Services & Fees
Clients can attend the practice:-
* without a referral (as private full-fee-paying clients),
* with a referral and a mental health treatment plan (to receive a medicare rebate on up to 10 sessions per year - there is still a gap to pay)
* with a 3-session GP referral for non-directive pregnancy support counselling (to receive a medicare rebate on 3 sessions - there is still a gap to pay)
* with a Department of Veterans Affairs referral for white and gold card holders (no gap payment)
* as an NDIS participant
Exclusion CriteriaAny current forensic issues, or ongoing legal and/or court proceedingsEating Disorders Drug and/or Alcohol dependence Indication of hallucinations or psychosis, either whilst sober or under the influence of drugsNOTE: We are a non-emergency psychology practice and we are not contactable for crisis support outside of our usual work hours.
*Regretfully, our books are closed to new referrals of children as all designated spots have been filled*
Current Fees
$200 per 50 minute session for standard sessions and $222.99 per session under the NDIS.
Please note, this is a fee-for-service practice and bulk-billed appointments are not available. Please visit the Help page for a list of free services in the Nepean Blue Mountains Region.
Medicare Gina and Allison are registered Medicare service providers for the ‘Better Outcomes for Mental Health’ program. This means that for the treatment of some conditions, part of the fee can be covered by Medicare. To access this program, a Mental Health Treatment Plan needs to be developed in consultation with your General Practitioner or Psychiatrist who will make a referral to Gina or Allison.
Gina has also completed training with the Australian Psychological Society for provision of non-directive pregnancy counselling, and has medicare endorsement to provide 3 sessions under a GP referral for women who are currently pregnant, or who have been pregnant in the past 12 months, and who are concerned about their pregnancy or the aftermath.
Under a Mental Health Treatment Plan or a pregnancy counselling referral, there is a medicare rebate of $96.65 per session - on a $200 fee, this means the out-of-pocket cost to the client per session is $103.35.
Mental Health Consultation and Assessment
$450 for a 2 hour one-off mental health consultation and assessment is available with Gina or Allison either in the office or via telehealth. Any adult, with or without a desire to undertake ongoing therapy, can self-refer for this assessment. A doctor's referral is not required. The purpose of this assessment is to use evidence-based assessment tools and clinical knowledge to support an individual to map out existing problems/problem areas, to determine areas of strength and challenge, and to obtain guidance on the options available for dealing with these problems if they choose to. This includes exploring any underlying mental conditions (e.g., depression and anxiety) that might be adding to the struggle of daily life or might be getting in the way of our capacity to live a satisfying life and build meaningful connections with self and others.
At times, certain mental health difficulties might be identified that warrant referral by the client's GP to a psychiatrist or other specialist for further investigation (e.g., bipolar disorder, ADHD, delusional disorders, organic mental disorders, sleep disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders). Note that in the course of the assessment, the presence of signs and symptoms of autism might be identified, but this cannot be diagnosed in the course of a 2-hour general mental health evaluation. Instead, it would be recommended that the individual participate in a comprehensive autism assessment (which can be undertaken at a later time with Gina, or another psychology clinic). To ask questions about the Mental Health Consultation and Assessment or to enquire about when Gina would be available to take care of this for you, please use the enquiry form.
No medicare rebates are available for this service.
Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) We welcome DVA clients. DVA Health Cards (Gold and White) are accepted as payment upon a GP referral. For more information, please visit the Department of Veterans' Affairs website. For DVA clients, Gina agrees to take a reduced fee of $154, with no out-of-pocket expenses payable by these clients.
Assessments Available
Autism Spectrum Disorder assessments are available for individuals aged 13 years through to adulthood.
Opening HoursBMAC offers flexible practice hours, with appointments available some evenings to accommodate clients’ work, study, social and family commitments. Appointments for initial consultations can be made by submitting an online enquiry. Existing clients are welcome to book online. Telehealth sessions are also available by request. Initial consultations are 60 minutes long and subsequent treatment sessions are 50 minutes long.
Appointments are generally fortnightly to monthly. Treatment might also start on a fortnightly basis, then move to monthly, then to check-in appointments every 2 – 3 months or as needed. Patterns of attendance will be determined on an individual basis with each client.
PaymentsPayments can be made in cash, Eftpos, direct deposit or cheque (payable to Blue Mountains Anxiety Clinic). Please note that Blue Mountains Anxiety Clinic reserves the right to change the fee structure in the future. At times there might be additional nominal fees charged for the administration of some assessment tools and the writing of reports.
Private Health InsuranceDepending on your level of cover (ancillary benefits, or ‘extras’ cover is required), you might be eligible to claim psychological services from your Private Health insurer. We recommend you contact your Private Health insurer to determine what, if any, rebates you're eligible to claim for consultations. Unfortunately, you can't claim both a Medicare and a Private Health fund rebate for your or your child’s consultations - it must be one or the other.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Self-Funded recipients under the NDIS program can access our services.
