What to expect from your first telehealth psychology session
Booking a first session with a psychologist can feel like a big step, and doing it by video adds a few more unknowns. This guide walks through what happens from booking to the end of your first session.
Before your session
When your appointment is confirmed, you’ll get an intake form to fill in and submit. It takes care of the admin side, so we don’t spend your session on paperwork and there’s more time to focus on you and your goals.
You’ll get a link to your session by text or email. Sessions run on Zoom through our secure practice system, Zanda. You can join from your web browser or the Zoom app.
Fees and funding
What you pay depends on how your sessions are funded. The Fees & Rebates page has the full details, but in brief:
Medicare: you’ll need a referral and a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your usual GP or MyMedicare practice. Each referral covers up to 6 sessions, and you can claim up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year. Sessions aren’t bulk billed, so there’s an out-of-pocket cost after the rebate.
DVA: if you have a Gold or White Card, you’ll need a referral from your GP. There’s nothing to pay for approved sessions. Veterans →
First responders: if you’ve been referred through SelfRefer or FESSN, there’s no cost to you for the sessions the program covers. First responders →
WorkCover: telehealth sessions need prior approval from the insurer, so this has to be in place before your first session. How WorkCover works →
Paying privately: you can also book without a referral and pay the full fee. Some private health funds offer a rebate on psychology, so it’s worth checking with yours.
Setting up
- Find a private spot where you won’t be overheard or interrupted.
- You can join from your smartphone, tablet or computer. Check that your camera and microphone work before the session starts.
- If you’re on a phone, stand it up against something so your face can be seen clearly. It’s easier to focus when you’re not holding the phone and moving it around.
- Phones can get hot towards the end of a session, and that can interrupt the connection, especially if the phone is lying against something. Leave some space around it so air can circulate and it can cool down.
- Headphones help with privacy, and it’s good to have a glass of water nearby.
- Join a few minutes early so there’s time to sort out any sound or picture problems.
The first session
Your first session is 50 minutes. It’s mostly a chance for Lynn to understand what’s brought you here and what you’d like to be different.
If they weren’t on your intake form, Lynn may ask where you are during the session and for an emergency contact number.
You don’t need to prepare anything or know exactly what to say. “I’m not sure where to start” is a perfectly good place to start.
Towards the end, you’ll talk about next steps together, including how often to meet.
If the connection drops
If the call drops out, just log in again using the same link.
If you haven’t reconnected within a few minutes, Lynn will call you on your mobile to work out how to continue.
Afterwards
You can book your next appointment through the PsychologyAU client portal.
Is telehealth right for you?
Telehealth suits many people, including people outside the major cities, shift workers, and anyone who finds it easier to talk from their own space. If you’d rather meet face to face, in-person sessions are available in Cleveland.
Telehealth isn’t set up for emergencies. If you’re in immediate danger, call 000. For 24-hour crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 13YARN on 13 92 76 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Choose a time that suits you and book online.
This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice about your own situation.