General Terms

This document reflects the general clinic and business policies of Time to Untangle Clinical Psychology services (ABN: 86 851 083 994). By using any of our services, you agree to these General Terms and any policies referenced within. Please read these terms and conditions carefully. If you are dissatisfied with any portion our website (www.timetountangle.com.au) or any of the Terms and Conditions described in this policy, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using our services.

This policy was last updated on 01/07/2024.

References to “Time to Untangle”, “Time to Untangle Clinical Psychology Services”, “we”, “us” and “our” are references to Time to Untangle and authorised representatives (ABN: 86 851 083 994). References to “you”, “your”, and the “client” are references to any individual about whom we collect personal information and provide services to.

When used in this document, “general terms”, “terms and conditions”, and “this policy”, reflects this document governing the contractual relationship between the provider of the service (Time to Untangle) and its user (you).

All information available on the website (www.timetountangle.com.au) is for general information only and is not a substitute for accessing appropriate professional services, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Time to Untangle accepts no responsibility for the result of actions taken on the basis of information on this website, nor the accuracy, currency, or completeness of any material contained on this website. Time to Untangle declaims liability for any loss or damage either direct or indirect that comes from the use of or connection with the website.

Always seek advice from your doctor or a qualified professional for any questions you have in relation to a medical condition or mental disorder. This website is not a substitute for appropriate medical and clinical. If you have a medical emergency, please contact your treating doctor or emergency services on 000.

By reading this and/or by browsing the Time to Untangle website, you have agreed to this disclaimer. If you do not agree to this disclaimer, you should cease your use of the website immediately.

All fees are due before or on the day of service provision. Payments that are made more than 5 business days after the session will incur a late payment fee of $10 per day for days 6, 7, 8, and so forth, until the fee is paid. 

Time to Untangle does not bill any third parties directly for your consultation. If payment is covered by a third party payer, you will be required to pay up front using a nominated debit / credit card and organise a reimbursement from your funding body after the session. 

The length of your session will be reduced if you are late to your scheduled appointment. The standard rate will still be applied, as your psychologist has reserved this time for. For eligible clients, please keep in mind that Medicare and DVA will reimburse you a lower amount of the private fee for shorter appointments (lasting between 30-50 minutes), leaving you with a higher out-of-pocket expense. 

We reserve the right to cancel the session and record it as a ‘Did Not Attend’ if you are more than 30 minutes late. In this instance, the full consultation fee still applies and will be automatically processed.

Please note that Medicare, DVA, and most private health insurance companies will not reimburse you for non-attended sessions. If you cancel within the cancellation policy, your nominated debit / credit card on file will be billed the appropriate fee as per the policy. 

Fees must be paid prior to attending subsequent consultations. We reserve the right to cancel upcoming consultations if you have fees outstanding, including cancellation and late fees. We reserve the right to use debt collection services for failure to pay for services, including cancellation and late fees.

Given the limited availability and extensive wait list for Time to Untangle Clinical Psychology, we reserve the right to terminate your agreement and any remaining consultations if you cancel or re-schedule numerous (e.g. 3) appointments and/or are otherwise experiencing significant difficulties engaging with your proposed treatment plan. The outcomes of therapy are often “dose-dependent”, meaning that your psychologist will help you to understand the importance of the timing, consistency, and frequency of your sessions to make the most meaningful changes. Please discuss any barriers to attending regular therapy with your psychologist as soon as difficulties arise.

Time to Untangle uses Tyro to automatically processes fees for therapy sessions on the day of your appointment via your nominated credit/debit card. This means you do not need to arrange payment at the end of your appointment allowing you to focus on your appointment and any follow up tasks relevant to your therapy. When an automatic payment is processed you will receive an invoice via email. 

For eligible clients, Medicare rebates will be automatically processed on your behalf following an appointment. If you have any problems with Medicare sending you the rebate, you will have to follow up with Services Australia for yourself due to confidentiality limitations. 