Cancellation PolicyOur cancellation policy is in line with the Australian Psychological Society recommendations:-• 0-24 hours' notice: Full fee • 24-48 hours' notice: 50% of fee (*no medicare rebate can be applied to a cancellation payment*) Psychological Services Blue Mountains Anxiety Clinic offers empirically-based assessments and treatment for adults, adolescents and their families. We tailor assessments and treatment to the needs of the individual. Please be aware that your treating clinician can’t provide treatment and assessment for family members or close friends of existing clients, as this constitutes a conflict of interest. You (and they) deserve your own clinician, someone who can work in your best interests alone. EmergenciesBlue Mountains Anxiety Clinic is unable to offer crisis support, but there are several other services that do. If at any time you experience a mental health emergency, it’s best to ask a friend or family member to take you straight to the Emergency Department of your local hospital or contact emergency services on 000 for support. If you need someone to talk to out-of-hours and between appointments, then please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Our website also has a comprehensive list of local mental health support services. Free Services Available in our Local Community We realise that for some individuals and families, private psychology services are simply unaffordable. If this is the case for you, please do consider contacting these mental health services which offer free counselling and are all within a one hour drive of the upper mountains:- headspace Lithgow (free mental health support for young people aged 12 - 25 years ) 02 6352 7600 headspace Penrith (free mental health support for young people aged 12 - 25 years) 02 4720 8800 LikeMind Penrith (free mental health support for adults) 02 8880 8111 ________________________________________ NewAccess, developed by Beyond Blue, is a free mental health coaching program for anyone aged 16 and over who’s stressed, or feeling anxious or overwhelmed about everyday life issues, such as work, study, relationships and loneliness. How does NewAccess work?Everyone needs some guidance at some point in their lives, and NewAccess aims to coach you through the tough times and make it easier for you to get support. NewAccess coaches are local people, trained in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Over six sessions your NewAccess coach will work with you to understand the issues causing your distress. They support you to overcome difficult issues and regain confidence, providing you with practical skills to manage your stress and get back to feeling like yourself. NewAccess is NOT a crisis service. It is an early intervention program designed to support people early and prevent potential crises down the track. How do I access the program?NewAccess is a confidential and free program for people in Western NSW as well as Lithgow, Hawkesbury, the Blue Mountains and Nepean regions, over the age of 16. It is available over the phone or face-to-face. You don’t need a medical referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan to access the program.To find out more about NewAccess, complete and submit an online form via or call 02 6333 2838 during business hours.More information• Call us on 02 6333 2838• Email us at newaccess@marathonhealth.com.au• Visit the Beyond Blue websiteThis service is supported by the Western NSW Primary Health Network and the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network. ________________________________________ For other free counselling services, visit the Mental Health Navigation Tool provided by Nepean Blue Mountains Partners in Recovery.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Self-Funded recipients under the NDIS program can access our services.
Cancellation PolicyOur cancellation policy is in line with the Australian Psychological Society recommendations:-• 0-24 hours' notice: Full fee • 24-48 hours' notice: 50% of fee (*no medicare rebate can be applied to a cancellation payment*) Psychological Services Blue Mountains Anxiety Clinic offers empirically-based assessments and treatment for adults, adolescents and their families. We tailor assessments and treatment to the needs of the individual. Please be aware that your treating clinician can’t provide treatment and assessment for family members or close friends of existing clients, as this constitutes a conflict of interest. You (and they) deserve your own clinician, someone who can work in your best interests alone. EmergenciesBlue Mountains Anxiety Clinic is unable to offer crisis support, but there are several other services that do. If at any time you experience a mental health emergency, it’s best to ask a friend or family member to take you straight to the Emergency Department of your local hospital or contact emergency services on 000 for support. If you need someone to talk to out-of-hours and between appointments, then please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Our website also has a comprehensive list of local mental health support services. Free Services Available in our Local Community We realise that for some individuals and families, private psychology services are simply unaffordable. If this is the case for you, please do consider contacting these mental health services which offer free counselling and are all within a one hour drive of the upper mountains:- headspace Lithgow (free mental health support for young people aged 12 - 25 years ) 02 6352 7600 headspace Penrith (free mental health support for young people aged 12 - 25 years) 02 4720 8800 LikeMind Penrith (free mental health support for adults) 02 8880 8111 ________________________________________ NewAccess, developed by Beyond Blue, is a free mental health coaching program for anyone aged 16 and over who’s stressed, or feeling anxious or overwhelmed about everyday life issues, such as work, study, relationships and loneliness. How does NewAccess work?Everyone needs some guidance at some point in their lives, and NewAccess aims to coach you through the tough times and make it easier for you to get support. NewAccess coaches are local people, trained in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Over six sessions your NewAccess coach will work with you to understand the issues causing your distress. They support you to overcome difficult issues and regain confidence, providing you with practical skills to manage your stress and get back to feeling like yourself. NewAccess is NOT a crisis service. It is an early intervention program designed to support people early and prevent potential crises down the track. How do I access the program?NewAccess is a confidential and free program for people in Western NSW as well as Lithgow, Hawkesbury, the Blue Mountains and Nepean regions, over the age of 16. It is available over the phone or face-to-face. You don’t need a medical referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan to access the program.To find out more about NewAccess, complete and submit an online form via or call 02 6333 2838 during business hours.More information• Call us on 02 6333 2838• Email us at newaccess@marathonhealth.com.au• Visit the Beyond Blue websiteThis service is supported by the Western NSW Primary Health Network and the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network. ________________________________________ For other free counselling services, visit the Mental Health Navigation Tool provided by Nepean Blue Mountains Partners in Recovery.