For Asian communities in Darwin

Yes. Anyone can see us, whatever visa you hold. Your visa affects what it costs, not whether you are allowed.

What changes is the Medicare rebate. If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or you hold a visa that makes you Medicare-eligible, a referral from your GP brings the cost down considerably. If you are not Medicare-eligible you pay the full fee — but you can still be seen, and we will tell you the exact amount before you book.

If money is the barrier, say so when you ring. It is a practical problem and there are sometimes options.

Usually not, and it is worth knowing why so it is not a surprise.

Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with a number of countries, and people from those countries can access Medicare while they are here. Those agreements are all with European countries and New Zealand — there is currently no agreement with any Asian country.

So if you are here from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, India, Vietnam, Thailand or Malaysia on a student or temporary work visa, you will normally not be Medicare-eligible.

What you may have instead:

• Students hold Overseas Student Health Cover as a condition of the visa. Many OSHC policies cover some psychology sessions. It is worth ringing your insurer and asking specifically about psychology.
• Sponsored workers usually hold private health insurance as a visa condition. Check whether it includes psychology.
• Bridging visas vary. If you have applied for a permanent visa, such as a partner visa, you may be able to apply for Medicare. Ask us and we will point you at where to check.

Bring what you know and we will work the rest out with you.

No. We do not tell your employer, your sponsor, your education provider or the Department of Home Affairs that you have been here.

What you say in the room is confidential. That is a legal obligation under the Privacy Act and a professional one under the psychologists' code of ethics — not a favour or a policy we could quietly change.

There are a small number of legal exceptions, and you deserve to know them rather than find out later:

• If someone is at serious risk of being harmed
• If a child is at risk of harm, which we are legally required to report
• If a court subpoenas records

Outside those situations, nobody is told anything. Seeing a psychologist does not affect your visa, and we do not report it to anyone.

Not from us. Adults' sessions are confidential, including from parents, partners and adult children.

If you would like a family member involved, that is your choice and we will follow your lead. Some people bring someone to the first appointment and then come alone afterwards. Some do the opposite. Either is fine.

If you would rather we did not leave voicemail or send email, tell us and we will note it on your file.

Then we use an interpreter, and it costs you nothing.

We can book a professional interpreter over the phone for your appointment. Interpreters are bound by the same confidentiality we are — they cannot repeat anything, including to anyone in your community.

You can also call TIS National yourself on 131 450, ask for your language, and ask them to connect you to us. They will interpret the phone call.

Asking for an interpreter is normal and it is not a sign that your English is poor. Talking about feelings in a second language is harder than talking about work in one, and many people who work in English all day still prefer their own language for this.

No. Most people who come are not ill in any sense they would recognise. They are tired, worried, not sleeping, having a hard time at work, missing home, or arguing with someone they love.

You can come to sort out a problem, to think something through, or because something is not right and you cannot name it. You do not need a diagnosis and you do not need to be at breaking point.

Only if you want the Medicare rebate.

To claim Medicare you need a Mental Health Treatment Plan from a GP. The GP asks some questions, writes the plan, and refers you. That gives you a set number of rebated sessions each calendar year.

If you are not Medicare-eligible, or you would rather not involve a GP, you can book directly with us and pay the full fee. No referral is needed for that.