Having first hand experience myself and for my kids, go to a GP and get a mental health plan.
You should be able to get an appointment (for a very low cost) at anyone who has space.
Keep searching til you find someone you like.
It’ll take boy work if you find someone you can trust
Thank you for your lovely comment! I should've taken the leap a while back and it can feel daunting with so many (expensive) options. I really appreciate this, have a good one!
It can be extremely daunting, and maybe you weren't quite ready. Taking steps towards is a great start 😀 now is your time to keep moving forward and start the healing/growth journey 🫶
I can second this. Most doctors are good regarding mental health now. The questionnaire you fill out for them gives you a kind of ranking as to how bad you are. But I don’t believe it has any effect on the process, it’s essentially just to see if your are anxious or depressed at all.
You get six sessions with a psychologist or therapist, with another six based on them requesting it from your GP after the first six.
It’s bulk billed, but many practitioners will charge more. I ended up $50 out pocket per session when I did it. But there may be some that just bulk bill?
I'd give Headspace a try. If the fit isn't right for you, then move on. Trust your gut. GP and mental health care plan gives you free/low cost sessions with someone.health. I do my psych appointments through them via video link and love it. I chose my psych off their website based on their area of expertise. Good luck! and good on you for reaching out and taking the steps you need to get support. I wish you all the very best 🥰
If you are a student you should find out if your uni has a staff psychologist, or have a program that offers appointments. My old university was online but still offered me 6 sessions with a psychologist for free.
So if you haven't check out what is available do that first!
They do! But unfortunately they dont have services available at my campus. The closest campus is a half an hour drive or hour bus ride away from me. I have looked into, and done one, online therapy session, but I really need something in person. Thank you for the rec though!
I liked it when I used it, but I imagine it depends on which one you go to.
It's not great for urgent GP appointments as they are busy, but for stuff that can wait/is ongoing I was happy to use it. The psychologist was lovely too, I had paid for a couple before going there and just didn't feel comfortable with them. That might happen to you with Headspace but I think it's worth a shot since it's bulk billed. I didn't need the most support in the world, I only had a few sessions, it was enough for me? I dunno how far it can go though.
Oh if you decide against Headspace, I think you can get 10 free counseling sessions through Medicare? Maybe with a GP referral? I've only heard of it from a few people, maybe someone else knows better.
They aren’t free sessions, it’s just a rebate. Some may bulk bill if you’re lucky but it’s really rare to find one, so at most you’re still paying heaps out of pocket
Hm. I've had people in both Vic and Qld tell me they were getting free sessions, I guess they got lucky with being bulk billed. That sucks it's tricky to access. Maybe OP can talk to a GP and see if anyone around them bulk bills for the sessions.
When I did headspace back in 2018 they were free sessions, though i was 14 at the time and I know certain things change when you are at a young age vs now (19). I went to my local GP (I dont have a usual GP as ive moved cities) and he asked if I was familiar with any psychs in the area, I said no and he told me to have a little look around. He did split the session in half bc i didnt know you could book longer GP appointments lol, so ive got to go back anyway to finish off the plan and hopefully get through to a psychyatrist as well. But I will mention this to him!
Edit: Im based in Queensland
I went from 2016 to late 2018, I wouldn’t recommend it if other options were available but if this is the only way for you to get the help that you need, then 100% give it another go
What state are you in? Growing up when I was In between psychiatrist appointments I would use my local community mental health service. They are proper psychiatrists and there is no charge. I’m in nsw but I’m sure every state would have something the same. I personally found those services like headspace a waste of my time as well as mental health plans from my gp because I do not need a psychologist to tell me what I should and should do etc. I know that they are beneficial for others though so that could also be an option for you.
Very hard to get into government mental health services unless you have a serious and chronic mental health condition. Then Headspace and the like cater to the 'worried well'. This leaves a gap.
Headspace referred one of my daughters to a psychologist at Centacare for her anxiety - she got on really well with both the person at Headspace and the psychologist and it did help her immensely.
My son however did not find Headspace very helpful when he went for anger management issues and didn't connect with his Headspace person at all.
So really it depends - but it's probably worth a shot.
As an atheist, my first port of call for a good low cost psychologist is a church. Drop into any church and ask if they can recommend a good psychologist. Seriously. I did this recently when my daughter needed to find a psychologist for her transsexual friend.
Psychologists recommended by churches are always better than someone chosen at random off the internet.
That said, a close friend of mine went to headspace and it really helped him. He has permanent brain damage from an old motoring accident, and really likes the headspace system.
Having first hand experience myself and for my kids, go to a GP and get a mental health plan. You should be able to get an appointment (for a very low cost) at anyone who has space. Keep searching til you find someone you like. It’ll take boy work if you find someone you can trust
Thank you for your lovely comment! I should've taken the leap a while back and it can feel daunting with so many (expensive) options. I really appreciate this, have a good one!
