Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is this service suitable for?
This therapy service is suitable for people aged 18 years and over, who live in Australia. This service focusses on providing help to people experiencing stress and anxiety when dealing with life challenges like issues related to work, relationships, social situations, life dissatisfaction, finances, health, and managing personal resources (e.g., time).
This service is not appropriate for:
- people dealing with severe and complex mental health issues, including severe addiction
- It is recommended that you see your doctor for assessment and appropriate referral.
- people currently involved in legal proceedings and seeking psychological services for support in these matters
- people on WorkCover or TAC
- people experiencing domestic violence or are at risk of harming themselves
- Please contact Lifeline on ph: 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT on ph: 1800 737 732, or call 000 if your life is in danger.
If you are unsure if this service is suitable for you, please do not hesitate to contact us.
If at the initial consultation this service is identified to be unsuitable for your needs then referral options will be discussed.
2. How are therapy sessions delivered?
Psychological therapy sessions are delivered via video (a link will be emailed to you) or in person in Gladstone Park VIC 3043.
For tips on how to best prepare yourself for online therapy sessions please click here.
3. Is online psychological therapy effective?
Yes, research studies have shown that both video conferencing and telephone sessions (i.e., telehealth psychology) can be just as effective as meeting in person when it comes to providing therapy for a range of psychological conditions like anxiety and depression (Varket et al., 2019).
People tend to be quite happy with telehealth psychology, citing benefits like saving time and having easy access to professional treatment (Backhaus et al., 2012).
4. What is brief therapy?
Brief therapy, also known as short-term therapy, refers to a time-limited form of therapy that focuses on addressing specific issues or problems over a relatively short period of time. It typically involves a more goal-focussed approach to help people overcome immediate challenges or difficulties.
At our service, typically brief therapy sessions fall within the range of 3 to 8 sessions, with the flexibility to extend sessions based on your needs.
5. How is this service different to obtaining counselling through my Employee Assistance Provider (EAP) at work?
There are several differences between the therapy offered by Dr. Linda Troselj and counselling provided by an EAP provider:
Receive Support from a Qualified Psychologist
Employee Assistance Provider (EAP) counsellors come from a variety of educational backgrounds, including degrees in counselling, psychology, or social work. At our service, you know that you will receive support from Dr. Linda Troselj who is a qualified clinical psychologist, who holds a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology qualification. Dr. Linda is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) which is the organisation responsible for the registration and accreditation of health professionals in Australia.
Learn Research-based Coping Skills
EAP counselling predominantly uses a solutions-based counselling approach, an approach that helps people harness and use their existing coping skills. Whilst there is value in this, in Dr. Linda’s experience of working with adults struggling with stress and anxiety, she often found that the first thing many clients would say to her is:
In her work, Dr. Linda uses research-based psychological skills, along with a solutions-based counselling approach. Research-based psychological skills refer to skills that have been derived from therapeutic approaches that have substantial research evidence backing their effectiveness like cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical-behaviour therapy (DBT).
6. What can I expect will happen in my therapy sessions?
First session:
The aim of the first session is to cover the following:
- Psychological wellbeing measured
- Using a short four-item wellbeing measure, you rate how you have been feeling in four main areas of your life.
- Presenting challenge discussed
- Your presenting challenge is explored and discussed.
- Therapy goals identified
- Coping skills offered, if applicable and time permitting
- Relevant coping skills will be offered based on your needs and relevance to the specific challenges you are facing, taking into account time constraints.
Sessions 2-8:
- Wellbeing is measured at every session to monitor progress.
- Focus on goal attainment and learning coping skills.
- Relevant action steps between sessions are identified.
Working together with you
We believe in using a collaborative approach, where we work together with you to help you achieve your goals. To support you in your journey, we aim to:
- listen to you and understand you
- explore the strategies and skills you are already using
- offer helpful insights, strategies and skills tailored to your needs
While our therapy sessions aim to follow the structure outlined above, it’s important to note that the structure may vary based on individual needs and unforeseen circumstances. Your wellbeing is our priority, and we’re committed to addressing any emerging issues or concerns that may arise during our time together.
7. How often do I need to have sessions?
It is recommended that you schedule weekly or fortnightly sessions to begin with and then gradually space them out as needed. Research indicates that more frequent sessions appear to accelerate the rate of improvement compared to less frequent sessions (Robinson, Delgadillo, & Kellett, 2018).
