WILL MY PERSONAL DETAILS AND INFORMATION BE KEPT PRIVATE?
Practicing Psychologists in NZ are bound by the Code of Ethics of the NZ Psychologists Board. This implies that your personal information is kept confidential, unless you provide written permission to share it (e.g. it may be helpful to share relevant information with other members of your intervention team, or with your nominated family members). Please refer to the 'consent' document on the forms page of this website. In this light, confidentiality and privacy is always upheld (subject to the Privacy Act 1993 and the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003). There is one important exception to this rule though: if you are at risk of hurting yourself or someone else, I may be legally obliged to break our confidentiality agreement to protect you and/or the others involved. However, if this decision is necessary, I will make every effort to discuss the process with you first to ensure your safety and dignity.
How do I make an appointment?
Your 1st step is to make the decision that you or the person you want to refer may benefit from professional psychological support. Parents/caregivers often feel that they should be able to figure things out on their own - what to do to support the young person, or they may even feel like they are admitting defeat to seek support outside of their family. You are not alone, I have worked with countless families over many years as an ex-school principal, RTLB and psychologist who have made the difficult decision to seek outside support.
All you need to do is to make contact to schedule an initial appointment using the Whitianga Psychology website, via email or telephone. This way I will be able to obtain some basic information about you or the person you want to refer, and we will also discuss how soon an initial appointment is available. You need proof of legal guardianship in case of divorce, custody, adoption or foster placement. Be sure to bring this information to the initial appointment.
Prior to your appointment, fill out a copy of the intake form provided on this website. If you do not have printing facilities, call or txt 021 294 1968 to request a form to be mailed to you via NZ postal services.
You will receive a confirmation call two days before your appointment.
How do I cancel an appointment.
Should you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, call or email me 24 hours in advance, thank you. You can call me at: 021 294 1968 to cancel or reschedule an appointment or assessment as soon as possible. This allows another person to be seen during that time. Note that school events (after-school activities, competitions etc.), or a parent/caregiver having to work, do not count as an emergency to opt out of a scheduled appointment.
What will happen at our first meeting?
The initial meeting is the first part of our intervention process; this approximately 60 minute appointment is scheduled with parents/referrers. I usually meet with you, the parent/caregiver alone to ensure that you are able to openly discuss what brought us together. This is also a time for you to gauge if you are comfortable working with me, or before the referred person is seen.
Over the course of the first meeting, we will discuss questions regarding emotional/behavioral, developmental, and social functioning, as well as discover other information about you or the referred person's present level of thinking and functioning. Other available records will be reviewed and an assessment plan will be co-created if needed. Usually, initial and clarification questions focus on referral concerns particular to the referred person, unpacking the potential origin of the presenting issues, and understanding whether or not the referred person has previously undergone evaluations and/or professional intervention.
The second meeting will typically include the referred person. I spend the most time during this meeting with the referred person depending on his/her level of comfort. This time will be focused on building rapport with the person, supporting them to feel comfortable working with me.
What to tell the person who will be supported what to expect at our first meeting.
The goal of the first appointment with you or the referred person is to begin to build rapport and to help you to feel comfortable. Time will be spent discussing the person’s interests, sport, school, family, and friends. I will also discuss the intervention process. It is often helpful to explain to young people that they are going to see a psychologist - I will not be prescribing medicine nor be doing any physical exam. You may find it helpful to refer to me as a 'talking' or 'feelings' support person.
How soon will the Referred person receive an appointment?
Appointments are scheduled within one or two weeks after the initial meeting with you, parents/caregivers. For crisis situations, faster appointment times will be offered. However, I will need to evaluate each case on an individual basis to determine what constitutes a crisis or urgent appointment. If the referred person is experiencing an emergency that you believe could be life threatening, you will need to call 111 or go to your local Accident & Emergency Clinic or hospital for immediate support.
What records are needed for the initial appointment?
Bring copies of your, or the referred person’s school, doctor, psychological and therapy records to the first appointment. Write your the referred person’s name and birth date on all the pages, as well as the doctor they are/were seeing.
What is the difference between a formal assessment & an ecological evaluation
After the first meeting with the referred person, he/she will be informally evaluated (with your consent) as part of a data gathering process. This involves gathering information from parents/caregivers, the referred person, teachers or healthcare providers to better understand the referral situation. This also includes behavioural observations made during appointments and may include behaviour checklists and questionnaires. When the data and information gathering process are concluded, I may complete or refer you for more comprehensive assessment if more in depth information is needed to better understand the referred person or to guide the intervention/support. Assessments are completed at my practice location.
Some parents/caregivers request psychological assessment up front if they would like an assessment for a suspected issue such as ADD/ADHD, screening for potential autism spectrum disorder (to be referred on to a multi-disciplinary team), or for specific learning difficulties. Some young people who present with more in-depth issues, or those who have previously been unsuccessful in previous therapy may also benefit from formal psychological assessment.
