Understanding the Therapy Process

You may refer yourself or your child to our clinic directly by emailing us at admin@groundedtherapyco.com.au

If you wish to access reduced fees for 6-10 sessions per calendar year through Medicare, you will first need to book a long appointment with your GP to complete a mental health care plan and request to be referred to Abbey Bateson at Grounded Psychology Co for our psychology services.

It is important that you like your therapist and feel comfortable working with them. Please use this initial session to assess whether we are a good fit for you. We will not take offense if you decide after this session that we aren't a good match - this decision is made in your best interest, which is ultimately our aim.

During this first session, your psychologist will strive to get a holistic view of you. They will ask questions to better understand your current difficulties, the reasons for attending, your relevant personal history, family and social connections, experiences at school, previous support services accessed, and relevant medical history. Please bring with you any supporting documentation that might be helpful for this session (or email it to us prior). 

You will also complete consent paperwork, pre-treatment screening questionnaires, and work together to agree upon your goals for attending. This collaborative effort allows the psychologist to develop a tailored treatment plan that meets your needs.

If the referral is for a child, this session may be completed with parents only or with both child and parent together. This will be decided prior to the initial appointment depending on the circumstances.

These therapy sessions will be dedicated to working towards your established mental health care goals. The structure and content of each session will be tailored to meet the unique needs of each client, reflecting the previously determined objectives.

At Grounded Therapy Co., we believe that successful therapy with children requires the active involvement of parents. Engaging in mental health care for young children often necessitates a consistent commitment from the entire family, which may include at least one parent or carer attending psychology appointments, practicing strategies at home, and/or changing the way the family functions to incorporate new strategies/ideas. Depending on the therapy goals, our psychologist might focus on primarily working with the parent(s)/carer to better support the child, as opposed to working with the child. Please consider if your family can prioritise this commitment before referring to our service.