Common Questions

HOW LONG IS AN APPOINTMENT?Sessions are 60 minutes long unless otherwise agreed. 

DO YOU OFFER ONLINE THERAPY?Yes. Doxy.me sessions are available in most situations. 

Doxy.me is an online meeting platform designed for health care professionals. It meets the American, Canadian and European standards for keeping people's health information private. You can read more about Doxy.me here.

DO I NEED A REFERRAL?​You do not need a referral. You can contact me directly either by phone or email. I am also happy to receive referrals from GPs, mental health services and other health professionals.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I NEED TO CANCEL?​From time to time we all need to change appointments. If you give 48 hours notice of a change there's no charge. If you cancel within 48 hours you will be charged if the appointment can't be filled. If you fail to attend an appointment without any notice you will be charged for the full appointment.

WHAT ARE YOUR FEES?​The hourly rate for all appointments (assessment sessions, therapy, supervision - both in person and online) is $220/hour (incl. GST). 
Formal letter or report writing, file reviews, test interpretation and review of formal psychological reports for other psychologists is charged at the hourly rate based on time spent. 
Brief phone calls or emails (under 10 minutes) do not incur a cost.

IS WHAT WE TALK ABOUT CONFIDENTIAL?What we talk about is confidential. However, there are specific situations that arise from time to time where confidentiality cannot be maintained. 
If there are serious, immediate safety concernsWhere there are immediate serious concerns for your safety or the safety of someone else, confidentiality may be set aside in order to ensure the safety of you and others. 
If required to by law.

I'M UNDER 18. WILL YOU TELL MY PARENTS WHAT WE TALK ABOUT?Not without your permission. Just like adults, children and adolescents have the right to confidentiality. This means I can't tell others what you tell me without your permission. However, like with adults, if I have serious concerns for your immediate safety, or someone else's safety, confidentiality may be set aside in order to maintain everyones safety.

WHAT IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST?The New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists states "Clinical psychologists have studied psychology at University, usually for six or seven years. They have specialised in learning about how the feelings, actions, beliefs, experiences and culture of people affect the way they live. They have learned how to listen and understand people's emotional and psychological problems and how to help people makes changes in their lives."
Psychologists are different from Psychiatrists. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have specialised in mental health. Psychiatrists are able to prescribe medication to treat mental health problems.

​DO YOU PRESCRIBE MEDICATION?No. 
If you are taking medication or I think medication may be helpful I will talk with you about whether it would be useful for me to communicate with your GP or psychiatrist about our work.

​WHERE DO YOU KEEP MY INFORMATION?All of your records are electronic. They are password protected, encrypted and stored electronically in the cloud.

ARE YOU BOUND BY A CODE OF ETHICS?Yes. As a registered Clinical Psychologist I am bound by the New Zealand Psychologists Code of Ethics. 
The Code is available in both English and Te Reo.​Here's a link to the English language The Code of Ethics. Here's a link to Te Reo version of The Code of Ethics, Te Tikanga Matatika.

WHAT IF I'M NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR SERVICE?I will do my best to ensure you are happy with the work we do. Regularly seeking feedback from you about our work is one of the primary means of making this happen. However, I acknowledge that at times clients may not be completely satisfied with the service they receive. In this event I would encourage you to follow the process outlined by the New Zealand Psychologists Board: 'Raising a Concern about a Psychologist'.
IN AN EMERGENCY