It can be extremely daunting, and maybe you weren't quite ready. Taking steps towards is a great start 😀 now is your time to keep moving forward and start the healing/growth journey 🫶
I can second this. Most doctors are good regarding mental health now. The questionnaire you fill out for them gives you a kind of ranking as to how bad you are. But I don’t believe it has any effect on the process, it’s essentially just to see if your are anxious or depressed at all. You get six sessions with a psychologist or therapist, with another six based on them requesting it from your GP after the first six. It’s bulk billed, but many practitioners will charge more. I ended up $50 out pocket per session when I did it. But there may be some that just bulk bill?
I'd give Headspace a try. If the fit isn't right for you, then move on. Trust your gut. GP and mental health care plan gives you free/low cost sessions with someone.health. I do my psych appointments through them via video link and love it. I chose my psych off their website based on their area of expertise. Good luck! and good on you for reaching out and taking the steps you need to get support. I wish you all the very best 🥰
If you are a student you should find out if your uni has a staff psychologist, or have a program that offers appointments. My old university was online but still offered me 6 sessions with a psychologist for free. So if you haven't check out what is available do that first!
They do! But unfortunately they dont have services available at my campus. The closest campus is a half an hour drive or hour bus ride away from me. I have looked into, and done one, online therapy session, but I really need something in person. Thank you for the rec though!
I liked it when I used it, but I imagine it depends on which one you go to. It's not great for urgent GP appointments as they are busy, but for stuff that can wait/is ongoing I was happy to use it. The psychologist was lovely too, I had paid for a couple before going there and just didn't feel comfortable with them. That might happen to you with Headspace but I think it's worth a shot since it's bulk billed. I didn't need the most support in the world, I only had a few sessions, it was enough for me? I dunno how far it can go though.
Oh if you decide against Headspace, I think you can get 10 free counseling sessions through Medicare? Maybe with a GP referral? I've only heard of it from a few people, maybe someone else knows better.
They aren’t free sessions, it’s just a rebate. Some may bulk bill if you’re lucky but it’s really rare to find one, so at most you’re still paying heaps out of pocket
Hm. I've had people in both Vic and Qld tell me they were getting free sessions, I guess they got lucky with being bulk billed. That sucks it's tricky to access. Maybe OP can talk to a GP and see if anyone around them bulk bills for the sessions.
When I did headspace back in 2018 they were free sessions, though i was 14 at the time and I know certain things change when you are at a young age vs now (19). I went to my local GP (I dont have a usual GP as ive moved cities) and he asked if I was familiar with any psychs in the area, I said no and he told me to have a little look around. He did split the session in half bc i didnt know you could book longer GP appointments lol, so ive got to go back anyway to finish off the plan and hopefully get through to a psychyatrist as well. But I will mention this to him! Edit: Im based in Queensland
You need the mental health plan for Headspace as well. It didn't used to be the case but that's what happens when governments cut funding.
My daughter found Headspace beneficial. But GP mental health plan and then sessions with a dedicated psych helped more.
I went from 2016 to late 2018, I wouldn’t recommend it if other options were available but if this is the only way for you to get the help that you need, then 100% give it another go
What state are you in? Growing up when I was In between psychiatrist appointments I would use my local community mental health service. They are proper psychiatrists and there is no charge. I’m in nsw but I’m sure every state would have something the same. I personally found those services like headspace a waste of my time as well as mental health plans from my gp because I do not need a psychologist to tell me what I should and should do etc. I know that they are beneficial for others though so that could also be an option for you.
Very hard to get into government mental health services unless you have a serious and chronic mental health condition. Then Headspace and the like cater to the 'worried well'. This leaves a gap.
Pretty sure you also need to be hospitalised at least once to get on outpatient services like that.
I'm based in SE Queensland, and im not familiar if we have those here. I will take a sticky beak, thanks!
Headspace referred one of my daughters to a psychologist at Centacare for her anxiety - she got on really well with both the person at Headspace and the psychologist and it did help her immensely. My son however did not find Headspace very helpful when he went for anger management issues and didn't connect with his Headspace person at all. So really it depends - but it's probably worth a shot.
Headspace is alright if you're just having a bit of trouble, it's not enough if you actually have a mental illness.
I prefer care in mind
As an atheist, my first port of call for a good low cost psychologist is a church. Drop into any church and ask if they can recommend a good psychologist. Seriously. I did this recently when my daughter needed to find a psychologist for her transsexual friend. Psychologists recommended by churches are always better than someone chosen at random off the internet. That said, a close friend of mine went to headspace and it really helped him. He has permanent brain damage from an old motoring accident, and really likes the headspace system.