Psychology Newcastle: What To Expect At Your First Psychologist Appointment

Your first experience accessing mental health care may cause some anxiety. Even if you’ve previously undertaken psychological therapy, it’s normal to feel some nervousness when seeing a new clinician. This article aims to provide some information on what you can expect when making an appointment to see a psychologist.

How do I make an appointment?

The first step in preparing for your consultation is to make an appointment with us. We recommend you start by reading our previous blog, Providing Better Access to clinical psychology therapy services in Newcastle, which explains our fees, the Medicare rebate available for some patients, and private health insurance options. When you are ready to make an appointment you can call, email or fill out our contact form. Both face-to-face and telehealth consultations are available through our practice.

Visit our Fees page for more information about what you can expect to pay.

Who are the psychologists on your team, and who is best for my mental health concern?

We have a number of clinical psychologists on our team. Our Newcastle-based clinical psychologists have experience in delivering a range of evidence-based mental health treatments, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), schema therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and compassion-focused therapy.

When you first contact our practice, our admin team will ask for some brief information about your presenting difficulties, in order to match you with a psychologist who is suitable to meet your needs. You can find a list of our clinical psychologists on our Team Page. If you have a preference for which psychologist you would like to see, you can let our admin team know, and they will do their best to facilitate your request.

What kind of information will my therapist want to know?

Your first session will be about trying to understand what is happening in your life right now that has motivated you to make an appointment. You, your GP or your psychiatrist may have already identified a specific psychological concern, such as anxiety, sleep difficulties or other health issues; however, this is not essential.

During your first session – whether at our practice or via telehealth – your clinician will conduct an initial assessment to gain an understanding of your difficulties or mental health concerns, and to develop a shared understanding of your goals and expectations. They will do this through some establishing questions, and guiding your conversation. They may also ask you to fill out a short questionnaire to survey your recent experiences, moods and emotions.

All conversations with your psychologist are strictly confidential. There are exceptions to confidentiality, including the legal obligation to break confidentiality if they believe you or other people are unsafe, or if subpoenaed by a court of law. If they are required to break confidentiality, they will do their best to discuss this with you first.

Your clinician will pace the session at a level that will work for you. They will welcome your participation, so do ask them any questions you have about the process.

At the conclusion of the initial session, your clinician may discuss treatment options with you, including therapeutic approach and frequency of ongoing sessions.

Visit our What to expect page for more information about accessing our service.

Our area of service and how to contact us

We provide clinical psychology services to people over the age of 18 in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter area. Our office is located in Newcastle West. For more information on the psychological services we provide, please visit our services and assessments pages.

Visit our Contact us page for more information about how to get in touch.

Disclaimer

The content provided on this blog is intended for Australian audiences and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as professional psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information shared here is based on general knowledge and experience in the field of psychology, but it may not be applicable to your specific situation.

Always seek the advice of your psychologist or other qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a psychological condition or treatment. Never disregard professional psychological advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.

If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor, or dial 000 immediately. This blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

The opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any affiliated organisations or institutions.