A collective of Psychologists & Mental Health Professionals across Auckland

Assessment
An initial assessment is a 60-90 minute session focused on gaining an in depth understanding of your difficulties and clarifying your goals.

Treatment
Following an assessment session we will discuss a treatment plan which will outline what therapeutic approaches may be helpful for you and how many sessions may be required. Therapy sessions are 50-60 minutes and may be booked weekly, fortnightly or less depending on the goals identified. Therapy is a collaborative process which we will review regularly to ensure we are on track towards your goals.

The information you provide is governed by the Privacy Act (1993) and the Health Information Privacy Code. This means your case will not be discussed with any other party without your written permission to do so. Confidentiality may be broken if you are at serious or imminent risk to the safety of yourself or others and we cannot gain your agreement to a safety plan.  In these circumstances we will discuss with you what information needs to be shared, with whom and for what purpose.  If you have any concerns or questions about confidentiality please do not hesitate to ask us.

The number of sessions required will depend on your individual needs. Therapy may be short term (3-6 sessions) or longer term (12+ sessions). We will discuss what is right for you at your initial assessment session.

GP
It may be helpful to discuss treatment options with your GP. Depending on the severity of your mental health difficulties you may be referred to a community mental health team for support. In some cases your GP may be able to obtain funding for a limited number of sessions with a Clinical Psychologist.

Work and income New Zealand (WINZ)
WINZ may provide a disability allowance if your need for therapy is directly related to your disability. They may also help with the cost of transport if required.For further details visit WINZ.

‍ACC
ACC may fund your therapy sessions if you need support after a physical injury or have experienced sexual violence. Your therapist needs to be registered as an ACC provider.For further details visit ACC.

‍Health Insurance
Some insurance policies have a provision for mental health and may fund a number of sessions with a Clinical Psychologist. Discuss this with your insurance provider to check your eligibility.

Therapy sessions are around 50-60 minutes.  Once goals have been identified following your initial assessment session, therapy sessions will help guide you towards achieving your goals.  There are many different therapeutic approaches and you can decide what is right for you with your therapist.  Therapy requires time and commitment. A positive relationship with your therapist where you feel heard, accepted and respected is important. This will allow you to be open and develop the trust and courage you need to confront difficulties and make needed changes.  In most cases attending therapy sessions themselves is not enough; you will need to actively apply skills and strategies learnt in the sessions in your daily life. We will help you with this by assigning you tasks and challenges to carry out between sessions.

Clinical Psychologists are not medical doctors and do not prescribe medication however they may work alongside your GP or Psychiatrist if medication is indicated to support your treatment. A Clinical Psychologist specialises in the use of evidence based talking therapies to help you to understand your thoughts, feelings, behaviours and experiences. They will support you to develop insight and strategies to help you reach your goals.

Psychologists in private practice have varying hourly rates, although typically charge around $190-$250 per 50 min session. Initial appointments may be longer (90minutes) and therefore incur a higher fee. Specialised assessments and report writing may be charged at a set rate for the assessment or per hour of writing.

Your GP may be able to help you determine if you are eligible for free sessions with a Psychologist. They can assess what level of support would be best for you, and they know about the local services in your area if you need them. All district health boards fund primary mental health services.  There may also be specialist Māori and Pasifika services in your area.  These services are for people who meet mental illness criteria, so will usually need to be referred by your GP.  Unfortunately, not everyone struggling with mental health difficulties will meet the criteria. See below for some other free and low-cost options:
Ask your GP about funded sessions that may be available through your local primary health organisation (PHO), you may be eligible for a number of free counselling sessions with a Psychologist.

You may be able to seek assistance through a WINZ Disability Allowance.
If you are in paid employment you may be able to access free confidential counselling through your company’s employee assistance programme – talk to your employer.

Youthline has free counselling for young people aged 12–25 years and their families in various locations across Auckland and also Dunedin.

Gumboot Friday funds a number of sessions for anyone under 25.  You will need to find a Psychologist who is registered with their organisation. Find out more here.

ACC funds support following sexual violence under the sensitive claims contract.  Find out the details at FindSupport.

The term therapist is a generic term that may be used by a range of professionals who provide assessment and treatment (e.g., counsellors, psychologists, life coaches, psychotherapists). It is not a legally protected title as is the case with the term “Psychologist”.  The term Psychologist is legally protected. This means someone must be registered with the New Zealand Psychologists Board, and meet their training and ethical requirements in order to call themselves a Psychologist.  Psychologists in New Zealand generally have Masters or Doctoral level university qualifications.  So, a Psychologist is a type of therapist that is trained to a high level in evidence-based treatment approaches.