FAQ: Seeing a Psychologist

We all struggle at times in our lives. Sometimes we know the reason and sometimes we don’t.

Talking to a psychologist can help you to understand what you’re going through and the reasons you may be feeling stuck. Our job is to assist you to develop tools for coping; not just now, but for the future too.

You can feel safe knowing that your concerns are kept in confidence and you can say exactly what you feel without worrying about being judged.

Usually when you notice your concerns starting to interfere with your life in some way.

It could be that you have noticed an impact on your relationships, work/study, sleep, activities, or your physical wellbeing (always feeling tired, experiencing body aches or pain).

Maybe you have noticed that your mind is constantly racing, you’re withdrawing from people or activities, or you are less patient; these are also signs that it might be a good time to talk.

If you’ve gone through a recent change or you are thinking through a major decision, psychology can also be helpful.

Usually the first session 1-2 sessions is focused on assessment. This is where you talk about what has been going on for you and what brought you to psychology. You will probably talk a bit about your life in general, and your personal history. The goal is to come up with a shared understanding of your concern, including where it might have come from, what is keeping you feeling stuck and what might be helpful to move forward.

The assessment will help to determine what form of therapy would be best suited to your needs, based on evidence-based practice. You will work collaboratively with your psychologist to move towards reaching your goals.

At Mind In Mind Psychology we like to include a third phase, which is a plan for maintaining wellness. This helps to equip you with tools for keeping an eye on your mental health and learning how to self-manage.

The short answer is that psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication. Some also provide talk therapy.

Psychologists use non-medical methods to change unhelpful thoughts, feelings or behaviours. If you’re not sure what you need, feel free to give us a call or discuss it with your GP.

Research tells us that the most important factor for success in psychology is the relationship you have with your psychologist.

You need to feel that your psychologist is really listening to you and understanding your concerns, and that they are supporting you to achieve the goals that you have set for yourself. You should feel relaxed and confident that your psychologist has your wellbeing in mind.

At Mind In Mind Psychology, we ask for your feedback and are open to chatting through any concerns you have. If, for any reason, you don’t feel we are the right fit, or we don’t have expertise in the area you are looking for help with, we will help you find someone who is. Your wellbeing is of the utmost importance and you need to have faith in the person you are talking to.

That’s completely up to you.

Usually it helps to have a couple of sessions close together (weekly or fortnightly), and then spread the rest of your sessions out as you feel you need them.

Some people come for a short period of time, and some come for longer. It really depends on your goals and is not a reflection on ‘how bad’ you are.

Sometimes people dip in and out of psychology and that’s also fine.

You will figure out what’s best for you as you go along and your psychologist can guide you with this if you need.

The Australian Psychological Society provides a paper on your rights as a client. Click here to read more.