Time to Untangle requests bank transfers are made to pay for instalments of assessment services. The first instalment is required within 48 hours (2 business days) of making the booking to secure your appointment. Partial payment is required up front because your psychologist invests considerable time reviewing the referral, liaising with relevant health professionals, collating pre-assessment results, and individualising the diagnostic and report preparation processes for each client.

The first payment is required at the time of booking your Assessment Interview(s) with your psychologist. For single evaluations (ADHD or Autism), you will pay 50% of your fee up front and the remaining 50% when your draft report is ready. For dual evaluations (ADHD and Autism), you will pay one third of the total price up front, one third in the middle of your assessment process, and the balance when your report is ready. You are required to pay the final amount at the time of booking your Feedback session.  

The report will not be released if there are outstanding fees. We reserve the right to cancel your Feedback session if the final amount has not been paid at least 48 hours (2 business days) prior to the appointment. In this instance, the Feedback session may be rescheduled and will be billed at the standard clinical rate. 

Please be aware that paying for, and undergoing, a diagnostic evaluation with Time to Untangle does not in any way guarantee a diagnosis of any kind. 

Unfortunately, we are not allowed to release copies of actual questionnaires and raw data. The 'gold-standard' assessment measures are protected by copyright and only accessible to suitably qualified clinicians. Psychologists have a professional and ethical obligation to protect psychological tests and test material from being compromised or misused (Code of Ethics, B.13.6), so actual test records are unable to be released to clients.

Please be aware that psychologists cannot prescribe medications. If you are primarily interested in medication, you should consider booking an appointment directly with a psychiatrist. However, we have strong relationships with psychiatrists who are usually very happy to work collaboratively with us in using our diagnostic assessment and report to inform their decision-making with regards to prescribing medication (where appropriate). Remember that even if your report confirms a diagnosis (say, of ADHD), this does not guarantee that you will be prescribed medication by any medical professional. All psychiatrists have to undertake their own clinical and ethical processes to determine a client’s eligibility for medication.

If you are unable to provide sufficient information, through the online questionnaires, clinical interview(s), and corroborative / informant reports to allow your psychologist to complete a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, the report will not contain any formal opinions. In some cases, your psychologist may only be able to provide you with a brief summary letter of results, with minimal interpretation. In other cases, your psychologist will recommend you engage with other diagnostic and/or treatment specialists to help “rule in” and “rule out” differential diagnoses, before a formal opinion can be presented. If any case, the full fee for your diagnostic assessment and report must be paid. Your psychologist may be available to review your report at a later date in light of opinions and results subsequently shared by other relevant specialists, which will be quoted and billed for time required at the standard clinical rate.

Additionally testing sessions beyond the limits of the pre-set packages may be required for more complex cases, which will be determined by the psychologist as soon as they become aware. You will be provided with a written quote for additional appointments, data analysis and report-writing time required to best meet your assessment needs. If you do not wish to proceed with the evaluation, you will be required to pay for the time and materials already used up to that point in handling your case (at the standard clinical rate). Your psychologist may be able to assist with preparing a brief summary letter of the results and recommendations for your records. 

If we are unable to contact you and/or do not receive the final payments owing within six months of the draft report being finalised, we reserve the right to use debt collection services to collect outstanding monies. Your electronic file will be archived and stored as per our privacy policy. 

The standard clinical rate for a 50-60 minute session with Dr Jacinta Thomson is currently $250. 

Any additional correspondence (face-to-face, phone, email) with other professionals, agencies  and organisations (at the request of a client) or consultations with the psychologist outside of  the organised appointment, will be charged at the standard hourly rate per unit of 15 minutes of correspondence/communication. This includes treatment summary reports, letters of support, and/or request for accommodations for workplaces or educational institutions. Fees for additional correspondence and services must be paid prior to the release of the materials. 

Standard Medicare reporting letters to referring doctors do not incur additional costs.

At our clinic, we are dedicated to providing timely and effective mental health care. To ensure availability and better manage our psychologists’ schedules, we kindly ask our clients to follow the guidelines of our updated cancellation and rescheduling policy:

48-Hour (2 business days) Notice Requirement

We require a minimum of 48 hours’ (2 business days) notice to reschedule or cancel an appointment.

