FAQs

What can I expect from my first therapy session?

In your first session, which is called an “intake” session, you will be asked questions that will help me get to know you a little better and establish your personal history. We will work together to establish your treatment goals for and discuss how we can start navigating the theraputic process. This also helps me to draw up a personalised treatment plan for you. Therapy will be a different experience for each person and will follow a different process depending on your goals and the agreed-upon treatment. 

What is your cancellation policy?

Your appointment time is reserved especially for you.  Kindly provide at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will need to be paid in full on the day of the cancelled consultation. Medical aid will not pay for late cancellations. 

What is PMB?

Regardless of the provider, most medical aid plans have something called ‘Prescribed Minimum Benefits’ (PMB) for certain conditions. PMB benefits include up to 15 appointments per year (Psychology and Psychiatry included) or 21 days in a psychiatric hospital. If you have been approved for PMB, it is your responsibility to keep track of the number of sessions used during the year. It is important to note that once a PMB has applied for, this diagnosis will remain on your medical record.

If you meet the requirements, I will apply for PMB with your medical aid for you. The assessment will take place during your initial intake session, which is not covered by PMB and will be for your account. This account may be refunded by your medical aid saving, depending on your provider, plan, and whether you have funds available. Please take not of the following:

• Health professionals can only apply for a PMB for a client if they meet the diagnostic criteria for one of the conditions specified on the list. One cannot diagnose a condition that is not present nor can an application be made without an initial consultation and assessment.
• If a successful PMB application has been made, PMB sessions are shared between one’s treating psychiatrist and psychologist.
• PMB applications require the disclosure of the diagnosed condition. Clients need to be aware that there may be implications for having a diagnosis on record. These may include exclusion criteria being applied to life insurance policies, loaded policy premiums, challenges with emigration, career limitations, etc.

Will you keep what I tell you confidential?

I adhere to the professional, legal, and ethical guidelines of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). This means that details regarding your therapy sessions remain confidential and are not disclosed to anyone without your consent. However, there are certain exceptions to this confidentiality. For instance, if there is a risk of harm to you or another person, or in cases of child abuse, I am legally and ethically obligated to report this information to the relevant authorities. Please do not hesitate to ask me for further information you might have about confidentiality and the limits thereof.

I am an adolescent. Will you tell my parents about what we discuss in therapy?

Whatever you tell me is confidential, but this confidentiality has some limits. Confidentiality may be broken if I think you are being hurt, or are in danger of being hurt or hurting someone else. If there is something that your parents should know, then I will assist you in finding a way to tell them.  Parents are an important part of the therapeutic process, and I include them as much as you and I feel is necessary to achieve optimal outcomes.