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Frequently Asked Questions
General Queries
Q: What are your office hours?
Our admin office hours are between Monday to Friday 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Psychology appointments are offered on:
- Tuesday & Wednesday: 10:30am - 3:00pm (either in clinic or via telehealth)
- Thursday & Friday: 10:30am - 3:00pm (telehealth only)
Learning Solutions appointments are offered on:
- Monday - Wednesday: 11am - 6:00pm (in clinic only)
Q: Do you have a waitlist?
New Leaf Therapy has a short waitlist. We welcome individuals who are seeking ongoing therapy or comprehensive psychological assessments and reports.
Please fill out an enquiry form here to request the appropriate intake form be sent to you via Halaxy.
Please note we do not accept walk in appointments.
We have immediate availability for Learning Solutions..
Q: Do you provide support to those accessing Work Cover?
Unfortunately, New Leaf Therapy cannot provide psychological support to those accessing Icare Worker's Compensation as we are not SIRA accredited.
Q: Do you support NDIS participants?
New Leaf Therapy can also provide support to NDIS self-managed and plan-managed participants. As New Leaf Therapy is not a registered NDIS provider, we unfortunately cannot support any NDIA-managed participants.
In order to do this, New Leaf Therapy will create a Service Agreement for you (or your guardian/ representative) to review and sign prior to beginning any support services.
If you are plan-managed, New Leaf Therapy will send a copy of the signed Service Agreement to your plan management company to allocate and reserve funds for the service. Invoices will be sent directly to your plan management company following any services provided.
If you are a self-managed participant, invoices will be emailed directly to you following any services provided.
Q: Where are you located?
New Leaf Therapy is located at 77 Lethbridge Street, Penrith NSW 2750.
Q: Where should I park?
There is ample free street parking available along Lethbridge Street and Doonmore Street.
For public transport users, both Penrith and Kingswood train stations are a 15-20 minute walk away.
There are three bus stops nearby (2-3 minutes away) on Lethbridge Street (which stops behind Penrith High School), on Derby Street and on Doonmore Street (across from Penrith Public School).
Q: Is your office accessible?
There is a small porch located at the front of the clinic which can only be accessed via stairs (approximately 3-4 steps with a hand rail). However, there is an accessible entrance at the rear of the building.
For clients with mobility requirements, New Leaf Therapy offers telehealth options.
Q: Are your staff vaccinated against COVID?
Yes, our clinicians, accounts and administration team are all COVID-19 vaccinated. Our clinic is a COVID-19 safe facility.
At New Leaf Therapy, we follow NSW COVID-19 safety protocols by practicing excellent hand hygiene. Hand sanitiser is readily available to both clients and our staff. Staff will always wear face masks and face shields where appropriate.
We are also follow procedures such as using disinfectant wipes for test materials, pens and sensory tools. New Leaf Therapy also uses anti-bacterial sprays on all our furniture and in consulting rooms between each client and each use of the space.
Q: Where are your testimonals?
Registered general and clinical psychologists practice under AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) in Australia.
AHPRA practitioners are prohibited from publishing any testimonals on their website.
Service-Related Queries
Q: What are your psychology fees?
Each year, the Australian Psychological Society (APS) publishes a National Schedule of Recommended Fees for psychologists. In order to meet rising business costs, our fees are routinely reviewed to increase biannually in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The APS Recommended Fee Schedule in place from 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025 is $315 for a standard 46-60 minute session.
At New Leaf Therapy, we try our best to offer reasonable costs and rates for our services.
If you are a Private paying client or if you are utilising a MHTP referral, New Leaf Therapy's current fees are $260 for a standard 50 minute session.
We also offer extended consultations (80 minutes) for those who want more time to debrief, infodump or to dive deeper into specific skill building. The fee for an extended consultation is $390.
Q: Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?
No, you can be a private fee paying client.
However, if you wish to claim the Medicare rebate ($96.65 per session), you must have a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) referral from a General Practitioner (GP) or Psychiatrist.
If you are eligible for a MHTP, you may be able to access up to 10 sessions per calendar year. Please note you cannot claim more sessions than is listed by your referrer.
Q: Does New Leaf Therapy bulk bill?
No, New Leaf Therapy is not a bulk billing practice.
Q: How can I pay for appointments?
New Leaf Therapy will store your credit/debit card details securely on our system.
Payment can be made following your face-to-face appointment in clinic using an EFTPOS machine.