8. What coping skills do you provide?
At our service, we offer research-based psychological skills to empower people to enhance their coping ability. These skills are drawn from therapeutic approaches that have substantial research evidence backing their effectiveness, including cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical-behavior therapy (DBT).
9. What is the cost of a session?
The fee for an individual 50 minute psychological therapy session provided by Dr. Linda Troselj, Clinical Psychologist, is $250.
If you have a referral letter and Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHCP) from your GP, you are eligible to claim a Medicare rebate for clinical psychology sessions. The Medicare rebate for each clinical psychology session is $141.85. Please ensure you have both a referral letter and MHCP ready before your first appointment in order to receive a Medicare rebate. Your GP referral letter will need to request that you receive treatment.
If you are struggling with feelings of stress and anxiety, you can discuss this with your GP who will be able to assess your eligibility for a MHCP and access to government funded sessions by Medicare. This government funding is for people who are experiencing emotional distress and are seeking help from a trained mental health professional.
If you have Private Health Insurance you may be eligible for a partial rebate which you can check with your insurance provider.
Payment method: By credit card
10. Do I need a doctor's referral?
No. Our service provides private individual therapy on a fee paying basis. A doctor’s referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) are not required to access this service. However, if you have a referral letter and Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP you can claim a rebate.
Please ensure you have both a referral letter and MHCP ready before your first appointment in order to receive a Medicare rebate. Your GP referral letter will need to request that you receive treatment.
11. Can I receive a Medicare rebate?
Yes, if you have both a referral letter and Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, you are eligible to claim a Medicare rebate for clinical psychology sessions. The Medicare rebate for each clinical psychology session is $141.85.
Please ensure you have both a referral letter and MHCP ready before your first appointment in order to receive a Medicare rebate. Your GP referral letter will need to request that you receive treatment.
If you are struggling with feelings of stress and anxiety, you can discuss this with your GP who will be able to assess your eligibility for a MHCP and access to government funded sessions by Medicare. This government funding is for people who are experiencing emotional distress and are seeking help from a trained mental health professional.
12. Can I receive a private health rebate?
You may be eligible to claim a partial rebate for psychological therapy from your private health insurance provider if your health insurance policy provides benefits for individual psychological treatment/counselling (extras). Check with your insurance provider for further information about your eligibility.
13. Do you have a cancellation policy?
Yes. We require reasonable notice if you are unable to attend an appointment. When you book an appointment, that time is reserved especially for you. If an appointment is cancelled too late, a cancellation fee will be charged if the appointment slot cannot be filled.
We kindly request a minimum of 24 hours notice to avoid any cancellation fees. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will incur a charge of 50% of the session fee (waived if the appointment slot can be filled), while a no-show or cancellations with less than 2 hours notice will incur a charge of 100% of the session fee.
In exceptional circumstances, discretion will be exercised accordingly.
Please note that the cancellation fee is not rebated by any providers and will need to be covered in full by the client.
14. What is stress and anxiety?
Put simple, stress is characterised by feeling a sense of overwhelm, whereas anxiety is characterised by feeling a sense of fear that something bad is going to happen. Stress and anxiety often co-occur, with stressful events often setting off anxiety, and for this reason this therapy service focuses on supporting people with both.
15. How do I know if my stress and anxiety levels are severe?
Following are several signs that suggest your stress and anxiety levels are severe:
- your social life is severely impacted (e.g., you are avoiding social gatherings, isolating from family and friends, finding it difficult to maintain relationships)
- your find it hard to work (e.g., high absenteeism, inability to concentrate, poor performance)
- it interferes with the quality of your life (e.g., unable to do the things you enjoy)
- you find it hard to perform everyday activities (e.g., driving, preparing meals, housework)
- your anxiety and/or stress is present most days and is long-lasting (e.g., for 6 months or more)
- you are experiencing significant emotional pain
- your find it hard to control your anxiety and stress levels
- you experience frequent, intense and long-lasting unpleasant physical symptoms like muscle tension, rapid breathing, an increased heart rate, sweating and nausea
- you find yourself always wanting to escape or avoid anxiety-provoking situations
If you notice that you are experiencing some of these signs of heightened stress and anxiety, it is recommended that you seek help from your doctor. You may be eligible for for a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) and access to a rebate for sessions by Medicare.
