For adults, the first appointment will typically involve an explanation of confidentiality, followed by an assessment interview (i.e. asking a range of questions about the issue you want help with), setting goals, and developing a plan for treatment. I'll ask you to fill in one or two questionnaires, and will give you information about my privacy policy and your rights as a client. I'll check it's okay to write back to your GP, which is standard procedure after the first appointment. Each appointment will run for approximately 55 minutes. Payment is made via direct deposit, and the rebate is processed shortly after payment.

For children and adolescents, I will see parents alone for part of the appointment, and will usually ask for questionnaires to be completed by parents and teachers. This is to ensure that my assessment is thorough and that the direction and strategies I suggest are relevant to you.

For both adults and children, meeting weekly or fortnightly for up to 10 appointments is typical.

In order to get the most out of treatment, it's important that time's available outside the therapy hour to complete tasks we discuss and plan in therapy. An appointment with a psychologist is one hour per week which, alone, usually isn't enough to meet your goals. While some people find that just speaking to someone helps, for most people to overcome the issues they have, time is needed between sessions to dedicate to treatment activities. This could involve reading some information sheets, completing questionnaires, monitoring yours or your child's thoughts/emotions/behaviour, or facing fears in small steps.