Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Mental Health Social Worker?
An accredited Mental Health Social Worker is a social worker that has been assessed by the Australian Association of Social Work as having specialist mental health expertise.
Mental Health Social Workers have particular expertise when helping individuals whose mental disorders co-exist with other problems, such as family distress, drug and alcohol problems, unemployment, disability, poverty and trauma.

What Services do you offer?
As an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker I offer experience in assessing and working effectively with children, adults and families experiencing any of the following conditions.

Depression and other mood disorders
Anxiety disorders
Life crises
Psychosis
Trauma

Relationship problems

Suicidal thoughts

Adjustment issues

Eating disorders

Family conflicts

I am available for assessment, therapy, training and consultations and I use a range of interventions including the following focussed psychological strategies,

Family therapy
Acceptance & Commitment therapy
Skills training
Interpersonal Therapy
Psycho-education

Psycho-education

Motivational interviewing

Cognitive behaviour therapy

Narrative therapy

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Eating Disorders (CBT-E)

What information will you need from me?
As part of providing a focussed psychological strategies service to you, I will need to collect and record personal information from you that is relevant to your current situation. This information will be a necessary part of the assessment and treatment that is conducted.

You may access the material recorded in your file upon request, subject to the exceptions in National Privacy Principle 6 which include:

poses a serious threat to the life or health of the client or any other individual;
has an unreasonable impact upon the privacy of other individuals.

Will your service be confidential?
All personal information gathered during the provision of the service will remain confidential and secure except when:

It is subpoenaed by a court, or
Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at risk; or
Your prior approval has been obtained to provide a written report to another professional or agency, e.g. a GP, lawyer, insurance company, or discuss the material with another person, e.g. a parent or employer.

How much will it cost?
The cost of a one hour individual consultation is $110.00, which is payable at the end of the session by cash or cheque only. For costs of more specific services such as family therapy please view the AASW recommended fee structure at http://www.aasw.asn.au/about/prof_practice/fees.htm
These fees are a guide and help when discussing fees, please speak to me about any query you may have.
If you have a referral from a doctor you are entitled to a Medicare rebate.

What if I can’t come to the appointment?
If, for some reason, you need to cancel or postpone the appointment, please give at least 3 days notice, otherwise you will be charged a 50% cancellation fee. Of course, in extenuating circumstances this cancellation fee will not be charged.

What are Social Work Values?
All AASW statements of practice standards are based on the AASW Code of Ethics (2001). Accordingly, this statement of the Practice Standards for Mental Health Social Workers builds on the Code of Ethics (2001). While all parts of the code are relevant to practice, a number of general ethical principles can be identified as particularly relevant to social work practice in mental health. General principles

Respect for the individual.
Self-determination.
Social Justice.
Confidentiality.

Social Work Principles specific to mental health

Emphasising personhood. Social workers recognize the complexity of human experience, and try to see beyond the limits of illness, diagnosis, and treatment labels. Accordingly, social workers recognize that people are much more than an illness or diagnostic label, and that individuals have broad human needs beyond specific treatment needs.
Valuing the lived experience of individual consumers and family members and carers. A guiding principle for practice is a respect for the lived experience of mental illness and consequences for individual consumers, families and other carers.
Affirming the importance of partnership and mutuality. Social workers recognise the importance of working in respectful partnerships with consumers and family carers. These respectful partnerships are marked by efforts to ensure consumer/carer participation and choice in decision-making and self-determination (empowerment), as well as mutuality in assessment and action planning. Partnership and mutuality are values that extend to working with professional colleagues.
Addressing powerlessness, marginality, stigma and disadvantage. Social workers recognise the impact of illness, treatment and stigma on the experience of people with mental illness and their family carers. Social worker practice promotes equity, access, and participation, and the recognition of all civil and human rights.
Conveying empathy, compassion and hope. Social workers seek to bring human qualities of empathy, compassion and hopefulness to their work.