FAQs

Do I need a referral? 

Not at all. You may refer yourself or request a formal referral from a health provider (e.g., GP). Self-referrals can be made via the Clinic page on this website.

What are the costs?

A 75-minute comprehensive assessment is $330 (Inc GST). This includes brief recommendations and resources to explore.

Follow-up therapy consultations can include a variety of psychological (e.g., EMDR, ACT, DBT) and nutritional and lifestyle interventions depending on your needs and what you’d like to work on, and are $220 per 50 minutes (Inc GST).

There may be additional costs if you pursue any recommended nutraceuticals (vitamins and minerals) after the assessment process - these can include either practitioner-only or over-the-counter options and will always be tailored to your budget and designed to give you the best results, efficiently.

What is integrative medicine?

According to the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association, integrative medicine:

“combines the best of conventional western medicine with evidence-based complementary medicine and therapies…reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, health care professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing. It takes into account the physical, psychological, social and spiritual wellbeing of the person with the aim of using the most appropriate, safe and evidence-based treatments available”.

There is no formally recognised current training pathway to become an integrative or nutritional psychologist. Since 2016, Dr Karen has sought various additional training in addition to her prior psychology degrees and registration, including post-graduate level study via the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, Integrative Medicine conferences, and academic papers in Clinical Nutrition.

Can I get funding? 

In New Zealand, there are unfortunately limited funding avenues to see a psychologist in private practice. Consultations are generally self-funded or sometimes supported by family members, refundable by health insurance, subsidised by a Work & Income NZ (WINZ) Disability Allowance, or by employers in some cases. Please check with your insurance policy, WINZ, or workplace before you book to find out whether you are eligible for full or partial reimbursement towards therapy costs.

We regret that from 2021 we are not able to provide ACC-funded Sensitive Claim services. You can find a list of ACC therapists at www.findsupport.co.nz . 

Is my appointment confidential?

The information you share will be kept private, confidential, and secure in line with the NZ Psychology Code of Ethics, the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights, and The Privacy Act. The confidentiality policy will be discussed with you at your appointment and the exceptions to this explained (i.e., if there are immediate safety risks to you or others). Written records of appointment details are also kept and stored electronically using secure HIPAA-compliant software for psychologists called Power Diary. The booking system is also operated via Power Diary and you can read more about its healthcare data security here.

Clinical psychologists participate in professional supervision which is also confidential. Dr Karen may consult with nutrition specialists about the dietary aspects of your case or liaise with your GP or other health professionals if you provide your consent.  

How do online consultations work?

These are held on a HIPAA-compliant medical consulting platform for health professionals called Doxy.Me. You can learn more about security and privacy with Doxy.me here.

If technical issues arise we will troubleshoot and may use a different platform (e.g., Zoom). You will receive a text and email reminder in advance of your appointment with the online link.

What if I need to cancel?

Appointments not kept or cancelled with 48 hours notice will incur a 50% late cancellation charge unless there is illness or exceptional circumstances.

Missed appointments or those cancelled on the same day will incur the full fee. We ask for as much time as possible if you need to cancel so your appointment time may be offered to someone else in need.