Kristelle is a registered Clinical Psychologist and board-approved Supervisor with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS). She has practiced in the both the public and private psychology sectors for over 14 years and has extensive experience supporting children, adolescents, and their families. Her experience within the public sector includes Disability SA, Department for Child Protection and more recently, Department for Education.
Please find a range of commonly asked questions. For more information, please reach out and contact us.
Psychology is the scientific study of mind, emotions and behaviour. Psychologists understand and explain human functioning through biological, psychological and social factors. All psychologists in Australia are required to complete tertiary education and training in psychology, as well as ongoing supervision and professional development. Clinical Psychologists undertake further education and training in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions.
To make an appointment, simply complete our the online ‘Contact us’ enquiry form. Once we receive your form, a member of the admin team will review your information and contact you within 1–2 business days to discuss next steps.
This helps us understand what support you’re looking for. Sometimes, the admin team will offer you an opportunity to have a brief 10-minute chat with the psychologist prior to booking the appointment. This is to ensure the service can provide the support that you are seeking. It is also an opportunity for parents to ask questions, prior to their first appointment.
To access Medicare rebates for psychological services, you will need to speak with your GP, psychiatrist, or paediatrician and request a Mental Health Treatment Plan and referral before your first appointment.
Reminders are sent 48 hours before your appointment and give you the opportunity to cancel or reschedule if necessary. Please note that if an appointment is cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours’ notice, a cancellation fee applies. The fee assists with the cost of the missed appointment and the time spent preparing for it.
Our cancellation policy is as follows:
If you arrive late, your appointment will still finish at the originally scheduled time. This helps us stay on schedule and minimise delays for other clients.
If we need to cancel your appointment, there is no charge to you. We will contact you as soon as possible and do our best to arrange another appointment at a convenient time.
Please contact Kristelle. An individualised quote will be prepared regarding the assessment need. Assessments are quoted according to the amount of time required to provide a comprehensive assessment, including travel, observations, interviews, assessment scoring, and clinical report writing time.
An Australian guideline for the diagnosis and assessment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was published in 2018. This aims to make autism assessment and diagnosis more consistent across the country. Kristelle is a Clinical Psychologist, and her Single Diagnostic Assessment reports may be provided to the NDIS as evidence for eligibility applications.
For more information on autism, please click here>
Before your first appointment, we’ll ask you to complete a client intake form and read through our consent form. We’ll go through the consent form together during your session, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to ask any questions about confidentiality, privacy, or how therapy works.
If it helps, you might like to jot down a few things you’d like to talk about or any questions you have. And if you’re not quite sure where to start or what you want to get out of therapy, that’s completely okay, we’ll work through that together.
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, and it’s completely normal to feel a little nervous.
Your first session is a chance for us to get to know you. We’ll spend some time talking about what’s brought you to therapy, your current concerns, and anything else you feel is important for us to understand. We may also ask about different areas of your life, such as family, work, school or relationships, to help build a clearer picture of your experiences.
We’ll also explain how therapy works, talk through confidentiality and consent, and answer any questions you have. Together, we’ll begin to explore what you’d like to get out of therapy and discuss the best way to support you moving forward.
In most cases, yes. Parents and caregivers play an important role in supporting their child’s progress, so their involvement is often an important part of the therapy process. The level of involvement will depend on your child’s age, needs, and the type of support being provided.
For many children, the first appointment is with the parent or caregiver only. This gives us the opportunity to learn more about your child’s background and current concerns, while also allowing you to talk openly about what’s been happening before your child begins attending sessions. From there, we’ll work together to decide the best approach for supporting your child.
Yes. What you or your child discusses with your psychologist is confidential. This means we won’t share your personal information or that you’re attending therapy without your permission.
There are some important exceptions where we’re legally or ethically required to share information. This may happen if there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, or if we have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child or young person. If this ever becomes necessary, we’ll always aim to share only the information needed to keep people safe.
When working with teenagers, the same confidentiality applies. This means that, unless there are safety concerns, we won’t share what a young person discusses in therapy with parents or guardians without their permission.
