Psychological assessments in Byron Bay | Formal diagnosis & report

Conditions I assess

In addition to ADHD, I can assess

Autism spectrum disorder (adult)

Social interactions are much more difficult for you than for other people. Conversation doesn’t flow. Changes in your routine cause you distress. Noise and crowds can overwhelm you.

Bipolar disorder

Manic periods. Depressed periods. These mood swings cause you distress or impair your ability to work and socialise.

Anxiety disorders

Generalised anxiety, panic, social anxiety, agoraphobia. Regardless of the name, it’s anxiety that causes you distress or impairs your ability to work and socialise.

Depressive disorders

Major depression, persistent depression. Regardless of the name, it’s depression that causes you distress or impairs your ability to work and socialise.

PTSD

Ongoing stress symptoms after a traumatic event or events. For example: hypervigilance, extreme physiological arousal (the unpleasant type), emotional reactiveness, mental and physical numbness. These symptoms cause you distress or impair your ability to work and socialise.

Why get formally assessed?

• To support an application for the NDIS, the DSP, workers compensation, or insurance.

• In the case of ADHD and bipolar disorder, to fast-track a psychiatric assessment so that you can get medication

• Otherwise, you probably don’t need to undergo formal psychological assessment and diagnosis. To get medication for anxiety and depression, just see you GP. You don’t need a formal diagnosis from a psychologist. And to engage in psychotherapy for anxiety, depression, trauma, or anything else, you don’t need a formal diagnosis.

The process

• If you want a Medicare rebate, ask your GP to refer you to me under a Mental Health Treatment Plan that requests assessment of the conditions you want to be assessed

• If you don’t need the Medicare rebate, you don’t need a GP referral. Just contact me and book an appointment

• It usually takes 2-3 sessions per condition to do the formal assessments. I then write a formal report

Where?

• In person at my practice in Byron Bay

• By video link anywhere in the world

Cost

• Standard cost. $660-$880 per condition. That’s $220 for each 50-minute session to do the assessments (it usually takes 2-3 sessions), and $220 for the report

• With a Medicare rebate. $462-$583 per condition. For each session, you’ll pay $220 up front and then claim a Medicare rebate of $98.95. The report costs $220 and you cannot claim a rebate for this

What about medication?

I don’t prescribe medication; only your GP or a psychiatrist can do that. For ADHD and bipolar medication, you’ll:

• ask your GP to refer you to a psychiatrist, and

• give my report to the psychiatrist. This will fast-track the psychiatric assessment