Frequently Asked Questions
What is a psychologist?
A psychologist is a mental health professional trained in understanding how people feel, think, behave, and interact. In Australia, psychology is a regulated profession and psychologists require a minimum of six years of university training and supervised experience. Psychologists must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Psychology Board of Australia. Psychologists are also required to undertake ongoing professional development to maintain this registration.
Robyn Ming, the principal psychologist at Navigation Psychology, is registered with AHPRA and the Psychology Board of Australia. She is also a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and practices in accordance with the APS Code of Ethics.
What is a clinical psychologist?
A clinical psychologist is an AHPRA registered psychologist who has obtained an endorsement in the area of clinical psychology practice. This means, in addition to their 6-year sequence of education and training to meet minimum requirements for general registration as a psychologist, they have also completed additional postgraduate training in the area of clinical psychology.
Clinical psychologists are trained in the assessment and diagnosis of mental health conditions, ranging from mild to severe. They are trained to use a range of psychological therapist to treat a wide variety of mental health conditions.
Do I need a referral?
You do not require a referral to attend appointments. However, with a mental health care plan from your doctor, you are eligible for ten Medicare rebates each calendar year. Rebates help to cover the cost of each session, lowering your out-of-pocket amount.
When are appointments available?
We understand people lead busy lives and cannot always attend appointments during business hours. Appointments are available from 10am-6pm on weekdays and 10am-1pm on Saturdays.
Where are you located? Are your offices accessible?
We are located at 516a Dorset Road, Croydon South, working out of the Next Season Counselling rooms, between the Merrindale Medical Centre and the pharmacy.
Our offices are easily accessible by public transport, a 50m walk from the Belmont Rd/Dorset Rd bus stop. There is plentiful parking available for those who drive.
There are stairs leading to the offices – please contact us if you have any accessibility requirements and we can make alternate arrangements.
What can I expect in my first session?
In your first appointment, we will explain how we work, and answer any questions you may have. We will also discuss the reasons you are seeking support, and explore your background history to help us understand what may be impacting your current experience. We can work together to decide how to best meet your goals.
Appointments typically run for 50 minutes, and are usually scheduled on a fortnightly basis, however we can change the frequency of appointments to suit your needs (i.e. scheduling on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis).
Are sessions confidential?
Anything you discuss in session with your psychologist is confidential, however there are some exceptions where confidentiality can be breached by the psychologist.
These include:
· The contents of the session may be discussed with a supervisor, but your identity will remain protected
· We may require to disclose content of session if you or another person is at serious risk of harm
· We may be required to disclose information if case notes are subpoenaed to give evidence at court