FAQs

• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
• Parentline: 1300 301 300

At seen(x)heard we see 12 to 25 year olds.

This is a unique developmental stage that sees a young person transition through a number of important milestones. Because we’re familiar with the unique challenges and strengths this age group presents with, we can use a developmentally appropriate and targeted approach to supporting them.

You don’t need a referral to see us. However, if you would like to claim the Medicare rebate you will need a referral and Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

You can view our full fee schedule and available rebates here.

Your private health fund may offer rebates for Occupational Therapy. You will need to contact them to discuss further. You can get a Medicare rebate for focussed psychological strategies for eligible mental health disorders (this is called the Better Access to Mental Health Care Scheme — BAMH). You will need a referral and mental health care plan from your GP, or a referral from a paediatrician or psychiatrist.

Under the BAMH scheme you are eligible to receive up to 20 rebated sessions per calendar year. The Medicare rebate is typically $77.80. The rebate can be higher if you have reached the Medicare safety net threshold for the year.

Seeing an effective counsellor will create a safe space where you’ll gain clarity and support to move forward in your mental wellness. This is done in a number of ways depending on your needs (please see “What kind of therapy do you offer?” below).

It’s very common to feel anxious and uncertain about seeing a counsellor, whether it’s for the first time or not. At seen(x)heard our priority is to provide psychological safety, compassion, and acceptance.

No matter how many self-help books, blogs, videos, and podcasts we consume, nothing is as powerful as being in the presence of someone that makes you feel “seen and heard”.

Wholehearted practical therapy!

This means we offer a range of therapeutic approaches that suits the needs of the young person. Therapeutic approaches include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution-Focussed Therapy, trauma recovery, expressive therapies, and sensory approaches.

But fundamentally, all our therapeutic approaches are strengths-based and client-centred. This means we focus on you and what you need to live your most fulfilling life.

Please read below, “How are you different to a psychologist?”

Great question!

As a counsellor and mental health OT I like to gain a deeper understanding of the meaningful roles you perform (e.g. student, friend, partner, worker, family member, citizen), the environment you function in (e.g. school/uni, work, home, social settings), and the everyday meaningful activities (we call these ‘occupations’) that you want/need to perform. I then combine this with my knowledge of psychosocial development, psychopathology, neurobiology, and systems theory to see where there may be strengths or barriers that may help or hinder your wellbeing and functioning.

It’s not just about understanding what causes your issues, but what maintains or perpetuates them.

If you’re under 18 years old the first consultation (70-minutes) is split between the young person and their primary caregiver. This gives a chance for both parties to speak privately with the therapist about their concerns. Balancing the needs of the young person and primary caregivers is a fine art. Although the relationship is primarily with the young person, the support of caregivers is paramount in achieving positive outcomes. If you’re over 18 years old you’re not required to bring a caregiver with you.

These first visits tend to be more of an interview style where the therapist will spend a lot of time gathering information, and will be primarily lead by the therapist. This information helps the therapist with their formulation (creating a clinical picture) that will guide treatment planning. Subsequent sessions (50-minutes) look very different and are more driven by the young person. Please don’t be put off by the initial consultation! This is not what wholehearted practical therapy looks like, but it’s necessary.

Young person:

1. Please complete the pre-session questionnaire. It’s quite lengthy, so set aside some time and complete it in one go, or do it in chunks — whatever works for you.
   
   
2. Muster up your courage and present as your unfiltered authentic self.

Primary caregivers:

1. Please complete the pre-session questionnaire. It’s quite comprehensive, we like to understand family history, developmental history, and your general understanding of the situation. So set aside some time and a cuppa.

How long is a piece of string?!

This really depends on a number of factors ranging from how distressed or shut-down the young person is, time available, finances, and external factors outside of the young person’s control.

Experience has shown that often weekly to fortnightly sessions are helpful at the beginning to get the therapeutic process kick-started. Then it may extend to longer periods between sessions as the young person feels better able to cope. This may change back to more frequent sessions if something comes up that requires extra support.

Medicare will rebate 20 sessions per calendar year if you have a Mental Health Care Plan. Originally it was only 10, but this has now increased to 20 due to the impact of COVID-19 on mental wellbeing — at the time of writing this, the additional 10 sessions are available until 30 June 2022.

• If you’re at risk of hurting yourself
• If someone is hurting you
• If you’re hurting someone
• If the law requires your client files

I can communicate with significant figures with your consent. If the communication is extensive or complicated a pro-rata fee will be charged. I am mandated to communicate with your GP/referrer if you’re under a Mental Health Care Plan.

This is something we are considering with the ever-changing landscape created by COVID-19.

At this stage seen(x)heard do not offer OT assessments.

Pause.

We all have habits and patterns of communicating and relating with our young ones that don’t serve us or them.

Pause.

Recognise and acknowledge that things need to be different and you’ve taken the next steps by seeking therapy for your young person — this is significant.

Pause.

Seeking therapy for yourself or surrounding yourself with supportive and non-judgemental people will help you to help them.

We will consider combined sessions with the young person and primary caregiver if requested or indicated. This needs to be offered with caution so as not to rupture the therapeutic alliance between the young person and therapist.

Yes I do, I like to practice what I preach.

I know what it’s like to be in the “hot seat”, feeling raw and vulnerable. It takes guts and hard work to go to therapy — I know what it’s like to be “seen and heard”, it’s amazing and transformative.

You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.

It’s daunting seeing a mental health professional. Encourage your child to explore our website and watch some of our videos (coming soon!) Sometimes it helps to put a face to the service and demystify the therapy process.