Does my child need a psychologist? How to tell

Most parents who call me have been wondering for months. They have read things online, talked to the teacher, asked their own parents, and gone back and forth on whether it's "bad enough". Here is a more useful way to think about it.

It is less about how bad, more about how long and how wide

Every child has meltdowns, worries and rough patches. It is worth getting some support when the difficulty has lasted more than a few weeks, when it shows up in more than one place (home and school, or school and friendships), or when it is starting to shape the family: avoiding outings, dreading mornings, siblings tiptoeing. You don't need to wait for a crisis, and you don't need a diagnosis.

Common reasons families come to see me

• Worries and anxiety, including separation anxiety and school refusal
• Big emotions: meltdowns, anger, tears that seem out of proportion
• Difficulties at school with attention, behaviour or friendships
• Concerns about ADHD or autism, before or after an assessment
• Low confidence, or a child who is very hard on themselves
• Family change, grief, or a hard event

What a first appointment involves

Usually just you, without your child, for about fifty minutes, in person or by video. We talk about what has been happening, what you have tried, and what your child is like when things are going well. By the end you will have a sense of whether I'm the right fit and what the next few sessions might look like. There is no commitment beyond that first conversation.

Referrals and rebates, briefly

You can contact a psychologist directly; no referral is needed. If you would like a Medicare rebate, see your GP first for a Mental Health Treatment Plan, which currently gives $101.55 back per session for up to ten sessions a year. If your child has an NDIS plan that is self- or plan-managed, that can cover sessions too. All the details are on the Fees and rebates page.

If you are still unsure

Call or send a message. I am always happy to have a short conversation about whether seeing a psychologist makes sense for your child right now, and if I don't think I'm the right person, I'll say so and point you somewhere better.