What is Play Therapy, and who is it suitable for?

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What does Play Therapy cost? 

Please visit the fees section on this website. 

Can I claim any rebates through Medicare or Private Health?

You cannot access any Medicare rebates for Play Therapy. Some Private Health funds cover mental health services and you are welcome to contact your fund to see if they cover Play Therapy from a Registered Play Therapist and/or a PACFA Clinical Psychotherapist. If you prefer to access a Medicare rebated service, we are happy to provide you with some alternative services you can access under a Mental Health Care Plan and you can visit your GP to ask for this.  

My child is eligible for NDIS, can you offer any services for them?

Yes, both self and plan managed NDIS participants can be eligible for Play Therapy.  

Are there any other ways I can pay?

We accept referrals from third parties such as Government Departments, Not for Profit Organisations, Return to Work and Insurance Companies. In this instance, you will not have an out of pocket expense and sessions will be limited to the funding capacity of the third party. 

How long does a session take?

Sessions are booked for either 45 or 60 minutes each. Child sessions are either 30 or 45 minutes in duration, depending on the service and child’s age, session bookings allow 15 minutes for room reset and clinical notes after your child has left. We never write notes while your child is in the room as this impacts the therapeutic relationship.

Who attends appointments?

This depends on your individual needs and the type of service you are accessing. Our first session is always a parent/caregiver and therapist only session as we need time to discuss your concerns in detail, without your child present.

During Child Centered Play Therapy sessions, the parent or caregiver is usually not in the room unless the child needs settling. Although these sessions are child focussed, parents and carers are a vital part of the therapy process. If coming into the playroom is too much of a challenge for your child, we will never force them to come to come in. Instead we look at other options to help your child engage and will support you with this. We schedule seperate parent/carer support sessions to provide feedback on your child's progress and also to provide strategies for you to use at home to compliment your child's therapy. These run for 30, 45 or 60 minutes depending on your needs. 

Child Parent Relationship Therapy does not involve your child coming to sessions, instead you come along to learn skills and strategies to then implement at home.  

Theraplay sessions are usually with the child and the parent/carer together, in the therapy room and with the therapist. 

Can you talk with my child's school or other professionals?

Yes, we are happy to extend our support to schools and other professionals working with your child. Any meetings, reports or letters provided will be billed accordingly.  

What happens if I need to cancel an appointment?

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please let us know as soon as you can. Any cancellations made within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment will be charged at the full session fee. Because we run appointments to a schedule, we will always start and finish at the same time unless otherwise negotiated with your therapist.