FAQs

How do our sessions work?

Most of the work I do is based online. Online Therapy, or Telehealth as it’s called, has been around for a long time, but in the last few years, since Covid-19 became part of our lives, it has proven to be an incredibly useful tool for Therapists and other health professionals.

What are the benefits of Telehealth?

One of the biggest benefits of using a video platform to provide therapy is that you can have your therapy session wherever you choose. I will always conduct sessions from a private space, where we won’t be interrupted or overheard, and of course that is my recommendation to you. However, it does mean that you don’t have to travel and can take part in our session from the comfort of your own home.

Having conducted many online therapy sessions, the experience for me, and the feedback from clients, has always been that it’s like being in the room together. Nothing is lost and I have the opportunity to share resources with you, by sharing my screen.

What about security and compliance?

All our Telehealth calls are secured with end-to-end encryption and meet the same strict privacy and security standards and data protection regulations of the Australian Privacy Principles, GDPR, PIPEDA and HIPAA.

So how does it work?

Once you click on our book an appointment tab (available on each screen) you will be taken to the online booking system where you can select the appointment type you want: First Appointment, Standard Appointment, Quit Smoking, or the Six Session Coaching Package. Standard Appointments are used for follow up appointments only. Once you’ve done that you can then select a date and time to suit you. Once that has happened you will then fill in your details, and you will have the option to pay for the session using the link supplied, or pay later, but payment is required prior to your appointment. You can then click the button to place your booking, and you will then receive a confirmation email which will have the bank details you require if you opted to pay later. There will also be a link in that email to the client intake form, or quit smoking intake form, depending on the appointment booked. Here you will be asked a series of questions, designed to support me in getting to know you and the situation you want to address. The email will also contain a link to our online meeting, with a link that lets you easily jump into that call at the time of the appointment. That way, when your appointment time arrives, all you need to do is follow the link, and be whisked away to the virtual treatment room where I’ll join you. No login or password is required—just one click and you’re in!

It really is that easy.

All that we require of you is that you have your webcam and microphone enabled, and your computer/device fully charged, and equally that you find a space where you won’t be disturbed, and where you can feel as comfortable as possible, with a chair, or somewhere for you to rest your head during the hypnosis session itself.

Is hypnosis always necessary?

The answer to this is no. As I’ve said the work I do is focussed on you. Given that we work out what you need, what your goals are, and then we look at how best to support you. When dealing with some issues then yes, a combination of hypnotherapy and other modalities can be best. However sometimes other ways of approaching the situation and working with you may be better suited. Whilst hypnosis is an incredibly useful way to support people, I often find that a combination of approaches is best, which may mean that in some sessions hypnosis is not needed.

The first session 

This is always longer, allowing us to explore the issue you want to address in more detail, and for you to ask any questions you may have. In the final part of this session we will do our first hypnosis session, which will usually last for twenty to thirty minutes on average. These first sessions will normally last for 90 minutes.

For most issues more than one session is required, and for this to be effective we will need to meet weekly. Follow up sessions will last for approximately 60 minutes each, but are registered as 65 minutes in the appointment diary for technical reasons relating to the diary software I use. These sessions will start with us exploring the changes you have noticed since our last session, as well as giving you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. We will then finish with a second hypnosis session, and we will repeat this process for each follow up session arranged.

Quit smoking sessions

These sessions will run differently in that the intake questions for that service will be slightly different. I will not address Quit Smoking in other sessions. The session will normally last for 90 to 120 minutes, but follow a similar format to the above in that you will have a chance to ask any questions you may have, and we will also explore the issue in detail prior to the hypnosis part of the session starting.

For Quit Smoking sessions, if you do require a follow up session within 3 months of our initial session then you can simply email me at jeremy@hypnotherapysolutionsaustralia.com.au and I will organise that follow up appointment with you.

Six Session Package

Change happens because of the strategies and insights we develop. Our brains begin to develop new ways of seeing situations, and our internal experience of the world shifts as a result. On average six sessions of deep work together, using hypnotherapy, strategic psychotherapy and other modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), is all that is needed to start that process, and I want to offer you that at a discount. These six sessions include the first session described above, where we will begin by spending 90 minutes together, adding to this each week, and working together to help you achieve your goals. So that means we will have six and a half hours together, where I am purely focussed on you and your goals. The normal cost for six sessions would be $1150, but this package allows you to have all of that for just $1000. After you have booked your initial session we can then arrange for subsequent sessions to be held via Zoom or Doxy Me. Zoom will require you to download it if you don’t already have it, but Doxy Me won’t require a download, you will just need to click on the link I send you. So that is another choice that we can discuss.

Confidentiality and record keeping

As a member of the Australian Association of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy, And the Australian Hypnotherapy Association, I am bound by their code of conduct which is driven in part by the privacy legislation that is part of our legislative framework in Australia. Whilst I am conscious that the people I work with may be from other countries, with variations on this legislation, I believe that the principles underlying the Australian legislation are sound and so I abide by them. For further details on this legislation please click on the following link or look up The Privacy Act Australia in order to be taken to the relevant information you seek.

https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/the-privacy-act

1) Disclosure of information

Any information you disclose will not be discussed with anyone else. Even in supervision, a requirement of my registration and ongoing effectiveness as a clinician, I will not disclose any identifying information about you. This is also a legal requirement that I take very seriously. If we happened to meet each other outside of our sessions then I appreciate that this could be awkward for you. Given that I will not acknowledge you unless you acknowledge me first. Even if you do decide to approach me and talk to me, I will not discuss any clinical matters relating to our work together outside of an arranged appointment.

