Appointments & Fees
Appointments
Psychotherapy sessions are 50 minutes, and we tend to start and finish on time. It is possible to negotiate a different timeframe if, for example, you have to travel a long distance to attend sessions or for other reasons.
Fees reflect the qualifications and experience of the therapist. That said, we aim to keep fees in line with an appropriate professional standard. We don’t quote a specific figure for fees here as there can be some variation depending upon what is needed (and wanted).
We believe that the cost of therapy should not create a greater burden than what brings someone to therapy in the first place. To make the cost of therapy manageable, we space out the interval between appointments where feasible. When a client is in crisis or needs more frequent sessions, spacing out sessions is not optimal.
Usually, psychotherapy is open-ended. This means that we do not determine an endpoint at the outset. Changing the frequency of sessions or finishing regular sessions is mutually determined and can be raised at any point. Many clients find they wish to return down the track at some stage after completing their initial sessions. It can be of benefit to pick up with a therapist where you left off, to see someone who already knows you, your history and prior experience of working together.
Therapy works best for those who want it.
Fee Policy
Most sessions are paid for at the end of the session. We have a merchant terminal for EFT and credit card transactions, also for Apple Wallet. With the advent of telehealth and Zoom online sessions, we do send out invoices though we appreciate prompt settlement.
When fees are outstanding for more than 14 days, a late fee of $55 is applied, and again after a further two weeks. When accounts are unpaid after 28 days they are automatically sent to Debt Collection for recovery and there are further costs borne by the client.
If you suffer hardship and you have difficulty with an outstanding account, please communicate with us and discuss your circumstances. We are open to deferring payments or making a payment plan where clients are responsible, genuine, and follow through with an agreement.
We respectfully remind you that signing the client contact form given at the first meeting is a legal undertaking to be liable for your account.
Free initial consultation
You can make a full appointment from the get-go if wanted but we often suggest a free half-hour initial consultation first. It gives an opportunity to meet, discuss what you are seeking help with, and then if you wish to proceed we can discuss appointments and fees.
Call us on 08 9383 3132 or email info@amygdala.com.au to book your free initial consultation.