Bayside Psychotherapy Services FAQs
Some Top Questions
How do I know which type of therapy is right for me?
Find your best match with our anonymous wizard. Different approaches suit different concerns. Hypnotherapy works well for habits, anxiety, phobias, and subconscious patterns. It’s particularly effective for smoking cessation, weight management, and performance anxiety. Counselling provides support for life transitions, grief, relationships, and general wellbeing. Psychotherapy explores deeper patterns, childhood experiences, and long-standing emotional issues through regular weekly sessions. Clinical psychology addresses diagnosed mental health conditions with evidence based treatments.
During your initial session, if you are still unsure, your therapist will assess your needs and recommend the most suitable approach.
What should I expect in my first session?
Your first session focuses on understanding your unique situation. Your therapist will ask about your current concerns, relevant history, and therapy goals. This isn’t an interrogation; it’s a collaborative conversation to understand how best to help you. You’ll discuss practical matters like session frequency and treatment approach.
For hypnotherapy, you might experience a brief relaxation exercise. For psychotherapy, expect deeper exploration of patterns and relationships. Couples attend together and both share perspectives. First sessions sometimes feel emotional as you open up about struggles. This is completely normal. Your therapist will ensure you feel heard, understood, and comfortable with the treatment plan before continuing.
Is everything said confidential?
Yes. What you share in therapy stays private. We only pass on information if you give clear permission and have talked it through with your therapist in session. The only legal exceptions are when there’s a serious risk of suicide, harm to others, or child exploitation. In those situations, safety has to come first.
If a third party asks about your therapy, we speak with you before saying anything. You decide what, if anything, is shared. The same applies to written notes or records: they’re kept securely and not released without your consent. In couples counselling, confidentiality belongs to the couple as a whole, not to each individual separately.
Your privacy is the foundation for trust and for speaking openly in therapy.
How long does therapy take to work?
Of course, you know this varies significantly between individuals and issues. Some clients experience relief after four sessions, particularly with hypnotherapy for specific habits. Others need several months or years, especially for complex trauma or longstanding patterns.
Factors affecting timeline include:
- How ingrained the patterns are
- Your commitment to the process
- Session frequency (weekly sessions typically yield faster results)
- The therapeutic approach used
- Your willingness to actively participate in the process
Short term counselling might involve 6-8 sessions. Psychotherapy often requires longer-term commitment for lasting change. We’ll regularly review progress and adjust our approach, but healing happens at its own pace. Couples counselling often takes months of regular sessions to establish ground rules, boundaries and work through intersecting family histories and clashes. Pressure to change quickly often creates frustration rather than progress.
Do you offer Medicare rebates, and how does it work?
Yes, but only for sessions with Adam Szmerling or Natalie Szmerling. You’ll need a current Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your GP or psychiatrist. We don’t bulk-bill, so you pay the full fee upfront and claim the rebate yourself easily through the Medicare App.
Of note:
- Adam doesn’t accept MHCPs for initial sessions (case-by-case basis after first appointment)
- Medicare doesn’t cover cancellation fees, hypnotherapy or couples therapy
- Mental health care plans can be emailed to your therapist or faxed to 03 9124 1522
What is the price?
Adam Szmerling
Individuals:
Natalie Szmerling
Frequently Asked Questions
Therapy & Effectiveness
What happens in a hypnotherapy session?
How does couples counselling work at Bayside?
Can hypnotherapy help with binge eating?
Yes, hypnotherapy can be particularly effective for binge eating as it addresses the subconscious patterns driving the behaviour. Our therapists work to uncover emotional triggers behind binge eating episodes, such as stress, anxiety, or past experiences. Through hypnotherapy, we help reprogram your relationship with food and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
Treatment typically involves identifying triggers, building impulse control, and addressing underlying emotional needs. Results vary by individual, but many clients notice reduced urges and improved emotional regulation within several sessions. We also offer a downloadable self-hypnosis recording for additional support between sessions. For longstanding patterns, however, psychotherapy is more appropriate.
Is your online therapy as effective as in-clinic sessions?
