The Clinical Psychology Service, run by the Illawarra Division of General Practice in collaboration with Lifeline South Coast provides assessment and short-term psychological interventions for patients referred by Illawarra GPs. The Clinical Psychology Service offers affordable, high quality psychological therapy to adult patients in 3 locations across the Illawarra; Kiama, Wollongong and Woonona. The Clinical Psychology Service is funded by the Australian Government ‘Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care' (BOiMHC) initiative and income generated through MBS. All services funded by Medicare are bulk billed.

The service provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psycho-education and other short term psychological interventions for 6 to 12 sessions per patient in both individual and group contexts. Referrals are accepted for a wide range of disorders that are likely to respond to short term, focused therapy. This usually implies difficulties that are mild in nature and that have recently developed. The most common diagnoses treated at the service include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, sleep disorders and adjustment disorders. Difficulties related to chronic pain, bereavement and relationship issues are also frequently referred. Complex and chronic cases (eg. Psychotic Disorders and Personality Disorders) are inappropriate for this service. Additionally, the service does not have the capacity to respond to acute mental health crisis situations.

The service currently employs 8 Clinical Psychologists many of whom also work in headspace Illawarra, a health service specific for young people aged 12 - 25. headspace Illawarra having the added benefit of offering young people a care coordinator to monitor their progress and also to provide evidence based interventions while they are waiting for treatment.

 Referral form for Headspace Counseling services 65.64 Kb

 Details of how to download templates 126.46 Kb