Getting a Psychology Referral Through Abby

If you or someone you know is in immediate distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or 000 in an emergency. For Abby's guidance in a crisis, see if you're in crisis — immediate support.

An Abby Health Nurse Practitioner can refer you to a psychologist. Referrals from Abby are private referrals: you choose your psychologist and pay their fee directly, without a Medicare rebate. Medicare-rebated psychology sessions require a Mental Health Treatment Plan, which is prepared by your regular local GP — see how to get a Mental Health Treatment Plan in Australia. Your Abby clinician will talk through both pathways with you honestly, so you can choose what suits your situation and budget.

How an Abby referral works

Book a mental health appointment with an Abby Health Nurse Practitioner — an AHPRA-endorsed clinician with specialist mental health experience. Your NP will assess what has been going on and, where a psychologist is the right support, prepare a referral with a clinical summary so your psychologist begins informed rather than asking you to retell your story from the beginning. You receive the referral by secure message after the consultation, and you can use it with a psychologist of your choice.

Private referral or Medicare-rebated sessions: the honest difference

With an Abby referral, sessions are private — psychologists set their own fees and there is no Medicare rebate, so you pay the full session fee. With a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your regular local GP, eligible patients can access up to ten Medicare-rebated individual psychology sessions per calendar year, with the GP completing reviews along the way. If cost matters to you, the plan pathway through your local GP is usually the more affordable route, and your Abby clinician will say so plainly rather than steering you toward the private option.

Choosing a psychologist

You can use a referral with any registered psychologist in Australia. If you do not have one in mind, the Australian Psychological Society's Find a Psychologist directory is a good starting point. What matters most is fit — the sense that the person understands you and that you can speak freely. It is entirely reasonable to try one session, decide someone is not the right fit, and change providers.

What Abby's mental health support covers

Alongside referrals, Abby Health offers Nurse Practitioner-led mental health support: assessment and short-term support for mild to moderate concerns — such as anxiety, low mood, stress, sleep difficulties and grief — with practical strategies and coordination of referrals. Regular GP review is built into this care, and where your needs are better met by a GP, psychologist or psychiatrist, your clinician will help you get there. Appointments are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card. Strict Bulk Billing eligibility criteria applies.

If you need urgent support

Abby Health is an online-first clinic, not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, call 000. Free, 24/7 support: Lifeline (13 11 14), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) and 13YARN (13 92 76).

Uncompromising Care. Abby Health. Knowing someone cares.