Help Centre
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Appointments
How do I book an appointment?
You can book an appointment by phoning or texting Samantha on 0448 881 673 or via our Booking Form.
How long will it take to get an appointment?
Samantha is currently not taking new clients. This will be reviewed regularly and updated.
How long are the appointments?
Appointments are approximately 50 minutes in duration. In depth sessions are available for 80 minutes.
Are phone or online appointments available?
Face-to-face, phone or online appointments are available and operate the same way as a face-to-face appointment.
The Clinic
Where is the clinic?
Samantha James Psychology is situated in a convenient location in the heart of Lismore CBD, New South Wales Australia and the clinic address can be found here. Whilst Samantha is based in Lismore he offers online psychology services worldwide via secure and easy to use teleconference.
What are your opening hours?
Samantha is available for sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 5pm.
Do you offer after-hours appointments?
Samantha does not offer afer-hours appointments. If you are in a crisis please refer to our Resources page
How do I contact Samantha?
Enquiries can be made at anytime via the contact form or by phoning and leaving a message or texting Samantha on 0448 887 316. Samantha will phone you to discuss an appointment and how she may be able to help you.
Are my therapy sessions confidential?
All personal information collected by the psychologist during your sessions will always remain confidential and secure, except when: It is subpoenaed by a court; Failure to disclose information which would place you, or other persons, at risk; Your consent has been obtained to provide, or discuss, relevant information about your treatment and recovery (e.g. GP, other services, carers).
Is my personal information secure?
All reasonable steps are taken to ensure your personal information is stored securely and protected from misuse and loss from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Financial
How much does it cost?
Please see fees page for detailed information on fees and rebates. Standard consultation fee is $200 - $250.
Do you bulk-bill?
No we are not a bulk-billing practice.
Do you have EFTPOS and rebate facilities?
EFTPOS facilities are available as well as on the spot claiming for Medicare and private health insurance rebates.
Is Samantha covered under Medicare?
Samantha is a registered provider with Medicare at the highest rebate. See our Fees page for more information, here.
Can I get Health Insurance Rebates?
Yes Samantha can provide rebates for most private health insurance companies (check with your insurance policy for amounts)
Will my NDIS cover my psychology sessions with Samantha?
Yes Samantha does provide services to people as part of their NDIS packages. Contact your NDIS provider to organise.
How many sessions do I get under Mental Health Care Plan?
A Mental Health Care Plan will give you 6 sessions and additional 4 sessions, so 10 in total every 12 month period.
How do I get a Mental Health Care Plan?
Visit your GP and request a Mental health Care Plan and elect to see Samantha as your clinical psychologist. If the GP assesses that you are eligible they will fax through your referral to the clinic and you can begin to see Samantha for sessions.
Client Information
What if I am in a crisis?
Samantha James Psychology is not a crisis counselling service. If you are in a crisis, please contact your emergency services or local hospital for immediate assistance. You can find some crisis phone numbers on our Resources Page here
Who does Samantha see?
Samantha offers counselling to adults, adolescents, children and families.
Does Samantha treat psychiatric conditions?
As a clinical psychologist Samantha has been trained to work therapeutically with a wide range of mental health conditions. However Samantha is not a psychiatrist so she does not administer medications.
Does Samantha offer relationship counselling?
Samantha provides individual counselling and family counselling on relationship issues however she does not provide relationship couple to couples.
Do I need to see a clinical psychologist?
A clinical psychologist can support you in a wide range of issues from improving your day to day functioning and relationships to dealing with complex trauma and mental health issues. If you are ready to make some changes in your life then you would benefit from seeing Samantha.
How do I refer someone to Samantha?
Samantha accepts referrals from all specialists, GP's and organisations. For health practitioners and service providers please use contact form to refer to Samantha.
Do I need to attend my child’s appointments?
Clients under 18 years of age have at least one parent or carer present at all times for their appointments.
How old does my child need to be before he/she can have counselling?
Samantha works with children from the age of 4 years old and over. If your child is between 0-4 years old Samantha will work with the parent(s) in combination with the child.
About Samantha
What qualifications and training does Samantha have?
Samantha is a fully registered Clinical Psychologist. Her training includes Master of clinical psychology .and a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours. She has completed 2 years supervised experience and has worked in the field for the past 15 years.
Is Samantha a member of his professional body?
Samantha is a Member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS)
What is the difference between a clinical psychologist a psychologist?
Psychologist complete four years of academic study and a clinical psychologist completes an additional two years of academic study and research and two years training in work placement. Clinical psychologists are trained to work with a greater range of mental health conditions and complex problems.
How is seeing Samantha different to seeing other psychologists?
Samantha combines her psychological background with extensive training in trauma therapies and relational therapies.
Supervision & Training
Is Samantha a registered supervisor?
Samantha is registered to provide supervision by the Psychology Board of Australia.
Does Samantha provide trainings?
Samantha has written and presented a number of trainings for government organisations and private businesses. Contact Samantha for more information.
Who does Samantha provide Supervision for?
Psychologists, social workers, para-professionals, counsellors and mental health care professionals. Samantha provides individual and group supervision.