Appointment Information

At Tuned in Couples®, I am committed to offering the best possible care to my clients. I offer a highly specialised service in a boutique practice where I can focus on being truly present to meet your needs.

That means I structure my day and my week to have time to refresh and rejuvenate myself. I know it is important to practice the same self-care strategies I emphasise to my clients.

You deserve better than to have me rushing you out the door to see the next client in a factory line production.  If I was to run a bulk billing practice, I would have to increase my work volume to cover the overheads. That would be stressful and I would not be able to offer the length of sessions which I know get the best outcomes for clients.

Standard Consultation Fees

The standard consultation for individuals is 50 minutes long.

• Fee for service is $330.00
• If you have a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan a medicare rebate of $137.05 may apply.

The standard consultation for couples is 90 minutes long.

• Fee for service is $570 for this extended session.
• This includes the Gottman Relationship Checkup which valued at approximately $55 (depending on the US exchange rate).

I do meet with couples individually for 50 minutes during the assessment phase.  The fee for that service is $380.

Telephone calls or email contact lasting more than 15 minutes are charged at a pro-rata amount for the 45-60 minutes session.

 Cancellation Fees

I have a long wait list and it is disappointing to have valuable times being cancelled. Please provide 48 hour’s notice if you need to cancel your appointment and no fee will be charged.

If you cancel with 24-48 hour’s notice, you will be charged half the standard fee. That is $165 for the individual session, or $285 for the 90 minute sessions.

Any cancellation on the same day will incur the full fee.

There are different ways to cover the price of your sessions.

 Individual sessions may be subsidised by the Better Access to Mental Health Plan
If your General Practitioner considers you qualify, they may provide you with a Mental Health Care Plan which allows you to have up to 10 sessions of assistance with a psychologist.  It is suggested that you book a longer appointment to discuss this option with your doctor.  A report is required after the first 6 sessions in order to access further assistance.

We are not a “bulk billing” clinic. Consultations are required to  be paid in full on the day. You will be issued with a receipt that you  could present to Medicare for a rebate if you are eligible.  The current rebate to see a Clinical Psychologist for individual work is $137.05.

Unfortunately, Mental Health Care Plans are not designed for relationship issues and I am not permitted to use them for couples counselling.  They are designed for individual mood problems.

Subsidised by your private health cover.
The amount of rebate varies from health scheme to health scheme depending on your extras.  You may be able to submit your receipt to the fund and receive some money back.  Unfortunately, it is not permitted to claim both the Mental Health Care Plan as well as private health.  That is seen as “double-dipping”.

Private: pay directly by cash or credit card.

Intensive Relationship Assessment for Couples

This includes 5 hours of the Gottman relationship and personal history assessment, administration and interpretation of the  Gottman Relationship Assessment Questionnaire and a feedback session explaining the possible treatment plan to improve this relationship.

Fee for this specialised service is $2300

This is a commitment of time and I ask that a non-refundable deposit of $1,000 is required to hold this booking.

Intensive or  Marathon Therapy Fees

This is an investment of your time and money. Private Health plans and Medicare do not cover these intensive services.

• In these more specialised cases the rates are;
• $2495 for each day of therapy.
• Many couples find 4-6 hours of therapy repeated across  3 consecutive days( ie 12-18 hours) can be useful in resolving many issues. this is backed by current research with the Gottman Institute.

A marathon is a big commitment in time and I ask that a non-refundable deposit of half the amount be paid in advance to hold that option for you.

It is also possible to provide Mini-intensives of 3 hours at the cost of $1140.  These are only available after the initial assessment phase has been completed and we have a clear agenda. Many individuals and couples have found that to be a convenient way to fit psychological support into their busy schedules.