Fees & Rebates
Understand the costs for counselling and assessments, along with available rebates and funding options.
What a session includes
Counselling sessions
A counselling session covers your face-to-face time with your clinician, usually 50 minutes in person or via telehealth, as well as time spent preparing, completing follow-up documentation and coordinating with your support network.
Fees vary depending on the type of service, who you see and, for counselling appointments, when you attend. Our provisional psychologists are engaging, well-supervised clinicians and are available for some services at a lower cost.
Assessment packages
Assessment fees cover the full assessment process, not just time spent with your psychologist. All packages include clinical interviewing and information gathering, psychological testing and questionnaires, scoring and interpretation, liaison with parents, teachers or other supports, clinical formulation and recommendations or strategies, a comprehensive written report, and a feedback session with your assessment clinician.
The time and fee depend on the type, purpose and complexity of the assessment, including the amount of background information and previous reports to review, the number and type of tests and referral questions, and the time required for scoring, interpretation, formulation, recommendations and report preparation.
Counselling & assessment fees
All pricing excludes GST
Counselling appointments
Payment is expected at the time of your appointment (or at booking for online appointments) by cash, credit or EFTPOS. Diners and American Express are not accepted. Telehealth appointments require stored card details, charged with your consent before the session.
If you’re experiencing financial hardship, please speak with our intake or administration team. We can talk through your options and any support that may be available.
*Day rate hours are between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
**After hours are before 9am and after 4:30pm Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday. No bulk billing concession.
- Educational & ADHD assessment: $1,800.00 with a provisional psychologist / $2,500.00 with a psychologist
- Autism & ADHD assessment: $2,500.00 with a psychologist
- Autism, ADHD & Educational assessment: $3,100.00 with a psychologist
All pricing excludes GST
Assessment packages
Assessment fees and payment arrangements may vary depending on what is required. Where some components of a standard assessment package are not needed, the total fee may be different. Our assessment team will confirm the package fee, any deposit required and payment timing before your assessment begins.
Assessment concession pricing
Concession pricing is available for some assessments. Please contact our intake team to discuss whether a concession rate may apply.
If you are having trouble paying for appointments, please talk to your clinician or our management team.
* Where cognitive testing is not required for an ADHD or Autism assessment, a different fee may apply. Our assessment team will confirm whether this is appropriate during the intake process.
Ways your care may be funded
Medicare
With a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan and referral from your GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician, you may be eligible to claim Medicare rebates for up to 10 psychological sessions per calendar year. Your plan is reviewed after the first 6 sessions, and referrals older than 12 months may need to be updated by your GP. Eligibility criteria apply, so we recommend speaking with your healthcare provider to confirm your eligibility.
Private health insurance
Many insurers cover psychology under extras. We have HICAPS on site, so your rebate is processed on the spot and you only pay the gap. Medicare and private health cannot be used for the same session.
NDIS
We support NDIS participants with psychology funding under Capacity Building - Improved Daily Living. We currently accept self-managed and plan-managed participants.
WorkCover, TAC & FAS
With a current claim number and confirmation of psychology funding, we can provide services under WorkCover, TAC or FAS. These appointments run during daytime hours only.
EAP and organisation agreements
If your employer funds sessions through an EAP or a direct agreement, let our intake team know who is funding your appointments. These are usually limited to around 3 sessions, with extensions sometimes possible.
Self-funded
Self-funded appointments are available if you prefer to pay for your sessions privately. This option provides flexibility without needing a Medicare referral, private health insurance or other funding arrangement.
Only one funding source can be used per appointment.
Our intake team will help you pick the right one on (03) 9872 6255.
Assessment rebates
Some psychological assessments may be eligible for Medicare or private health rebates depending on the assessment, referral and individual circumstances. Our intake team can let you know what may apply before you proceed.
If you need to change your appointment
Your appointment time is reserved just for you, and consistent attendance genuinely matters for progress. We ask for 3 business days' notice for counselling and 7 days for assessments. Cancellations within 24 hours of a counselling appointment, and no-shows, incur the full session fee with no rebate; assessment cancellations within 5 business days incur loss of deposit or 25% of the fee. Emergencies happen, and fees may be waived when they do: just call us on (03) 9872 6255 or email info@dspsychology.com.au as soon as you can.
A few common questions
Yes. For eligible counselling services, you’ll need a valid referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician to claim a Medicare rebate. Eligible clients can receive Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year. Some assessments may also attract Medicare rebates with an appropriate referral. Your GP can assess your eligibility, and our Intake Team can help you understand what applies before you get started.
Your out-of-pocket cost depends on the service, clinician and any rebate or funding available to you. Counselling is charged per appointment, while assessments are generally priced as a package. See the fee tables for current pricing, or contact our Intake Team if you’re unsure what will apply.
Depending on your circumstances, we accept WorkCover, TAC, FAS, NDIS (self-managed and plan-managed), EAP arrangements and private health insurance with extras cover. Many private health insurers provide rebates for psychology services, with the amount depending on your policy, extras cover and provider. We have HICAPS on site for instant private health claims. Medicare and private health insurance cannot be claimed for the same appointment, and only one funding source can be used per appointment. Our Intake Team can help you choose the appropriate option.
Counselling and assessment appointments have different cancellation periods because of the time reserved for each service. We ask for 3 business days’ notice for counselling and 7 days for assessments. For counselling, cancellations within 24 hours and no-shows incur the full fee, with no rebate. For assessments, cancellations within 5 business days may result in loss of the deposit or a 25% cancellation fee. Genuine emergencies are treated on a case-by-case basis — please call us as soon as you can if you need to make a change.
Still unsure what you will pay?
Book online in a few clicks, or call our intake team on (03) 9872 6255 and they will help you find the right fit. No pressure, no waiting rooms full of paperwork.
