This service is available to both NDIS participants and privately-funded patients of all ages.

Elucidate Psychology offers therapy assistance programs as a cost-effective way of maximising benefits and improving therapeutic outcomes with increased session frequency and therapy time.

The hourly rate for a therapy assistant is considerably lower than a registered psychologist e.g., less than half to a third of the cost of a therapist. This means patients with NDIS can get the most out of their funding and privately funded patients can access support beyond the 10 sessions currently provided by Medicare under a GP Mental Health Care Plan.

Our therapy assistants are university students in the final stages of undergraduate degrees majoring in psychology (e.g., third year students) who have undergone additional training in delivering therapeutic supports to children and adults with neurocognitive conditions.

They are permanent employees who work under the supervision and guidance of Dr Lei Gryffydd, clinical neuropsychologist, and Director of Elucidate Psychology. Therapy assistants participate in regular professional development training and supervision to ensure they continue to meet our high standards of care. Please see our team page for more information about our therapy assistants, including experience and availability.

The treating psychologist will assess the patient’s therapeutic goals and determine whether a therapy assistance program would be beneficial before creating a tailored therapy plan. Therapy assistants receive specific training and supervision from the treating psychologist prior to working with the patient. The treating psychologist must ensure therapy assistants possess the necessary knowledge and skills required to effectively deliver the therapeutic supports.

Therapy assistants then work directly with patients under the supervision of the treating psychologist to implement the strategies and techniques in the therapy plan. With the help of a therapy assistant, the patient can practice the skills they learn during their psychology sessions and help apply these skills across different settings. This support helps patients further their progress and achieve their desired outcomes, complementing the psychological services provided by our clinicians.

Although the treating psychologist may have less frequent appointments with the patient, they remain actively and directly involved in the therapy process. They closely monitor and review the patient’s treatment progress, through weekly supervision sessions with the therapy assistant, regular case conferences with other treating providers, and updating the therapy plan as needed.

Therapy assistants play a key role in delivering therapeutic supports developed by treating allied health professionals. However, only a registered psychologist has the necessary qualifications and expertise to assess, diagnose and develop a tailored treatment plan to meet the patient’s therapeutic goals.

Appointments with therapy assistants are conducted in person, either at our clinic or via outreach (e.g., at the individual’s home, school, childcare or in the community). Telehealth is only available for sessions with adult patients, if deemed appropriate by the treating psychologist.

The frequency of sessions can be weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. This will be determined by the treating psychologist and patient when developing the therapy plan.

Elucidate Psychology offers both privately funded and NDIS funded therapy assistance programs. If the patient has a self or plan managed NDIS plan, they may use the funding allocated under Capacity Building or Core supports to access this service.

Our therapy assistant fees are based on the current NDIS Pricing Guidelines for therapy assistants. There are two different rates for therapy assistants depending on the type of work they perform and whether this is performed under the direct or indirect supervision of the treating psychologist.

Level 1 Therapy Assistant – This rate is charged when therapy assistants provide therapy support under the direct supervision of the treating psychologist. It may also be charged for one-on-one training with the treating psychologist regarding the specific patient’s needs and therapy plan.

Level 2 Therapy Assistant – This rate applies for the provision of therapy support by a therapy assistant under the delegation and indirect supervision of the treating psychologist, such as outreach sessions.

Travel Time – For outreach sessions, travel time is calculated on top of the session fee and billed in line with NDIS Provider Travel Guidelines.

Concession rates – Privately funded patients may be eligible for one of our concession rates. Please contact our support team to find out more information about NDIS funding and fees for privately funded sessions.

Although support workers can have a wide range of roles and responsibilities, their primary focus is assisting individuals with activities of daily living. Unlike psychologists who must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA), support workers do not have a professional regulatory agency or mandatory education and training to work in the profession.

Our therapy assistants are in the process of completing tertiary qualifications in psychology and perform specific duties under the guidance of an experienced clinical neuropsychologist. Therapy assistants undertake tasks and activities that require a higher level of knowledge and skill compared to those generally undertaken by support workers.