Orchid Tree Psychology

Supporting Mental Health in Sydney

Mental Health Sydney

At Orchid Tree Psychology, our psychologists are committed to supporting our clients’ mental health through collaborative online consultation. Our professional psychologists are empathetic and sensitive to our patients’ different cultural backgrounds and lived experience. We believe firmly that in a mental health support program, psychologists should be transparent and mindful not to become a crutch to their clients. It is the role of a psychologist to be a guide and a support--to assist their clients in growing and developing on their mental health journey.  

Clinical Psychology Sydney
Sydney Clinical Psychologist

What to expect when you contact a clinical psychologist for mental health support?

When you first contact a clinical psychologist, you will go through a structured, intake process so that our team can understand your background, experiences and any mental health issues you feel you are facing. The intake process allows our team at Orchid Tree Psychology to assess which of our clinical psychologists may be able to best assist you with your mental health concerns. This intake process can take place over the phone or via email if it feels too daunting to talk about mental health in the first instance. Learning about you is crucial if a psychologist is to be able to help. After all, you are the most important person on your mental health journey.   

What to expect during your counselling sessions with Orchid Tree Psychology

At Orchid Tree Psychology, we believe there is no one-size-fits-all therapy, so an individualised treatment plan will be discussed after assessment and reviewed throughout your engagement with your psychologist.

For most people, the first session will comprise an assessment where the psychologist will speak with the individual, and/or family when relevant (e.g., when working with children). The psychologist will seek to formulate a treatment plan with you by the end of the first session, but we recognise that some patients may require more time to feel comfortable reaching that point on their mental health journey.

By the end of the second session, the psychologist will be able to give you an indication of the number of sessions that will be required and will also make a recommendation on frequency.

  • Anyone can benefit from mental health support if they feel like psychological challenges they are experiencing are impacting their quality of life. It is perfectly normal to experience ups-and-downs in our mental health as we transition through different stages of life, or from the stress from the busy Sydney lifestyle. There are many strategies to manage mental health which you can explore with an Orchid Tree Psychologist.   

  • You should see a clinical psychologist if your mental health concerns have been sustained for a period, seem to be getting worse, or are starting to significantly impact your study, work, family or relationships.

  • A clinical psychologist in Sydney costs around AU$250 per one-to-one session for mental health support. Medicare rebates are available for one-to-one clinical psychology rates (e.g. for a 50-minute session, you can receive a rebate of $141.85 AUD, meaning an out-of-pocket fee of $88.15 AUD)

    # At Orchid Tree Psychology Sydney, our psychologists also provide couples counselling sessions which are charged at a separate rate.

  • Not everyone needs a diagnosis to benefit from seeing a clinical psychologist. Even if you don’t meet the benchmark for a formal diagnosis, seeing a psychologist can still be beneficial for your mental health. It is important to recognize that any mental health concern is valid if it is causing you distress. For therapy to work, we aim to understand how a problem is maintained by examining any underlying vicious cycle or influencing factors. Depending on where you are in your mental health journey, an Orchid Tree psychologist may recommend different levels of treatment. For example, someone with emerging symptoms who is highly motivated to work with prescribed self-help resources might find bi-monthly sessions appropriate. For others, they may find they prefer weekly therapy sessions with a psychologist to support their mental health.

  • Therapy takes different lengths of time for different people. The duration of therapy also varies depending on individuals’ mental health concerns. For mild to moderate levels of anxiety and mood problems, clients might work with their psychologist for around 10 sessions. Sometimes, a break is recommended so clients can build their autonomy using the tools gained from therapy and return for troubleshooting or advanced intervention as needed. When working with clients recovering from trauma or complex trauma may take longer, a psychologist may recommend more frequent sessions initially (e.g., 1-2 sessions every fortnight) with the aim of spacing them out as treatment progresses (e.g., monthly sessions with occasional phone check-ins). Such an approach helps to build stamina and autonomy while allowing the psychologist to adequately address mental health concerns.