The reasons why people see a psychologist can be quite broad and can include ongoing mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns. People may also attend appointments when they have experienced significant life changes, such as losing a job, becoming a new parent or relationship difficulties, although there are many more reasons. People often decide to come and see a psychologist when they are feeling stuck, they notice they are repeating unhelpful patterns, or their emotions, thoughts and behaviours are preventing them from living the life they want to live.

Alicia sees adults and teenagers with a range of issues, including depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, stress management, trauma and PTSD, ADHD, personality disorders, relationship issues, parenting issues, grief and loss, self-esteem issues, and workplace issues. While Alicia does not work with couples, she does work with individuals who may also be attending couples therapy to address their own issues impacting the relationship. At present, Alicia does not provide treatment for individuals dealing with eating disorders, schizophrenia, drug addictions, or bipolar disorders.

Talking to somebody who isn't a family member or friend can be helpful. Psychology appointments provide a safe, non-judgemental space where you will be heard, supported, and understood. The therapy process involves understanding your concerns and self-exploration, as well as collaborating to identify your own unique ways to support mental and emotional health. During this process you may be guided and taught how to use specific evidenced based tools and strategies to help yourself in the future. Research has shown that attending appointments with a psychologist does help to transform unhelpful behavioural patterns into more helpful behaviours, although this may require some effort on your behalf. As there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to therapy, each person’s experience may be different and your psychologist will tailor the approach to suit your needs.

You do not need a referral to book and attend appointments with Alicia. You can contact Alicia directly to schedule a session, and as long as your presenting concerns are within the areas she works with, appointments can commence as soon as possible. However, if you would like to access a Medicare rebate for your sessions, you will need a referral and a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

After you reach out to book an appointment, I will get in touch with you during my work hours. Please note that I do not work over weekends, so any inquiries made during this time will be addressed on the next business day.

Typically, I will call you for a brief conversation to discuss your concerns and determine if they align with the areas I work with. If you provide enough information in your initial email and your concerns are within my scope, we can proceed directly to the next steps.

Once we decide to move forward, I will send you an intake and consent form to complete. After receiving these forms, we can schedule your first appointment. I will also email you all the necessary details for your initial session to ensure you are well-prepared.

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

It is completely normal for first time clients to feel nervous before attending an appointment. The first session will involve discussions about consent, confidentiality, reasons for attending therapy, and any goals or expectations you may have (it’s okay if you don’t have any goals or any expectations). This appointment may also involve lots of questions about you, your history, and any symptoms, however you only need share what you feel comfortable talking about. Often people share more once trust has been developed which may take some time which is completely normal. If you would like to do walking sessions this will be discussed during the first appointment.

Therapy sessions typically last 50 minutes.

If you’re running late, that’s absolutely fine—life can get busy! However, please note that appointments cannot be extended, as the next session needs to start on time.

Alicia will keep track of the time during your session, but there will also be a clock visible in the room so you can see how much time is left.

That said, there may be occasions when sessions run a few minutes longer than expected, depending on the discussion and needs at the time.

It would be helpful if you could bring any letters, reports, or other information that might be relevant to your treatment. If you would like to claim a Medicare rebate for appointments, please bring your mental health care plan and referral from your GP with you to your first appointment. Without a referral from your GP, you will not be able to receive a Medicare rebate.

You no longer need to bring your card or wallet to appointments, as all payments are processed online.

Before your first appointment, you’ll complete an online intake and consent form. As part of this form, you’ll provide a credit card that will be used for the payment of all sessions. Payments are typically processed on the morning of your appointment. If there are any issues with processing your payment, Alicia will let you know during your session.

If your credit card details change at any time, Alicia will send you a new form to update this information.

If you prefer to pay for your appointments in cash, please discuss this with Alicia before attending any sessions.

The number of sessions needed will vary depending on the goals of your sessions. Some people will be attending appointments for help and support with one particular issue, such as grief from the end of a relationship, however others may be attending sessions for ongoing work to address long standing mental health concerns. If you are attending appointments to address one issue, continuing sessions until your symptoms begin to improve, or you feel more stabilized is recommended. If you are attending sessions to address multiple issues, you may need to attend more sessions over a longer period.

How often you need to attend does vary from person to person. Initially it is great if clients can attend weekly or fortnightly sessions so progress can be made, especially if you are attending due to some form of crisis or significant mental health concerns. In the first few appointments the focus will be on establishing a relationship, developing trust and understanding your concerns. As you will eventually be learning new skills the more frequently you can to attend, the more progress you will see. Many clients will book the same time each week or each fortnight so their appointment becomes a regular part of their routine.

Confidentiality is a fundamental principle in psychology, and all personal information gathered by Alicia Merlino during the provision of psychological services will remain confidential and secure. However, there are specific situations where confidentiality may need to be breached. These include circumstances where information is subpoenaed by a court, disclosure is required or authorized by law, or failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at risk of harm.

Confidentiality may also be breached with your prior approval, such as providing a written report to another professional (e.g., a GP or lawyer), discussing material with another person (e.g., a parent, employer, or health provider), or for another disclosed purpose.

Additionally, information may be shared when it is reasonably expected, such as informing your GP about treatment and progress, or during clinical consultation with another professional to improve the quality of services provided. In such cases, identifying details will remain confidential whenever possible, and only the minimum necessary information will be disclosed.

Walking therapy sessions are available on a case-by-case basis. You will need to attend an initial consultation before accessing this service to ensure it is appropriate for you. Alicia will provide more information and answer any questions you may have prior to commencing walking sessions. Your walking session can be carried out in whatever clothing you are most comfortable in. It is common for clients to wear casual clothing or active wear, and your psychologist will also be wearing clothes appropriate for walking. If you are local to the area there is the chance, we may run into someone you know during your appointment. During your first appointment, Alicia will discuss how to handle running into someone you know during a walking appointment. Walking sessions are not always available and the suitability of walking sessions will be determined in conjunction with your psychologist.