Fees & Policies

This following section explains Familiar Psychology's services, your rights, and how we handle your personal information.

1. Summary

Before you start, please note a few key points. Your personal information is required for us to provide psychological services. To book a session you are required to provide card details for payment (processed on the day of your appointment). Cancellations, late arrivals, and no-shows may incur fees. Psychologists are legally required to report certain risks to authorities, and all sessions are confidential except in these circumstances. Telehealth sessions must be conducted from a safe, private location.

2. Privacy Policy – Familiar Psychology

At Familiar Psychology, we are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld), and the Psychology Board of Australia’s Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct (2025).

2.1 Collection of Personal Information

We collect personal information directly from you when you provide it during sessions, in forms, emails, or other communications. With your permission, we may also collect information from third parties, such as your GP, other health practitioners, lawyers, insurers, or educational institutions, where relevant to your care.

The types of information collected include your:

•   Contact details (name, address, phone, email)

•   Records of sessions, assessments, and psychological tests

•   Communications with our practice (e.g., emails, phone call summaries)

•   Information provided by other professionals involved in your care

Providing your personal information is necessary for us to provide psychological services. If you choose not to provide required information, we may be unable to deliver services effectively.

2.2 Purpose of Collection

We use your personal information to:

•   Provide psychological assessment and therapy services tailored to your needs

•   Maintain accurate and complete client records

•   Communicate with you about your care and appointments

•   Coordinate care with other professionals involved in your treatment, where you have consented

•   Comply with professional, ethical, and legal obligations

Your information may also be used for internal quality assurance, supervision, and professional development, with identifying details removed wherever possible.

2.3 Storage and Security

Your personal information is stored securely in:

•   A cloud-based Australian practice management system for electronic records

•   Locked filing cabinets for paper-based records

Access is restricted to your treating psychologist and authorised staff. We implement reasonable steps to protect against misuse, interference, loss, or unauthorised access, disclosure, or modification of your personal information. Records are retained in accordance with legal and professional requirements.

2.4 Use and Disclosure

Your personal information will not be shared without your consent, except where:

•   Required by law (e.g., mandatory reporting of harm, court orders)

•   There is a serious risk of harm to you or others

•   It is necessary for supervision or professional consultation (identifying details removed)

•   Information is disclosed to another professional or agency involved in your care, with your consent

You may be asked to provide written consent for information sharing in certain circumstances, such as correspondence with insurers, legal representatives, or other health professionals.

2.5 Access, Correction, and Complaints

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you, and if it is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date, reasonable steps will be taken to correct it. Requests should be made to your psychologist or administration team, and we will respond within 30 days.

If you have concerns about how your personal information is handled, you should raise them with your psychologist. You may also lodge a formal complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

•   Phone: 1300 363 992

•   Online: OAIC Privacy Complaints

2.6 Data Breach Policy

If an unauthorised access, disclosure, or loss of your personal information occurs, Familiar Psychology will activate its data breach response plan. We will take all reasonable steps to contain the breach, assess risks, and notify affected individuals if there is a likelihood of serious harm.

2.7 Anonymity and Pseudonymity

Where practical, you may interact with Familiar Psychology anonymously or under a pseudonym, unless it is necessary to collect personal information for the provision of services or required by law.

2.8 Overseas Disclosure

Familiar Psychology does not routinely disclose personal information overseas. If any information is stored or processed outside Australia, it will be done in accordance with the Privacy Act, and you will be notified.

2.9 Your Rights Under the Australian Privacy Principles

You have the right to:

•   Know why your personal information is being collected

•   Access and correct your personal information

•   Make a complaint about the handling of your personal information

This Privacy Policy is part of our service agreement, and engaging our services indicates your understanding and acceptance of these terms.

3. Concerns About Psychologist Conduct, Health, or Performance

If you have a complaint about a psychologist or the service you have received at Familiar Psychology, there are several pathways to raise your concern.