At the same time, we know that involving parents or caregivers can often be an important part of supporting a young person’s wellbeing. Wherever appropriate, we’ll encourage open communication and work together with the young person to involve parents or caregivers in a way that feels safe, respectful, and supportive.
You’re welcome to email us with information you’d like your psychologist to know before your appointment. This can be a helpful way to share updates or important information that may support your care.
There are a few things to keep in mind:
Yes. A Mental Health Care Plan forms part of your GP’s medical record and is protected by strict privacy laws.
In most circumstances, your medical records cannot be accessed by employers or other organisations without your consent.
There are some situations where you may be asked to give permission for your medical records to be reviewed, such as when applying for certain types of insurance or for some occupations (for example, the police or defence force). If you choose to provide consent, your medical history—including any Mental Health Care Plans or mental health treatment—may be included in the information your GP provides.
Some insurers or employers may consider this information as part of their assessment process. If you have questions about how a Mental Health Care Plan could affect a specific insurance policy or job application, it’s best to speak directly with the relevant organisation.
We understand that separated family situations can sometimes make navigating therapy more complex. We work with many separated families and our priority is always supporting the wellbeing, safety, and best interests of the child or young person.
Our approach is guided by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Code of Ethics and the APS Ethical Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Children and Young People, which emphasise the importance of respecting a young person’s rights, maintaining professional boundaries, and working collaboratively with families wherever appropriate.
Where possible, we aim to work collaboratively with all members of a child’s parenting team. In many situations, it is beneficial for both parents or caregivers to understand, support, and be appropriately involved in their child’s therapy.
The level of involvement will depend on a range of factors, including:
There may be situations where it is not appropriate or possible to involve both parents or caregivers, such as where there are safety concerns, specific court orders, or where a young person has the capacity to make their own healthcare decisions.
Psychologists consider consent requirements alongside ethical guidelines, relevant legislation, and the circumstances of each individual family.
In some situations, consent from one legal guardian may be sufficient for a child or young person to receive psychological support. However, we will carefully consider factors such as parental responsibility arrangements, court orders, safety concerns, and what is in the best interests of the young person.
Where appropriate, we will make reasonable efforts to involve relevant parents or caregivers in the therapy process in line with professional guidelines.
The way parents or caregivers are involved will vary depending on the needs of the child and family. This may include:
Due to the nature of psychological therapy and confidentiality requirements, we are generally unable to provide regular or detailed updates outside of scheduled appointments. We also ask that parents or caregivers communicate directly with each other regarding practical matters such as appointment arrangements and payment responsibilities.
We respect a young person’s right to privacy and confidentiality, consistent with the APS Ethical Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Children and Young People.
The level of confidentiality will depend on the child’s age, maturity, and circumstances. While we aim to provide young people with a safe and private space to talk openly, confidentiality has limits. Information may need to be shared where there are concerns about safety, legal obligations, or where it is necessary to support the child’s wellbeing.
Information provided to us that relates to a child’s care may form part of their clinical record and may be accessible in accordance with relevant privacy legislation and legal requirements.
If there are current court orders relating to parenting arrangements, parental responsibility, or healthcare decisions, we ask that you provide us with the relevant sections before therapy begins.
This helps us understand the arrangements in place and ensure our practice aligns with our professional obligations.
Where a child is supported by more than one parent or caregiver, we aim to involve relevant parties in NDIS-related discussions and documentation where appropriate and in the best interests of the child.
This approach aligns with our professional responsibilities to support the young person while remaining objective and neutral when working with separated families.
We understand that separated family circumstances can be challenging. Our role is not to take sides, but to remain objective, respectful, and focused on what best supports the child or young person.
If you have questions about how these principles apply to your family’s circumstances, we encourage you to discuss this with your psychologist so we can work together in the most supportive way possible.
Sometimes your psychologist or clinician may need to complete tasks outside of your scheduled appointments to support your care. This may include activities such as preparing clinical documentation or reports, communicating with other professionals involved in your care, or brief contact between sessions (such as phone calls or emails).
Any time spent completing clinical tasks outside of appointments is charged pro-rata at your clinician’s standard hourly rate. If you have questions about whether a task may involve additional fees, please feel welcome to discuss this with your clinician.