private Health Insurance the rebate amount will depend on your particular fund and your level of cover.  Private Health Insurance Providers currently offered by Anchoring Your Life Counselling:

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• Medibank Private

• ahm

• Police Health Fund

• Emergency Services Health

• St Lukes Health

• Phoenix Health Fund

• Doctors Health Fund

• GU Health

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MENTAL HEALTH CARE PLAN (MHCP)

 

• For 2022-2023, the Australian Psychological Society (APS) recommends psychologists charge a fee of $280 per 50-minute session for individuals, however, psychologists can set their own fees.  The MHCP entitles you to a medicare rebate which is equivalent to the amount of approximately $89. The difference between what the psychologist charges and the medicare rebate is the gap payment the client is liable for, in this case, amounting to $191.

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• To be placed on the MHCP by your GP, a clinically diagnosed mental disorder is required and this code is used by the psychologist to obtain the rebate for your session.  Under the scheme guidelines, the diagnosis will stay on your case file with Medicare indefinitely and on your medical records for up to 10 years.  This can be problematic if you do not need a diagnosis and are going through a challenging time that needs some help to process these thoughts and feelings.

 

• ​Insurance applications and some employers require knowledge of clients' mental health and where applicable, access to their health records.  Unfortunately, having a "mental disorder" diagnosis on file can have negative implications in both of these instances.  This article explains just one of the ways as to how it affects clients - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-08/insurance-coverage-mental-health-after-covid-19/13122144?utm_source=abc_news_web&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=abc_news_web&fbclid=IwAR2sZS5DxQQbO9z1jAFefqUK4Q783m2NtAWJxqExC4BXUV-CjslODWmzI70​

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• The treatment style under a mhcp is restricted by Medicare and regardless of whether this works well for the presenting client or not the psychologist cannot use other options.  

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• The MHCP is not available for relationship counselling and the full fee is payable by the client.  Relationship therapy requires specialised relationship training and unfortunately, GP referrals to psychologists are not always made with this knowledge in mind.  

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NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME

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If you are an NDIS participant with the 'Improved Daily Living' category in your plan and are Self or Plan Managed, you may use your funds for Therapeutic Support and access Anchoring Your Life Counselling services with no Gap Payment.  These services start from $140 per hour, below the recommended NDIS rate of $156.16 per hour, helping to ensure your funds go further.  The following is in hand:

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• Blue Card (working with children)

• Yellow Card (disability worker screening clearance)

• First Aid certified

• CPR certified.

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LATE CANCELLATIONS

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Commitment to your counselling sessions is a commitment to yourself and your treatment.  When appointments are cancelled late it impacts your progression, myself and the preparation I have done for your session and someone else who could have booked that session if there was sufficient notice provided.   For this reason, cancellation fees are incurred without 48 business hours' notice.  As a courtesy, appointment reminders are sent out via email and text message.  

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