FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I make an appointment?
You may be referred via your GP or another agency, or you are also welcome to contact us directly.
Each psychologist runs their own diary and makes their own appointments. Please contact the psychologist you wish to see directly via email or phone.
You are likely reach voicemail if we are in a session – please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as we can.
What are your fees?
Our fees vary depending on the services provided. A standard consultation is usually somewhere between $170-$184 (GST-inclusive) for a 50-minute consultation. Please contact your preferred psychologist directly to enquire about their fee.
Payment is expected at time of consultation (EFTPOS is available. Some of our clinicians also offer credit card facilities for an additional small administrative cost).
Invoiced services, professional supervision, couples / groups, offsite consultations and other specialist work may be charged at different rates.
What is your cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, we require at least 24 hours notice to avoid being charged part or all of the fee. This allow us enough time to offer the appointment to another client who may be on a cancellation list waiting for an appointment.
How many sessions will I need?
It is difficult to predict how many sessions you may need to assist you in reaching your goals. However, we are committed to providing short term, goal-oriented, effective therapy usually targeted around 6-12 sessions. We will work with you to identify goals, and will regularly review progress to ensure we are working effectively.
If you have been referred by your GP via a funded programme such as the CCM Depression Programme, you would usually be funded for between 3-6 sessions.
Do you work after hours?
At Highland Park Medical Centre we have a clinician available on Thursday evenings until 8pm, and some clinicians may have availability on other evenings until 6pm.
At Pakuranga Medical Centre we have a clinician available on some weekday evenings until 6pm or 7pm.
Will my information be kept private?
Clinical psychologists are bound by the NZ Psychologists Code of Ethics. This means that we are bound to keep your information confidential unless you give us permission to share it (e.g. it may be helpful to share relevant issues with your GP or with certain members of your family).
There is one important exception to this rule: if you are at risk of seriously harming yourself or someone else we may be legally obliged to break confidentiality to protect yourself and/or others. However, if this is necessary we would make every effort to discuss this process with you and agree on a joint plan of action to ensure your safety and dignity.
If you are consulting with us for the purpose of preparing a report for a third party (e.g. Oranga Tamariki, ACC), then limits on confidentiality will be determined by the purpose of the report, and will be discussed with you in advance.