FAQ's
What is Counselling & Psychotherapy
The following information is provided by the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), the peak professional organisation for counsellors and psychotherapists in Australia.
Counselling and Psychotherapy
Counselling and psychotherapy are professional services that support people to develop better understanding of themselves and others, address life difficulties and make the changes they want in their lives.
Counsellors and psychotherapists draw on a wide range of therapy interventions and are highly skilled in working across the spectrum of life difficulties.
Counsellors and the psychotherapists work with current problems, crises, and longer term difficulties. They provide both short and long-term services according to people’s needs. Counsellors and psychotherapists work with individuals, couples, families and groups, according to their training.
Professional counsellors and psychotherapists work within clearly contracted, ethical relationships to support people to explore and resolve life difficulties…Counsellors and psychotherapists work with respect for their clients, their values, their beliefs, their uniqueness and their right to self-determination.
Training and Qualifications
Counsellors and psychotherapists have in-depth training over several years. Training is provided by universities and private training institutes. PACFA sets a high level of training standards and accredits counselling and psychotherapy training programs.
Reproduced with permission from PACFA.
What is the difference between Psychologists and Psychiatrists?
Counselling and Clinical Psychologists have at least 6 years of university training and supervised experience. They also hold a Masters level qualification in psychology. They have postgraduate training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness but do not have the ability to prescribe medications. To see a psychologist you don’t need a referral.
Psychiatrists are medically trained doctors who then do at least five years specialist training in mental health. Because they are doctors, psychiatrists understand both mental health and physical problems, provide general medical care and can prescribe medications. To see a psychiatrist you need a referral from your GP.
Do I need a referral to see a practitioner at Capstone Centre?
Do I need a referral to see a practitioner at Capstone Centre?
How do I make an appointment?
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
What information do you collect?
What information do you collect?
What is a Mental Health Care Treatment Plan?
What is a Mental Health Care Treatment Plan?
You may be eligible for certain Medicare rebateable allied mental health services once you have:
- a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan in place or
- are being managed by a GP under a referred psychiatrist assessment and management plan or
- been referred by a psychiatrist or paediatrician.
Your GP or psychiatrist can refer you for up to six individual or six group allied mental health services, which may comprise either psychological assessment and therapy by a clinical psychologist or focussed psychological strategies provided by appropriately qualified allied health professionals e.g. eligible psychologists and occupational therapists. It is at the clinical discretion of your referring practitioner as to the number of allied mental health services you will be referred for (to a maximum of six in any one referral).