What does an assessment usually ENTAILS?
First. Initial Interview and Clarification: This first meeting is a very important step in the assessment process. I meet with parents/referrers to obtain information about the referred person’s school, medical, and developmental history, and learn about any social, emotional, or behavioral concerns. This will provide a better understanding of the nature of the presenting issues and will assist to decide with which assessments we could potentially proceed. Approximate Time: 1 hour
Second. Assessment Sessions – 1 or 2 meetings: During assessment sessions, several areas will be measured depending on the referral reason, information gathered in the referral clarification interview, age and presentation of the referred person – Below are different areas that may be assessed and accompanying time frames.
Time Frames Needed:
Cognitive Functioning: 1 – 2 hours
Academic Achievement: 1 – 2 hours
Questionnaires and Behavior Rating Scales: 1 hour
Tests of Adaptive behaviour: 1 hour
Screener for potential Autism Spectrum Disorders (if appropriate): 1 – 2 hours
School Observations and Consultation (if appropriate) : 1 - 2 hours
Third. Scoring, Interpretation and Written Report: Questionnaires and assessments are scored, analyzed and interpreted. Previous school and professional records are reviewed (if appropriate and with consent). Findings from the assessments, observations and information gathered are all considered when the overall interpretations and conclusions are made. A unique and detailed feedback report is completed.
Fourth. Feedback session with Referrer(s): An appointment will be made to review the results of the evaluation and to discuss the feedback report. During this meeting, a detailed written report is presented and reviewed with the referrer. The referred person’s strengths and areas that need support are discussed, and practical, unique individualized intervention recommendations are provided to serve as a guide to support the referred person to succeed academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.
Following the feedback session, some referrers request a school feedback meeting to help explain assessment results to the young person’s teaching team. I may also be requested to assist the referred person's teaching team to develop an educational/behavioural or safety plan. These are considered additional services at $50 per 60-minute consult.
do I RECEIVE a copy of the referred person's evaluation?
Following any assessment, evaluations typically take anywhere from 2-3 weeks to complete, sometimes even sooner depending on the type of assessment. You will receive a printed, as well as an electronic pdf copy of the report via email.
How do I schedule a follow up appointment?
Once the assessment report has been discussed and reviewed with you (as well as with other professionals who have an interest in the assessment), a follow up appointment will be scheduled as needed.
Is there an age limit to ask for for support?
I work mostly with young people up to age 21; however, I also see parents of all ages and a limited amount of adults - depending on the type of support that is requested.
Do I need a referral from the person who will be supported's doctor?
Referrals and medical records from the supported person's primary care physician, neurologist or psychiatrist are encouraged to assist with obtaining authorization for services.
How long does support take to conclude?
The length of support/intervention varies on an individual basis. Regular 1:1 appointments last between 45-60 minutes. Once your primary concerns have been addressed some people and parents like for their child to have fortnightly, then monthly or quarterly “check in’s” to monitor long term progress and to continue a therapeutic relationship should future concerns arise. Appointments for assessments and professional intervention support take longer, but will ultimately be decided by the level of need and the recommendations made in the assessment report.
during What hours do appointments take place?
Appointments are scheduled from 9:00 am onwards. After school and late afternoon appointments are usually booked. It is very likely that a young person will need to be out of school for one or two hours for some appointments. I will provide you with a note for school if needed. Once you are an established member of this practice it will be much easier to obtain your preferred times. There are currently no weekend appointments available.
When and how much do I pay for the service that I have received?
Fees for evaluations range from $150 to $850, depending on the type of assessment and age of the referred person. *Assessments that are conducted on-site at a school, home, or at a location other than at the Whitianga Psychology practice site incur an additional flat travel charge of $50.
At times, parents don’t know whether or not their child needs an assessment. In these instances, an initial interview and consultation can be scheduled at a standard intake rate of $150 to discuss information regarding presenting concerns and relevant history necessary to determine whether an assessment is needed. If following the consultation, assessments are commenced, the consultation fee would be applied to the total evaluation fee, since the interview and consultation appointment is part of the assessment process. Visit the FAQ page on this site to see a breakdown and steps of what assessment procedure usually entails.
Depending on the support provided, an hourly rate for consultation, or a flat rate for assessments are offered. Your first consultation of 60 minutes costs $150 ($75 per 1/2 hour session thereafter). I keep detailed logs of the time we spend on your case. We count in 15 minute increments and round down when in-between them - my commitment to you is that you will always be advanced! Work logs will be disclosed upon your request. We work together only for as long as an intervention requires, so you’ll never be over-charged for unproductive time. All applicable fees must be paid at the time of service. For your convenience, we use a direct credit system (internet banking). An invoice and payment details will be provided at the end of every consultation. Assessments and evaluations are scheduled and paid in advance.