FAQs

Therapy can assist with many different problems, including clinically diagnosed mental health conditions like depression and anxiety - through to difficulty with adjustment to life challenges, like grief, loss of direction in life or stress and burnout. Whether your challenges are long-standing or have arrived relatively recently, we can all benefit from talking to someone who is neutral and can bring a professional, objective perspective to our situation. Therapy can provide you with an opportunity for growth - it affords you the chance to make positive and beneficial changes for your future.

Simply call reception on (07) 5222 5655 or email admin@drcarlyfay.com to discuss any questions you may have and book in your first appointment. If you are calling outside of the reception hours, please leave a message and the team will get back to you within one business day.

The first session is an opportunity for us to develop a shared understanding of what is happening for you and start to try to understand why. It’s also an important time to address any questions you may have, discuss confidentiality and develop a treatment plan together. This first session is also about making sure that I am the right fit for you as a therapist – you have to feel that I understand the issue, can understand you and that I will be someone you can work with to move forward.

No – you may be seen as a private patient if you wish. Simply contact the reception team to discuss any questions you may have and book an appointment on (07) 5222 5655 or via email admin@drcarlyfay.com

If you would like to access a Medicare rebate, you will need a referral (called a Mental Health Treatment Plan) from your GP or psychiatrist. Please see below for further information about this.

Yes - Medicare rebates are available for seeing a psychologist under the Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative. To access a rebate, you will need a written referral, provided by your GP or psychiatrist. Your GP will also need to provide a written Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) – this allows you to access an initial 6 sessions with a rebate of $137.05 per session (when seeing a clinical psychologist). If needed, a further 4 sessions are available following a review with your GP.

To access rebates under Medicare, you need to book a longer appointment with your GP to request a MHTP. At this appointment, you will be able to discuss your reasons for wanting a referral and complete a few short questionnaires to check your eligibility. Your GP may have a psychologist in mind, but you are able to request a direct referral to the psychologist of your choice.

If you have private health insurance with extras cover, you may be able to claim back part of your session fee. Contact your private health fund to see if you are eligible. Please note you are not able to claim both a Medicare rebate and a rebate from your private health fund simultaneously.

In order to provide the best psychological service, whilst also maintaining the safety of clients and the broader community, I am triple-vaccinated. Consideration has been given to practising safely in the context of COVID - with the passing of the Omicron peak in Queensland, sessions are available face-to-face without face masks, as the Queensland government mask mandates for healthcare settings have ended as of 31/10/22. If you would prefer that Dr Fay remain masked for your sessions, this need can easily be accommodated with prior arrangement.

If you are concerned about health vulnerabilities, telehealth sessions are available and are easily accessed by clicking on an emailed link that provides access to a secure video call online via PowerDiary. No software download is required and the link can be opened on computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The PowerDiary platform complies with all of the security and privacy requirements of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority and the Australian Psychological Society.

As appointments are in demand, at least 24 business hours notice is required if you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, or a cancellation fee of 50% of the session rate ($125 weekday appointment) will be charged.

If you cancel your appointment on the day or fail to attend the appointment, the full session fee will be charged. Late cancellations and failures to attend impact on your progress in therapy, as well as other clients who may have benefited from that session of therapy.

If you are unable to attend due to sudden illness or personal emergency, please advise as soon as possible (if after hours, please leave a message).

Telehealth sessions are conducted online, as a video call, and are a secure and simple way to engage in therapy. To access the session, you simply click on a unique link that is emailed the day prior to session to connect with the client portal provided by PowerDiary. There is no software to download, the link opens in a browser and can be accessed on computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. All that is required is a private space and a stable internet connection.

Many clients say that telehealth sessions offer greater flexibility and efficiency by reducing travel time and increasing accessibility.