Paperwork/Informed Consent/FAQ

I'm committed to offering support letters that are both accurate and credible, grounded in a detailed understanding of each client's unique circumstances and requirements. Please consult with the intended recipient that a letter from a counsellor will serve your needs effectively. In many cases,  your General Practitioner or clinical psychologist may be of more value. 

Crafting these official documents is far from trivial. It demands an extensive investment of time and resources to ensure the letter not only meets the specific requirements of the organisation it's intended for but also upholds the highest ethical and legal standards. Given that attaching your name to such a document carries considerable responsibility, impacting one's professional standing, I take this work very seriously and will advocate for you till the end. 

However, due to my tight schedule and commitments across two jobs, my availability is limited. Therefore, please provide ample notice if you require a support letter. It's worth noting that most organisations require evidence of a regular counselling relationship of at least six months before they consider such a letter credible.

 These duties are executed within my constrained time frame, incurring a substantial personal and financial cost for me, while also quickly amassing expenses on your side. My own ND challenges revolve  around writing, so it is a time consuming and taxing process for me, requiring me to put in far greater effort and time than others. You do not pay for my disability, the charge to you is a fraction of the time actually taken, however if you could consider that this is the one area i do need accommodations and be considerate and compassionate it does not go unnoticed, and is greatly appreciated. 

Hence, I strongly encourage you to ascertain that a letter from a counsellor meets the recipient's criteria and holds genuine value for you. If it does, I am more than happy to put in the effort and advocate for your needs. Just please be aware that it does occur at a cost to me, so your compassion and understanding is appreciated. 

By adhering to these guidelines, we can maintain the integrity and credibility of the support letter, offering you the best chance of meeting your objectives.

I am a private pay Certified Practicing Counsellor with a unique skillset, and  I am not affiliated with Medicare. While Medicare rebates or a GP referral may seem like a practical choice for your counselling sessions, self-payment can be particularly beneficial for neurodivergent individuals.

Private Pay Counselling vs. Medicare

Privacy Concerns:

• Utilising Medicare means your details, psychiatric diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress are accessible to Medicare/insurance companies who may have undue influence on your treatment plan.
• This information might also appear on MyHealthRecord.gov.au and have repercussions years down the line. It has been known to be disclosed to potential employers, adoption agencies, or foreign countries in certain situations.
• Ensure privacy and confidentiality with self-payment.

Limited Therapy Options:

• Medicare, private health insurance, and employer assistance programs often restrict the choice of therapist, therapy style, and duration of treatment due to cost concerns.
• They typically offer brief therapy sessions (3, 6, or 12). However, most people need more sessions to address root causes and attain long-lasting change.
• Self-payment allows for a customised treatment plan that matches your individual neurodivergent brain and associated needs.

Potential Stigmatisation:

• Medicare-backed therapy often necessitates a "medical necessity," leading to a mental illness or psychiatric diagnosis.
• This could translate into a potentially stigmatising label that doesn't fully represent the breadth of neurodivergent experiences. Neurodivergence is not a mental illness, but it can end up being one if mishandled. 
• Self-payment allows you to seek therapy without the need for such labels, protecting you from potential future consequences in areas like insurance applications, employment, or adoption procedures. 

Corporate Interference:

• When insurance companies are involved, they may enforce treatment guidelines that overlook the nuances of neurodivergence, and actually be counterproductive in some cases. 
• Self-payment eliminates this corporate interference, ensuring your therapy is personalised and respectful of your unique neurodivergent profile.

Freedom of Therapist Selection:

•  Choose a therapist who shares your unique perspective and understands neurodivergence on a personal level.
•  As a neurodivergent individual myself, I have made it my lifelong passion to explore and understand the intricacies of neurodivergence through research and mentoring from prominent experts in the field. With me, you get a counsellor with a unique skillset,  committed to your growth and self-discovery, armed with insights from personal experiences and professional knowledge.  

Personalised Treatment Approach:

• Neurodivergent individuals may benefit from more flexible and customized therapeutic approach.
• Third parties such as Medicare insurance programs often limit treatment type and duration, which might not align with these needs, if not be downright harmful.
• Self-payment enables you to choose a therapy style and duration that truly supports your neurodivergent experiences.

The Journey of Self-Discovery:

While Medicare rebates or GP referrals may seem tempting, the advantages of privacy, choice, and personalised therapy offered by self-payment can be particularly empowering for neurodivergent individuals. However, Medicare may be the right option for you in certain circumstances. The therapeutic alliance has consistently been demonstrated to be the key factor that creates long-lasting change. You do what is right for you. I just want you to be informed. :)

Counselling is an act of self-care and an investment in your future self, but long-lasting change may require consistent effort and dedication.

I encourage you to take advantage of the many resources, worksheets, ebooks, and infographics offered free of charge, meticulously handpicked and personally purchased by me to provide you with added value throughout your therapeutic journey. These resources have been thoughtfully curated to support your progress and growth, ensuring that your therapeutic experience is enriched and tailored to your unique needs.

Remember, your journey of self-discovery is a personal one, and I am here to support you every step of the way. Whether you choose private pay counselling or opt for Medicare, my commitment to your well-being remains unwavering. Let's work together to achieve lasting positive change in your life. 

Contact me to learn more or schedule a session today.

Similar to many service industries, Safe and Sound Counselling does not provide refunds. If you booked online and paid in advance and have given me the two working  days' notice (my working days in this industry  are Monday-Wednesday), your money will not go to waste. It will be added as a credit to your account. If it was a last-minute cancellation/no-show, then unfortunately the credit does not apply and the fee needs to be charged.  There can be exceptions depending on circumstances, but please note I need to be ensure everyone follows the same policies otherwise it is unfair on others. As we proceed with work on boundaries, the reasonings behind this will become more clear. 

I recognise my policy may seem stricter than others, however not providing refunds is standard practice for many service industries. It is in place to ensure fairness, particularly for those who sought support but were turned away due to booked schedules, limited availability and to respect the time of all involved.  It is important to note there is a cost to  one's work/life balance, the costs go far beyond financial. 

Furthermore, the schedule has been very carefully curated based on other's very limited availability and preparation for each session starts well in advance of each session. 

There are two systems involved that work to protect your payment, making providing refunds an extremely time-consuming administrative burden, which would defeat the purpose of offering an online booking system.

I hope you can understand these policies have risen out of necessity from the experience of running a private practice,  and my realisation that I needed to draw boundaries, and adhere to themself, and consistently,  something that is focussed on quite heavily during my sessions. 

As stated, I strive to maintain fairness and will do my best to be accommodating wherever possible.