Information for
New Clients
It's easy to get help...
1 / Decide whether Brydan is the right fit for you
The first step to getting help is to do some research and decide whether you're ready for therapy and whether Brydan is the right fit for you.
Therapy requires active participation, and its okay if you're not ready yet, Brydan will be here when you are - so come back then.
If you are ready, the next question is - is Brydan the right fit for you? Read the About section, and send an email if you have questions. There's also some great information here for new clients:
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2 / Get a Mental Health Care Plan (if you need one)
Do I need a referral?
The short answer is no. You don't need a referral to schedule an appointment with Brydan. However, you do if you intend to claim a Medicare rebate (read below for more information).
If you have funding from another third-party, Brydan require you to have a referral, but check with the third-party funder, what they require you to do (see below for more information about third-party funders).
GP Referrals and Mental Health Care Plans (MHCP)
If you intend to claim a Medicare rebate, you'll need to speak with your GP to get a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) which operates as a referral for treatmen t with a mental healthcare professional such as a psychologist.
There are different types of Medicare rebates, depending on your situation. But generally, a MHCP is provided under Medicare's Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative.
Better Access - Mental Health Care Plans
Under the Better Access to Mental Health initiative, a GP or psychiatrist can provide clients with a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). Eligible patients may receive up to 10 psychological consultations per calendar year.
A MHCP entitles clients to claim a rebate of $96.65 per session for 6 sessions, and then a possible further 4 sessions if your psychologist and GP determine this would be beneficial. This requires your psychologist to provide an update to your GP (by letter/email), and for you to return to your GP for a review of your plan and approve the additional 4 rebated sessions.
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Brydan's consultation fee is $240 for counselling, leaving an out of pocket expense of $143.35 per session after Medicare's $96.65 rebate.
Medicare does not provide rebates for Testing and Assessments.
Other Medicare Rebate Initiatives for Psychological Services
Other Medicare rebate initiatives for psychology sessions exist for specific groups of people, such as people diagnosed with eating disorders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those with chronic diseases, and pregnant people. Below are the other key Medicare rebate initiatives for psychological services:
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Eating Disorders Plans (EDP)
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Chronic Disease Management Initiative - CDM Plans
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Allied Health Services for Aboriginal and Tirres Strait Islanders
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Mental Health Case Conferences
In order to receive a Medicare rebate, patients must obtain the appropriate plan from a general practitioner or psychiatrist.
Where can I get a MHCP?
Talking to your regular GP is best. If you need don't have one, or can't get an appointment, you may be able to get one through a psychiatrist or an online (telehealth GP) such as through someone.health. But it's best to involve your regular GP, in case they need to discuss other issues with you such as medication or other referrals.
What do I do with the MHCP?
Your GP can forward your MHCP referral to Brydan by email (contact@brydanxavier.com.au) or they can give you a paper copy of the MHCP (they may do both).
If you get a hard-copy of your MHCP, please provide this when completing your booking / when you get your welcome pack with intake forms. It's okay if you just take photos of your paperwork with your phone.
The last options are to email your MHCP directly to Brydan, or simply provide this at your first appointment. However, providing this ahead of your first appointment allows Brydan to prepare a little better ahead of time.
Third Party Funders
Some people have funding from a third-party funder to pay for all or part of their counselling or testing by a psychologist.
If you have access to third-party funding, please contact Brydan prior to your appointment.
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3 / Make an Appointment
It's easy to make an appointment.
1. Follow the link in the top right of this site to schedule an appointment with Brydan.
2. The link takes you to Brydan's Halaxy profile. Halaxy is the practice management system that Brydan uses.
3. Select a Service (In-Clinic or Online) and then select a date and time from the available appointments. If Brydan is quite busy, you may need to book in advance. Contact Brydan by email (contact@brydanxavier.com.au if you can't find a suitable appointment time.
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Note: Brydan also operates an internationally focused psychological practice, where he travels internationally every 2-3 months for approximately 1-2 weeks each time, to provide in-person treatment and then online treatment between travel periods. This means that there may be periods of high-demand for appointments, and he encourages planning appointments in advance so that clients can schedule appointments that align with their preferences.
4. Complete the form
5. If you don't already have a Halaxy client profile, you'll be asked to confirm your phone number and create a profile.
6. Your appointment will have a status of 'pending' until it has been accepted and confirmed. You will receive a notification (email / SMS) once this happens.
4 / Complete Intake Form and provide MHCP
Once you've scheduled an appointment, you will receive an email asking you to complete an intake form online. So that you and Brydan can make the most of your session time, please complete these before your appointment.
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If you have a Mental Health Care Plan, please upload it, but you can also email it to Brydan, upload it later, or bring it to your first session if attending in person. It's okay if uploads are photographs of your MHCP & referral letter.
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Providing your MHCP and completing the intake form allows Brydan to prepare appropriately prior to your initial session.
5 / Attend your first session
You'll receive reminders as your first appointment approaches, but it's a good idea to put it in your diary or calendar to make sure you don't double-book yourself.
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It can be a bit anxiety-provoking, to attend your first session or meeting a new psychologist for the first t. But rest assured, the first session or two is about getting to know each other, gaining a better understanding of what you're experiencing, and developing an idea of how to move forward with treatment. You may want to revisit the videos on the What is Therapy? page. It's standard to complete some questionnaires to help with this process and to measure the effectiveness of treatment.
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Make sure to read the Frequently Asked Questions page for information about preparing for your first session, fees, rebates and cancellation fees. Cancellations and reschedules are possible up to 1 business day ahead of your session, otherwise a 50% cancellation fee applies.
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If you're attending in-person, make sure to allow some time to find parking (there's information on the FAQ page) and if your session is online, make sure that you have a quiet and private space, maybe also have some paper, a pen, and some water close-by.