First, we encourage you to raise your concern directly with your psychologist or the practice. Many issues can be resolved quickly and informally this way. If your concern relates to professional conduct, ethical breaches, impairment, or fitness to practice, you may lodge a notification with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) & Psychology Board of Australia.You may also contact health complaints entities in your state, such as the Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO) in Queensland. Clients are welcome to use any or all of these pathways. Your decision to raise a concern will not affect your ongoing access to psychological services.

4. Mandatory Reporting

Psychologists are required by law to report disclosures of harm, including child abuse, neglect, or situations where someone may be at serious risk. If your case involves a child under 18 at risk, the psychologist will notify relevant authorities. In some cases, this may need to occur without informing you if it is unsafe to do so.

5. Professional Supervision

All psychologists participate in ongoing supervision and professional consultation to maintain safe and effective practice. This may include discussing your case, assessment results, and treatment plan with a registered supervisor or other health professionals. Supervisors are bound by confidentiality, and identifying details are removed wherever possible.

Because supervision is a professional requirement, clients who do not consent to their case being discussed in supervision cannot be accepted for services.

6. Electronic Communication and Consent

We prefer to communicate via email and electronic systems, including sending invoices and session summaries. By signing this form, you consent to receiving communications electronically. Hard copy correspondence is not provided at this time.

7. Therapy Fees

The fees for therapy are as follows:

•   Individual therapy: $255 for a 50-minute session

•   Couples therapy: $275 for a 50-minute session; $335 for a 80-minute intake session

Sessions from 5pm onwards incur an additional $15 after hours fee. Any additional correspondence, including letters, emails, or phone calls at your request, will be billed at $255 per hour, charged in 15-minute increments ($63.75 per 15 minutes). Fees are subject to change and you will be notified of any fee changes in advance.

Payment is processed automatically on the day of your session via a secure system (Halaxy). You may be eligible for a Medicare rebate with an appropriate Mental Health Care Plan and referral, and this can be processed on your behalf. If you have any problems with Medicare sending you the rebate, you will have to follow up with Services Australia for yourself due to confidentiality limitations. You will be required to pay up front and organise a reimbursement from your funding body after the session. Familiar Psychology does not bill third parties (e.g., private health insurance) directly.

Initial sessions involve a comprehensive evaluation of your presenting concerns and the development of a treatment plan. You may cease services at any time and may request that a session be stopped at any point without affecting future care.

8. Cancellation and Late Arrival Policy

Appointments must be cancelled in advance. Cancellations with more than 48 hours’ (two business days’) notice incur no fee. Cancellations with 24 - 48 hours’ notice are charged 50% of the session fee. Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ (one business day’s) notice or non-attendance will incur the full session fee.

If you arrive late, your session will still end at the scheduled time. Arrivals more than 20 minutes late are considered non-attendance and the full session fee will apply. Any outstanding fees must be paid before attending future sessions.

9. Telehealth Services

Familiar Psychology offers telehealth sessions via secure videoconferencing. Sessions require a private, safe, and comfortable location with minimal distractions. You will need a reliable internet connection, camera, and audio.

Telehealth can improve access to care, reduce travel time, and decrease exposure to infection. However, there are potential risks, including technical problems, reduced visual or audio quality, and privacy or digital security concerns. You are responsible for maintaining privacy in your environment and providing emergency contact and location details to your psychologist.

10. Emergencies

Familiar Psychology is not an emergency service. Emails are not monitored outside business hours. In an emergency, call 000, attend your nearest hospital, or contact a crisis service such as Lifeline at 13 11 14.

11. Court, Tribunal, and Legal Matters

Familiar Psychology does not provide assessments of any kind, including cognitive, neurodevelopmental, medico-legal, or fitness-for-work assessments. We also do not provide legal advice, court reports, or competency assessments. Psychological services are strictly clinical and focused on individual or couples therapy, not legal or medico-legal purposes.