FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Lesley sees people throughout the lifespan for a range of concerns including:

• Worry & Anxiety, including: Panic & phobias, Separation anxiety, Social anxiety & shyness, Health anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Worry, Work stress, Study stress & perfectionism.
• Depression & low mood, including supporting symptom management in bi-polar disorder
• Parenting & peri-natal support
• Carer support
• Assertiveness
• Sleeping difficulties
• Grief & loss
• Managing Chronic pain and fatigue
• Other concerns – call for a confidential discussion.

Lesley is particularly passionate about helping Seniors who might be experiencing worry or low mood. These feelings are NOT a normal part of ageing and can be helped.

Lesley sees children/adolescents with anxiety issues. She currently does not see children on the autism spectrum or with ADD/ADHD concerns.

Lesley currently does not provide marriage / couples counselling.

Most people are confused about the differences.

Psychiatrists are medically trained professionals. They can prescribe medications to assist with illnesses like depression, and anxiety and they may also do talk therapy.

Psychologists are specialists in the study of human behaviour. They can assess and diagnose a range of difficulties and work closely with the person and sometimes their family to develop the best solutions. Psychologists are required to have at least 6 years of training before they can be registered. In the case of Clinical Psychologists they will usually have a Master Degree or Doctorate from a University. Clinical Psychologists have special training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.

In some cases a client might see a psychiatrist for medication and a psychologist for therapy. Both are regulated by state and national bodies like the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and must follow strict guidelines for treatment.

Why should I see a Psychologist rather than a Counsellor?

Counsellors and Psychotherapists are not required to hold registration with state national bodies, so there is no governing body to ensure they adhere to ethical and professional standards.

Lesley is a member of the Australian Psychologists Society meaning she adheres to APS Code of ethics. As a client of Lesley you can expect to be treated according to the highest standard.

For further information, see the Australian Psychologists Society’s Charter for clients of APS psychologists.

No. Anyone may see a psychologist. However if you wish to obtain Medicare funding you will need to obtain a referral. Usually this can be obtained from a GP but can also be provided by other medical specialists such as a Psychiatrist or Paediatrician.

People who have private health insurance may be eligible to claim for psychology services. Please contact your health fund directly to discuss their requirements.

Under the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (Better Access) initiative, a person with a clinically diagnosed mental health issue is eligible for funding support through Medicare. This is usually provided by visiting a GP to obtain a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHCP).

A MHCP currently entitles a person to up to 10 sessions each year with a registered mental health provider (eg. Clinical Psychologist).

Please note the person who the MHCP is made out to must attend the session. This means if the plan is for your child your child must attend the session.

Click here for further information about the Better Access Scheme (PDF).

Many people feel nervous about seeing a psychologist for the first time. Lesley is aware of this and will make you as comfortable as possible. The first session will usually involve Lesley asking a lot of questions so that she can get a good idea of the issue(s) you are seeking help with and how they are impacting you.

At the end of the session Lesley will give you an idea of what treatment will involve. And of course at this time Lesley will answer any questions you have. People often feel better at the end of the first session. It can be helpful just having a trained listener hear a person’s story.

Lesley says “People often comment at the end of the first meeting that ‘It wasn’t as scary as I thought’. I consider myself privileged to bear witness to people’s experiences.”

You can bring any information you feel might be useful to the initial assessment including Doctor’s reports or school reports (if child/adolescent).

You may be given some simple monitoring to complete before your next visit.

If you are seeking treatment for your child /adolescent you will be given an opportunity to talk through any concerns you have separately from your child in the first session.

Although many things contribute to getting better, you will be given an idea of how long treatment usually takes after your first session / assessment. Other issues such as the frequency of sessions will also be discussed.

Be mindful that a number of factors affect treatment success including motivation to change, the length of time the problem has been present for and its severity. Therapy is an active process on the part of the client, one hour of therapy a week leave 167 hours for practise!

The foundation of Lesley’s approach is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ( CBT) .

CBT currently has the strongest evidence base for overcoming common mental health issues. CBT involves looking at patterns of behaviour and thinking, that might be causing difficulties and altering them to meet a person’s goals. Once goals and barriers to achieving them are identified Lesley and the client look at the best ways to overcome these barriers. Thus treatment is tailored to the individual, and will probably involve learning some new skills. Most people find CBT very practical.

Where it is useful, Lesley also uses other modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness and Dialectical behaviour therapy.

For those seeing Lesley for parenting concerns Lesley is an accredited Cool Little Kids and 123 Magic Provider.

Lesley is also accredited to provide the Cool Kids and Chilled Teens Anxiety Programs developed by Macquarie University’s Centre for Emotional Health.

What is discussed during sessions is confidential. This is a primary ethical requirement for all psychologists. Lesley will only share information with other people with your EXPRESS consent. This includes children and teens.

The only limitations to confidentiality include:

1. Reporting back to referrers eg GPs for those using Mental Health Care Plans.
2. Information which is subpoenaed by a court
3. If maintaining confidentiality may result in the client or someone else being at risk of serious danger
4. All Psychologists are “Mandatory Reporters” in cases where there is evidence of child abuse or neglect.

You can read more about Lesley’s Privacy Policy here.

If you wish to make an appointment or still have questions about seeing a psychologist, please contact Lesley via one of the options below:

• Telephone: 9158 6497
• Email: admin@smythpsychology.com
• Online Contact Form
• Fax: 8610 4770