FAQs for New Clients

Liorah Psychology provides individual therapy for adults navigating a range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including anxiety, low mood, stress, burnout, trauma, relationship challenges, grief and loss, and life transitions.

We may be a good fit if you are looking for a warm, thoughtful, and collaborative therapy space where you can better understand yourself, work through current difficulties, and develop practical ways of moving forward.

At Liorah Psychology, we aim to make getting started with therapy feel simple and straightforward. To begin, please complete our contact form.

We’ll review your enquiry and, if our service appears suitable for your needs, we’ll email you with the next steps, including a secure intake form and access to our online booking system.

You can then complete your intake information and choose an available in-person or telehealth appointment that suits you. Once we’ve reviewed your intake, we’ll confirm your first appointment and send through any relevant appointment information.

No — you are welcome to attend as a private client without a referral.

If you would like to access Medicare rebates, you will need a valid Mental Health Care Plan and referral from your GP. More information about fees, rebates, and Medicare requirements is available on our Fees & Medicare page.

To obtain a Mental Health Care Plan, you can book an appointment with your GP to discuss your mental health concerns and whether a referral to psychological therapy is appropriate.

Your first session is an opportunity to talk through what has brought you to therapy, what you would like support with, and what you are hoping to work towards.

Your psychologist will ask questions about your current concerns, relevant background, and goals for therapy. This helps us understand your needs, identify key areas of focus, and begin developing a therapy approach that feels meaningful and relevant to you.

You will also discuss a suitable frequency for sessions, based on your needs, goals, availability, and what feels manageable. Where appropriate, your psychologist will provide guidance around the expected focus and possible timeline for therapy, so there is a shared sense of structure and direction.

There is no expectation to share everything immediately or have everything figured out before you begin. At the end of the first session, your psychologist will check in with you about how the session felt and whether you feel comfortable booking further sessions.

We aim to make the process feel calm, collaborative, and paced in a way that feels comfortable and manageable for you.

Ongoing sessions are typically 50 minutes in duration and are scheduled according to your individual needs, goals, and circumstances.

Some clients attend therapy short-term to work through a specific concern, while others benefit from longer-term support and deeper therapeutic work. Your psychologist will work with you to review your progress, adjust the focus of therapy where needed, and ensure sessions continue to feel relevant and helpful.

The frequency of sessions may change over time depending on your needs, progress, availability, and what feels manageable.

Liorah Psychology offers both in-person appointments in Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast and telehealth appointments Australia-wide via a secure video platform.

Telehealth can be a flexible option if you live outside the local area, have a busy schedule, or prefer to attend therapy from a familiar space. In-person appointment availability may vary depending on the day and location.

You can let us know your preference when completing the contact form, and we will discuss available options with you when booking your appointment.

Yes. Your privacy and confidentiality are taken seriously at Liorah Psychology.

Information shared in therapy is kept confidential and stored securely in line with privacy legislation and professional standards. Your psychologist will explain confidentiality at the beginning of therapy, including the limited circumstances where information may need to be shared — for example, where there is a serious risk of harm, a legal requirement, or a mandatory reporting obligation.

With your consent, relevant information may also be shared with your referring GP or other healthcare professionals involved in your care.

Your psychologist may use secure AI-assisted technology through our health practice management system, Zanda, to support administrative processes and clinical documentation, such as note-taking.

These tools are used to support your psychologist’s work and do not replace professional judgement, diagnosis, or therapeutic care. Your information continues to be handled in accordance with confidentiality, privacy, and ethical obligations.

If AI-assisted transcription may be used during a session, this will be discussed with you first. You can choose whether you are comfortable with this, and your care will not be affected if you decline.

You can learn more about Zanda’s privacy and security practices here.

To ensure clients receive the most appropriate support, there are some services that Liorah Psychology does not currently provide.

This includes:

ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder assessments
Therapy for children or adolescents under 18
Family therapy or couples counselling
NDIS-funded services
Court reports, legal assessments, or family law matters
Crisis or urgent mental health support

Liorah Psychology is not a crisis or emergency service.

If you require immediate support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Emergency Services on 000.

Where we are not the right fit for your needs, we will do our best to suggest alternative pathways or supports where appropriate.

Sometimes another service or clinician may be better suited to your needs, goals, or current circumstances.

If Liorah Psychology is not the most appropriate fit, we will discuss this with you where possible and may suggest alternative pathways or supports. This could include a specialist assessment service, a different therapy format, a higher level of care, or another practitioner better suited to your needs.

Our aim is to help you access support that is appropriate, safe, and genuinely helpful.