For telehealth appointments, you may choose to pay via direct bank transfer (to avoid additional bank fees) or payment will be charged on the day of your appointment using the card held on your file.
New Leaf does not accept cash in any circumstance.
Q: Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?
No, you can be a private fee paying client.
However, if you wish to claim the Medicare rebate ($96.65 per session), you must have a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) referral from a General Practitioner (GP) or Psychiatrist.
If you are eligible for a MHTP, you may be able to access up to 10 sessions per calendar year. Please note you cannot claim more sessions than is listed by your referrer.
Q: Can I contact my psychologist in between sessions?
It is common for clients to want to contact their psychologist in between sessions for a range of reasons. This may include (but is not limited to) scheduling or cancelling of appointments, requesting or providing updates, seeking advice or support, and requesting support letters or reports.
For admin-related support, please direct all your queries to admin@newleaftherapy.net.au.
If you require a support letter for school, university or work, you must make this request directly in person during a session or via email. We encourage you to book an appointment to address your report writing needs as your psychologist cannot write any documentation unless you have had an appointment to discuss it. They need to speak to you (or your young person or guardian) about the request to ensure it is appropriate and within a psychologists' scope to provide, to check they have all the information they need, and to confirm exactly what information you consent to be shared.
Please note a letter cannot be provided to clients who are not currently engaged in therapy (i.e. discharged clients). Any time taken to write support letters or reports or to fill in relevant paperwork will be charged accordingly. These documents will not be released to the client until the invoice has been paid for in full.
We have our client's best interests at heart, that means dedicating the necessary time and effort into writing a support letter that is not only accurate and supportive, but also adheres to ethical, legislative and professional standards. If you wish to provide an update about yourself (or your young person) in between sessions, please be advised your email will not be responded to until your next apppointment. The admin team will upload any correspondence to your client file.
For admin-related support, please direct all your queries to admin@newleaftherapy.net.au.
If you require a support letter for school, university or work, you must make this request directly in person during a session or via email. We encourage you to book an appointment to address your report writing needs as your psychologist cannot write any documentation unless you have had an appointment to discuss it. They need to speak to you (or your young person or guardian) about the request to ensure it is appropriate and within a psychologists' scope to provide, to check they have all the information they need, and to confirm exactly what information you consent to be shared.
Please note a letter cannot be provided to clients who are not currently engaged in therapy (i.e. discharged clients). Any time taken to write support letters or reports or to fill in relevant paperwork will be charged accordingly. These documents will not be released to the client until the invoice has been paid for in full.
We have our client's best interests at heart, that means dedicating the necessary time and effort into writing a support letter that is not only accurate and supportive, but also adheres to ethical, legislative and professional standards. If you wish to provide an update about yourself (or your young person) in between sessions, please be advised your email will not be responded to until your next apppointment. The admin team will upload any correspondence to your client file.
Q: I need more support...
If you need non-emergency support (i.e. there is no risk or concern to you, your health and safety, or the safety of others around you), you can:
- Contact admin to schedule a sooner appointment or be placed on a cancellation list should an earlier appointment become available
- Book an appointment to speak to your General Practitioner (GP) or psychiatrist
- Ask to speak to your school/university counsellor, mental health team or well-being team
- Check with your workplace to see if they provide any mental health support to their employees (e.g. Employee Assistance Program - EAP)
- Check with your Private Health Insurance provider to see if they offer any mental health support
- Visit your local community mental health centre, a Head to Health or Safe Haven clinic to seek support, referral options and advice
- Confide in trusted friends or family
- Consider documenting any experiences, events, feelings or thoughts you wish to share with your psychologist and bring those notes with you to your next appointment
- Reach out to a crisis support helpline via phone call or web chat (e.g. Lifeline or Beyond Blue)
Q: What are your Learning Solutions fees?
New Leaf Therapy's fees are well below the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits for 'Other Professional - Assessment, Recommendation, Therapy or Training Supports' set at $193.99 per hour in NSW. We charge $175 per hour for Learning Solutions.
We are able to support private fee paying (out of pocket) individuals at the same rate.
Please fill out an enquiry form or contact us directly at kate@newleaftherapy.net.au.
Q: Can I access psychology appointments via telehealth?
Yes! To access telehealth sessions, you will need a quiet, private space with an appropriate device (e.g., laptop, phone, iPad, tablet or smartphone) which has a microphone, speaker and a camera. You will also need reliable internet access.
