Your Guide to Fees, Available Rebates, and Helpful Answers
All payments for psychological services are required in full upon booking or on the day of your appointment. Please speak to our friendly reception team if you have any questions regarding payment.
No, you do not need a referral to see a psychologist, however, if you wish to receive a Medicare rebate you are required to present with a valid Mental Care Plan (MHCP).
A full fee will apply without an MHCP.
If you have a valid referral from a GP or a Paediatrician/Psychiatrist for a Mental Health Care Plan you will be eligible to receive a Medicare rebate of $96.65 per individual session for up to 10 sessions per calendar year for General Psychologist and $141.85 per individual sessions for up to 10 session per calendar year for Clinical Psychologist (as per Government Guidelines).
Rebates can only be processed from the date of the referral letter. If we have your complete Medicare details and those of the parent claimant, we will usually be able to process these rebates on your behalf.
Paediatricians and psychiatrists can also refer for counselling under the same scheme. Other Medicare treatment options are available for eating disorders and chronic disease management.
Please note that 2 sessions of a child’s mental health care plan can be used for parenting support.
Most assessment services at Internal Sunshine are privately funded, with limited Medicare rebates available.
If you are under 25 and currently under the care of a paediatrician or psychiatrist, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate under the Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorder or Eligible Disability scheme. To access this rebate, you must obtain a referral letter from your paediatrician or psychiatrist specifically requesting an assessment for a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. If the referral does not clearly state this (e.g., an Autism assessment request or mention of the Helping Children with Autism scheme), a rebate cannot be applied.
Rebates can only be processed from the date on the referral letter. If we have your complete Medicare details and those of the parent claimant (if applicable), we can usually process the rebate on your behalf.
Please note that referrals from a general practitioner (GP) typically do not qualify for this rebate unless the assessment is for an eligible disability.
For more information, please visit Medicare’s official website or speak with your healthcare provider.
If you plan to use NDIS funding for your assessment or therapy, please let us know whether you are self-managed or plan-managed. If you are plan-managed, we will also need the contact details of your plan manager. Additionally, please ensure that psychology is included as an approved service in your NDIS plan.
If you have private health insurance that includes psychological counselling as extra cover, you may be eligible for a partial rebate. We recommend you contact your insurance provider for further information.
Yes, we do. You are required to send through all relevant documentation before your first appointment. Including a letter from Workcover Insurance.
Here are a few steps to take before you make a booking:
Yes, we do.
Under NDIS, you may be able to access therapy/training by a psychologist to assist in capacity building and daily living skills. We support both self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants who require psychological support. We do not provide service to NDIA registered clients.
If you are self-managed, you are required to pay for service at the time of consultation. A payment receipt can be submitted to NDIS for reimbursement, this is the responsibility of the client.
More information about NDIS registration can be found here
After making your booking, you will be sent an introductory email confirming your appointment date, time, and location. You will also be sent an email with the Intake form, which requests your personal information and provides you with details about our policies and procedures including cancellation and telehealth policy. You must return this form back 48 hours before your first session.
If you are seeking support for your child/ren please note this important information: you are not required to bring your child to the first session (initial appointment). The first session is generally with the parent/guardian. This is an information-gathering session and the child does not need to present.
When you come into the clinic you may not be greeted by a receptionist, we encourage you to take a seat in the waiting area, and your psychologist will Do you see clients through Workcover. I come out to greet you at the time of your appointment.
If you haven’t already sent through your MHCP we encourage you to bring it along to the first session and hand it over to your psychologist.
During the first session, your psychologist will spend time understanding your concerns while exploring relevant background history including information about your or your child’s birth and development, family, social relationships, work history, and any previous psychological support. This information will help your psychologist understand what your current concerns are, your triggers, and what is maintaining your current issues.
All information disclosed in session is confidential unless you are at risk or harm to yourself or to someone else. Or if your psychologist learns that a child or elderly is at risk of harm. The only other time a psychologist may need to involve another person is if there is a court order in place. Your psychologist will discuss this with you should there be a need.