Because our email isn't manned all the time, please call us on 07 5356 9344 during business hours Monday to Friday, to make any changes to your appointment. If your appointment is on a Monday, please make sure to notify us by the equivalent time of day on the preceding Thursday. If your appointment is on a Tuesday, please let us know by the equivalent time of day on the preceding Friday.

Please remember that weekend and public holidays do not count towards the two business days, as we are unable to use this time to work on offering your appointment to other clients to fill the spot. 

Cancellation Fees

• Less than 24 hours (1 business days) notice: If you cancel or fail to attend an appointment without providing at least 24 hours notice, you will be charged 100% of the usual fee. Longer appointments (e.g., assessments) will be charged at the hourly rate, pro rata for the time allocated.
• Less than 48 hours (2 business days) notice: If you cancel or reschedule an appointment with between 25 - 48 hours notice, you will be charged 50% of the usual fee. Longer appointments (e.g., assessments) will be charged at the hourly rate, pro rata for the time allocated.

Please be aware that most funding services such as Medicare, DVA, and private health insurers do not cover late cancellation or non-attendance fees. As the client, you would be responsible for these charges and they will be automatically billed to the card on file.

Pre-paid Session / Deposits Policy

Pre-paid sessions and deposits are non-refundable. However, they can be transferred to a rescheduled appointment if you provide at least 48 hours’ (2 business days) notice.

Communication Methods for Cancellations

Please note that we do not accept cancellations or rescheduling requests via text or email. All changes to your appointment must be communicated by calling us. If the number is not answered on your first attempt, or you are calling outside business hours, please leave a voicemail. Voicemails are time-stamped so we will have a record of your communication and can determine whether late-change fees apply as outlined in this policy. We will try to call you back as soon as possible, if required.

This cancellation policy is in line with recommendations from our peak psychology bodies (AAPi, APS). This ensures our ability to operate effectively as a small business and continue providing high-quality care. This cancellation policy is subject to change without notice.

Time to Untangle Clinical Psychology is NOT an emergency service. We are not able to respond to urgent or emergency matters and our communication channels (Phone and Email) are not monitored outside of standard business hours. In case of emergency, please go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital or call 000. For further information on crisis hotlines please refer to https://timetountangle.com.au/links

Time to Untangle Clinical Psychology does not provide any court reports/letters nor any legal advice regarding any legal matters. This includes Family Court matters regarding custody and parenting arrangements. Time to Untangle does not provide competency assessments, or fitness for work assessments. Time to Untangle does not provide assessments or reports for medico-legal purposes.

Time to Untangle Clinical Psychology offers telehealth sessions delivered via videoconferencing software. Psychologists providing telehealth services apply the same ethical and professional standards of care and practice that are required when providing in-person psychology services. 

To participate in a telehealth service, you will need to ensure you can log on using the link sent via email to the platform from a safe, private, comfortable environment. It is important that you are free from distractions including children and pets.  You need to ensure you have a good internet connection. If there are problems with your internet connection, we may need to switch to a phone call or discontinue the session early (standard fees apply). The psychologist must have emergency contact details for you and be aware of your physical location (address) at the time of the session.

Time to Untangle has adopted the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our provision of psychology services. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and we will always seek your written, informed consent before using any AI tools in your healthcare. You are welcome to withdraw your consent at any time, without consequence.

We are committed to using AI as a helpful tool to enhance service provision, not replace human expertise. We are committed to critically evaluating the use of each tool for how it facilitates best client care, ensuring compliance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Our commitment is to protect your privacy and maintain confidentiality, adhering to the ethical standards set by the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

Please see our AI specific Privacy Policy. 

At our discretion, we may change our General Terms to reflect updates to our business processes, current acceptable practices, or legislative or regulatory changes. If we decide to change our General Terms, we will post the changes here at the same link by which you are accessing this document.

For any questions or concerns regarding your privacy, you may contact us using the following details:

Email: admin@timetountangle.com.au

Ph: 07 5356 9344

Sincerely,

Dr Jacinta Thomson and Time to Untangle staff