As with all caring professions in Australia, there are situations where, if they present, I will be required to break that confidentiality:

1) If there is a possibility of harm to yourself or others

2) If I am Subpoenaed to do so by a court of law

3) For the purposes of referral and or supervision

4) As part of my Mandatory Reporting obligations

5) If you disclose that you have, or intend to commit certain criminal offences

The following links may offer more information on these matters:

https://yourmindmatters.net.au/confidentiality-need-know/

https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect

2) Record Keeping:

When doing this work it is important to keep records so that we can keep track of progress. As with all caring professions I am legally required in Australia to keep those records for 7 years, and for people under 18, to keep those records until the day they turn 18 and then for 7years after that date. All electronic records are kept in password protected and end to end encrypted files, with 2FA or 2 Factor Authentication, and all paper notes are kept in a locked filing cabinet. I am the only one with access to those files. I will also keep a recorded copy of the hypnosis sessions themselves as part of that ongoing record.

Session recordings

These are only shared with you if you consent to this happening, and if it is felt that this would benefit you in making the changes you want to make.

From the perspective of change it can, at times, be really useful for you to listen to the recording of your hypnosis session more than once. And so sharing that as an audio recording is an option, but it is not essential. However, I am mindful that there may be concerns in relation to the security of sending this audio recording electronically in case other people gain access to your email, your computer or device. We appreciate that most people use email services that offer less security and that some people may choose to access these recordings using free public Wi-Fi, or leave their laptops or mobile phones unsecured. I use a paid business email account which uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) which encrypts data sent over the Internet which reduces the chance that eavesdroppers and hackers are able to see what I transmit, which is particularly useful for private and sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal correspondence. However, you may not have access to that level of security, when receiving the information I send. Given that, the choice and responsibility for maintaining the security of that recording will be yours, as Hypnotherapy Solutions Australia cannot guarantee the security of that email once sent by Hypnotherapy Solutions Australia to the email address you specified.

As an alternative, I can open a file for you in my Google Drive and place a copy of the recordings in there and share that with you, for increased security.

Remember I will only send the audio recording of the hypnosis session itself, nothing more. When you click on the book an appointment tab and complete the intake form for your first session, there will be an option which allows you to agree to, or not agree to, receiving a recording of your hypnosis session.

However, one way of managing this has been for clients to record the hypnosis session themselves, using their IPhone or Android phone. The hypnosis sessions will last for 20 to 30 minutes and for most people to get the benefit of revisiting that session, it will require them to listen to the recording daily. Given that, keeping the recording to a manageable size of 20 to 30 minutes that you can just listen to again each day, would be the most beneficial way to do this. This means that I wouldn’t recommend recording the entire session as that will reduce your ability to get the most benefit from the recording itself, which is what we are trying to achieve. It could also potentially compromise security for you if you don’t protect that recording, which is why we don’t record the full session, just the hypnosis part. If you are not able to record the hypnosis session itself then I can, as I said, always email, or share the recording in a Google Drive File, set up specifically for you to access. As with email, or the recording of the session on your device, or my sharing a file with you in Google Drive, responsibility for maintaining the security of that recording will be yours, as Hypnotherapy Solutions Australia cannot guarantee this.

Payments and Refunds Policy

How and when do I pay?

All payments are made up front prior to appointments. You will have the opportunity to do this at the time of booking using the payment button you will see, which uses STRIPE to process the payment. Alternatively you can pay via a bank transfer and the account details for you to transfer the money will be supplied in the Appointment confirmation email you receive once the appointment has been booked. If you do pay using the payment button then a receipt will be emailed to you directly within a matter of minutes. If you choose to pay via bank transfer then once the money has cleared I will send you an invoice.

First Session: $250. This will run for approximately 90 minutes so that we can explore the concerns you have in more depth and develop a plan tailored just for you. This is a discounted first session, with a saving of $20. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes of that session will be our first hypnosis session together.

Follow up Sessions or Standard Appointments: $180. These will last approximately 1 hour, giving us a chance to review your progress since our last session, answer any questions you may have, and continue with another hypnosis session lasting approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Quit Smoking Sessions: $350 for 1 to 2 sessions. However, people often find that only one session is needed and if that is the case then the second session will be available for you to access within 3 months of our last Quit Smoking Session together. Simply email me at jeremy@hypnotherapysolutionsaustralia.com.au and I will organise that follow up appointment with you at no additional charge.

Six Session Package: $1000. This includes the first session described above and then five follow up sessions (standard appointments) lasting for one hour each.

What is the cancellation and refund policy?

If a booking is cancelled and rescheduled, no fees are payable. If a booking is cancelled with no rescheduling, a 30% cancellation fee is required and the remaining 70% of the fee already paid will be refunded to you.

Failure to attend an appointment without notification will result in full payment of the session being due with no refund.

Does my private health insurance cover the sessions?

It may be possible for you to make claims in relation to Hypnotherapy with a health insurance provider. However, because of the constant changes with health insurance and variations between countries, we are unable to provide you with updated information. Given that, it is best for you to speak to your health insurer directly.

Generally, insurance companies will require the Hypnotherapist you are seeing to be registered with a relevant organisation. I am registered with the AACHP (Australian Association of Clinical Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapists, Member Number: 2003434) which is affiliated to the peak Hypnotherapy body in Australia the HCA (Hypnotherapy Council of Australia), and with the AHA (Australian Hypnotherapists Association Member Number: PM2021042).

For some insurers, there is a requirement that the Hypnotherapist be Government Accredited which I am, having trained with the Institute of Applied Psychology in Australia (RTO Number 70206)

Some Insurers will only accept claims in relation to Quit Smoking or Weight Loss. Whilst others will accept claims in relation to other matters. Some will also require a GP to sign off on the claim, and may have other steps they require before you can make a claim. Your Health Insurer should be able to provide you with details.