Stuart Johnstone Psychology is not a crisis or emergency service. If you need immediate assistance with your or someone else’s mental health please call: Psychiatric Triage on 1300 661 323 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)/ Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14.

No.

However, if you’d like to receive a Medicare Rebate for a large portion of the session fee, you will need to establish a Mental Health Care Plan through your GP, beforehand.

The Federal Government subsidises 10 sessions with a psychologist through Medicare. In order to receive this rebate you need to visit your GP to establish a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). The MHCP is developed in consultation with your GP and guides your treatment in response to your mental health concerns.

As part of your MHCP, your GP will refer you to a psychologist for an initial round of treatment (usually up to and including 6 sessions). Once your initial course of treatment is complete your psychologist will correspond with your GP as to whether a further 4 sessions is recommended to continue with your treatment.

There is no restriction on the number of sessions you can access throughout the year, although each individual can only access 10 subsided sessions under the current Medicare arrangements.

Typically, sessions run between 50-55 minutes., although the first session tends to be somewhat longer.

Standard Consultation sessions are:

$190.00

Medicare Rebate: $89.65

Cost to client: $100:35 (gap after rebate)

Consession rates apply to Health Care Card holders and University Students = $140.00

The Medicare Rebate is for individual therapy, although, in some circumstances it may be appropriate for Stuart to to include your partner in a session to support your therapy.

​Most private health insurers, however, cover relationship counselling with a psychologist.

Yes, Medicare allows us to accept referrals addressed to other psychologists. Once you have attended your first session, Stuart will notify your GP that you have commenced therapy.