Yes, we offer online therapy via Zoom, Doxy.me, or phone. Research shows online therapy can be equally effective as face-to-face sessions in many cases.
Benefits include:
- No travel time
- Greater flexibility with scheduling
- Complete privacy (no waiting room encounters)
- Comfort of your own environment
- Access from anywhere in Australia or internationally
You just need reliable internet and a private space. We’ll send easy setup instructions. Online sessions cost the same as in clinic and use encrypted platforms for security. Some therapists work entirely online, while others offer both options.
Payments & Insurance
Do you offer Medicare rebates, and how does it work?
Yes, but only for sessions with Adam Szmerling or Natalie Szmerling. You’ll need a current Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your GP or psychiatrist. We don’t bulk-bill, so you pay the full fee upfront and claim the rebate yourself easily through the Medicare App.
Of note:
- Adam doesn’t accept MHCPs for initial sessions (case-by-case basis after first appointment)
- Medicare doesn’t cover cancellation fees, hypnotherapy or couples therapy
- Mental health care plans can be emailed to your therapist or faxed to 03 9124 1522
Can I claim private health insurance for therapy?
Many private health funds cover our services, but it depends on your level of cover and which therapist you see. Hypnotherapists need membership with AHA or GOAH for rebates (some of our hypnotherapists have these). Psychology sessions may be covered under mental health benefits with Natalie. Couples therapy might fall under relationship counselling coverage with some funds. Check with your fund and therapist before booking to confirm:
- Whether your therapist is recognised
- Your annual limit
- Waiting periods
- Gap payments Contact your fund with the therapist’s name and qualifications for accurate information.
Do you work with NDIS clients?
Location & Accessibility
Do you offer therapy to clients outside Melbourne or only locally in Bayside?
Yes. While our clinic is based in Highett, in Melbourne’s Bayside area, we also work with clients from across Victoria and Australia through secure online therapy sessions.
Many clients from nearby suburbs such as Brighton, Sandringham, and Mentone also visit our Highett rooms in person. Whether you attend in-clinic or online, you’ll receive the same level of professional, confidential care.
Where are you located, and what about parking?
Is your clinic easy to reach from central Melbourne or by public transport?
Yes, our Highett clinic is about 18 km from Melbourne’s CBD and just a short walk from Highett train station on the Frankston line.
There’s also convenient street parking nearby and several bus routes that stop close to the practice.
We treat clients from across Bayside and Greater Melbourne, including Brighton, Hampton, Cheltenham, and Sandringham.
Policies & Legal
What’s your cancellation policy?
Is everything said confidential?
Yes. What you share in therapy stays private. We only pass on information if you give clear permission and have talked it through with your therapist in session. The only legal exceptions are when there’s a serious risk of suicide, harm to others, or child exploitation. In those situations, safety has to come first.
If a third party asks about your therapy, we speak with you before saying anything. You decide what, if anything, is shared. The same applies to written notes or records: they’re kept securely and not released without your consent. In couples counselling, confidentiality belongs to the couple as a whole, not to each individual separately.
Your privacy is the foundation for trust and for speaking openly in therapy.
Where is your privacy policy?
Our privacy policy is available at: https://www.baysidepsychotherapy.com.au/privacy-policy/
This comprehensive policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in compliance with Australian privacy laws.
Are you a crisis clinic, and can you help in an emergency?
No. We’re not a crisis clinic and can’t help in emergencies. If you need emergency assistance, please contact:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 Both provide free, 24-hour emergency support.
Time to start therapy?
- Email Us
Sidebar Contact Form
- Call Us
03 9557 9113
Reception Phone Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- 8:30am to 5:30pm
- 8:30am to 5:30pm
- 8:30am to 5:30pm
- 8:30am to 5:30pm
- 8:30am to 5:30pm
- Book Online
Choose your own date and time for an online or in-clinic session
Therapist Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- 8:00am to 8:00pm
- 8:30am to 8:00pm
- 8:30am to 8:00pm
- 8:30am to 8:00pm
- 8:30am to 8:00pm
- 8:30am to 6:00pm