Sessions at Internal Sunshine are typically 50 minutes long. Unless you are coming in for an assessment in which case sessions vary depending on the type of assessment. For further information please reach out to our friendly reception team for guidance.
This depends on the presenting concerns and is generally discussed with your psychologist on the first session. Usually, clients attend either weekly or fortnightly sessions and then over the period of therapy, the gap between appointments is increased.
As part of our comprehensive assessment for Autism, ADHD, and Learning Disability, we do have the option of seeing clients outside of the clinic for observation.
We also understand that sometimes, young clients find it easier to have assessments completed in an environment they are familiar with such as their school, this helps with easing anxiety. As such we provide psychological testing in a child’s school setting if need be. For further information it is best you discuss this option with your psychologist.
Provisional psychologists refer to psychologists who are completing either their 5th or 6th year of training to become fully registered psychologists (AKA psychologists). They have completed 4 to 5 years of formal education and have had a few years of industry experience.
Internal Sunshine provisional psychologists have been selected to be part of our team due to their extensive experience in providing service and their dedication to providing utmost care, and service to their clients.
Yes, we have psychologists who speak Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi, Dari.
Yes, we do.
All our psychologists are trained in providing evidence-based assessment services for Autism, ADHD, and Educational assessments (including Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Dysgraphia). We use the latest research and tests along with comprehensive interviews both with parents, adults, and/or teachers to inform our assessments. We strive to provide high-standard assessments and reports, this is why we take our time and due diligence in completing each assessment.
Our assessments aim to inform the diagnostic process, which in turn will help shape the development of an appropriate treatment plan for you or your child.
When you book an appointment, that time is reserved exclusively for you. Late cancellations make it difficult to rebook the slot, impacting both our service and the psychologist’s income.
The cancellation fee ensures we can continue providing responsible, sustainable, and high-quality care. Each appointment represents a dedicated hour reserved specifically for you. Unlike shorter medical consultations, filling late cancellations is challenging, as another client must be available during that time. With psychologists typically offering just 3–5 appointments a day, each session is a valuable resource for both our clients and the psychologist’s livelihood. To minimise disruption, our 48-hour cancellation policy applies to business days only:
If you cancel within 48 hours, we will attempt to offer a telehealth session — (note: this is an industry-standard policy and based on the guidelines provided by the peak body for psychologists, the Australian Psychological Society). If that isn’t suitable and we can’t fill your slot, the following fees apply:
Important Details:
Lateness:
If you arrive late to a session, the remaining time will be used, but the full fee will apply. Your Medicare/insurance rebate may be reduced in such cases.
A cancellation fee is applied in all cases to ensure fairness and consistency, as we do not evaluate the validity of individual reasons for canceling. Approximately 40% of appointments are canceled or rescheduled, and while your situation may feel like a ‘one-off,’ our team often experiences several of these each week. With psychologists typically offering just 3–5 sessions per day, a single late cancellation can result in a significant loss of income. To maintain a sustainable and high-quality service, we consistently enforce our cancellation policy.
If we are unable to process the fee using the stored credit card, you must pay it over the phone. Failure to do so will incur a late payment fee of 1% per business day. We may continue to attempt to charge the stored card for any outstanding fees. If payment remains unpaid after 24 hours, future appointments may be cancelled. Persistent non-payment may result in legal action to recover the fees.
We appreciate your understanding as we work to provide high-quality care for all clients.
Yes, we offer appointments from 9 am to 5 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
We also offer an appointment until 8 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday.
Assessments can also be booked in on Saturdays.
Yes, at both the Malvern clinic and Beaconsfield clinic you will have client parking spots.
At the Malvern clinic, parking is located at the back of the clinic, it is a narrow pathway, so we do urge you to drive carefully. You will also find free parking in front of the clinic.
At the Beaconsfield, you will find parking in the back of the building and the front of the building.
Fill out the form below, and we will contact you as soon as possible to schedule your appointment. We offer flexible and after-hours appointments for assessments and counseling, with immediate slots available for both in-person and Telehealth sessions.
Looking forward to supporting your journey to wellness.
We typically respond within 24 hours.
For urgent matters, please call us directly
