ADHD psychologists: assessment and therapy.

Assessment includes a developmental history, rating scales, sometimes cognitive testing, and a written report. Not all psychologists in the network assess. Those who do say so on their profile.

Therapy for ADHD includes cognitive behavioural therapy adapted for ADHD, acceptance and commitment therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy skills. It often also deals with the shame, anxiety and low mood that can follow a late diagnosis. Each psychologist lists their approaches on their profile.

A psychologist does not prescribe. If you want medication, the psychologist works alongside a GP or psychiatrist.

All three are registered with AHPRA. A clinical psychologist has completed an endorsed postgraduate program, and their sessions attract a higher Medicare rebate: $149.05 a session, compared with $101.55 for a registered psychologist. A provisional psychologist is completing supervised registration under a registered psychologist, and their fee and Medicare position differ. The network has all three, and each profile shows which one the psychologist is.

Each psychologist sets their own fee, shown on their profile. With a Mental Health Treatment Plan from a GP, Medicare pays part of the fee for up to 10 sessions a year. At current rates the rebate is $101.55 a session for a registered psychologist and $149.05 for a clinical psychologist.

Any GP can write a Mental Health Treatment Plan, and you need one to claim the rebate. The network’s GPs can write one, and so can your own GP.

Start with the chips under each name on The Network page. They let you find neuroaffirming, trauma-informed, assessment, children, teens, adults, eating disorders, perinatal or a particular therapy. Then read the profile, which describes who the psychologist sees and how they work, and gives the fee.