You are responsible for any associated costs to ensure you have the technology available to access telehealth sessions. New Leaf Therapy is responsible for the cost of the telehealth session to you relating to the platform being used (Zoom).
The privacy of any communication via the internet is potentially vulnerable, and it can be limited by the technology used. A telehealth session may be subject to limitations such as unstable (internet) network connection or reception which may affect the quality of the session overall.
Please note that there are some psychological modalities or services where telehealth is not appropriate or effective. Our psychologist will consider and discuss with you whether telehealth is suitable.
You are responsible for any associated costs to ensure you have the technology available to access telehealth sessions. New Leaf Therapy is responsible for the cost of the telehealth session to you relating to the platform being used (Zoom).
The privacy of any communication via the internet is potentially vulnerable, and it can be limited by the technology used. A telehealth session may be subject to limitations such as unstable (internet) network connection or reception which may affect the quality of the session overall.
Please note that there are some psychological modalities or services where telehealth is not appropriate or effective. Our psychologist will consider and discuss with you whether telehealth is suitable.
Q: Can I receive reminders about my appointments?
New Leaf Therapy's systems will send an automated email reminder to your email address 4 days' prior to your appointment at approximately 9:00am to provide you enough time to make changes to your appointment (if needed and to avoid incurring a fee).
If you do not wish to receive an email reminder, please notify your psychologist or admin team during the intake process at admin@newleaftherapy.net.au. You can withdraw your consent at any time via email.
Please note that you are responsible for any scheduled appointments that are missed or cancelled with late notice, regardless if you opt to receive these reminders or not.
Q: I need to cancel (or reschedule) my appointment
If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please email us at admin@newleaftherapy.net.au or text us at 0424 695 505 with a minimum of 2 business days' notice to avoid paying any fees.
If you do not provide more than 2 business days' notice of cancellation or rescheduling, you will incur a fee (equating to the full appointment).
For more information, please refer to our fees and policies for psychology and learning solutions. These policies will also be discussed and reviewed with you prior to your first appointment as part of our Informed Consent procedures.
Q: What happens if I am running late?
We understand that life does not always run to schedule. Our psychologists will wait for up to 15 minutes. Your appointment will then only last the remaining 35 minutes that was originally allocated for your session (total of 50 minutes for a standard consult).
If you arrive more than 15 minutes late to your scheduled appointment, New Leaf Therapy will not be able to accommodate you. Your missed appointment will be deemed as a "non-attendance" apppointment and you will be charged the full fee of the missed appointment. In this case, staff will attempt to contact you via both phone and email.
If you miss an appointment entirely without notice, this will be deemed as "non-attendance" appointment and New Leaf Therapy will attempt to contact you over the next 3 business days. If we do not hear back from you within that timeframe, our policies for safety and welfare concerns permit us to reach out to your listed emergency contact person on your behalf. If we are unable to contact your emergency contact person, New Leaf may choose to contact your local police station to request that they conduct a welfare check on you.
Q: Why can't you provide support via email and in between sessions?
There are various reasons as to why psychological support cannot be provided via email and in between sessions. This may include (but is not limited to):
- Written communication is often prone to misinterpretation
- Potential internet, reception or system errors which can delay our ability to receive timely correspondence or respond accordingly
- A great amount of time is needed to read, reflect and respond appropriately and sensitively. Our time and work is focused on preparing for sessions, being in session, writing notes and completing reports. This leaves little to no time to monitor (let alone respond to) emails - which is one of the many reasons why our admin staff are invaluable!
- Emails do not include sufficient information and context for our psychologists to provide support. We are unable to accurately assess the mental state or well-being of the individual writing to us, nor will we have all the information required to give appropriate psychological support.
Q: I need URGENT support!
As a private practice, our psychologists cannot provide crisis intervention or emergency support. If you are struggling to cope, experiencing a personal crisis, or are thinking about harming yourself or others, please reach out to an emergency support service such as:
- Lifeline Phone Support - 13 11 14
- Lifeline Text Message Support - 0477 131 114
- NSW Mental Health Access Line - 1800 011 511
- Qlife (LGBTQ+ support) - available between 3pm to midnight, 7 days per week on 1800 184 527
- 13 YARN (confidential, culturally sensitive crisis support for Indigenous people) - 13 92 76
- Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800
- Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467
- Mens Line Australia - 1300 789 978
- Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636
- 1800 RESPECT - 1800 737 732
- Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Line - 1800 424 017
Please do not wait to get in contact with us, call 000 or attend your nearest hospital emergency department.