Practice Policies
The following policies help ensure services at Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy are provided in a respectful, professional, and well-organised manner.
By booking an appointment, attending therapy, or registering for a workshop, you acknowledge and agree to the policies outlined below.
Appointments
Appointments are available by prior booking and are reserved specifically for each client.
Payment for therapy appointments is generally required at the time of booking, unless other arrangements have been made in advance. Confirming appointments in advance helps ensure that appointment times are held exclusively for you.
Clients may receive a confirmation email and/or reminder message prior to their appointment. If you need to cancel or reschedule, we ask that you do so as early as possible so the appointment can be offered to other clients.
If a session concludes earlier than the scheduled appointment time, the full appointment fee still applies as the appointment time has been reserved.
If your therapist is unable to attend a scheduled appointment for any reason, we will contact you as soon as possible to arrange an alternative appointment time
Cancellation & Non Attendance Policy
Providing adequate notice of cancellations allows appointment times to be offered to other clients.
The following cancellation terms apply to therapy appointments:
More than 48 hours’ notice
Appointments cancelled with more than 48 hours’ notice may be rescheduled, held as a credit toward a future appointment, or refunded to the original payment method upon request.
24–48 hours’ notice
Appointments cancelled between 24 and 48 hours prior to the scheduled appointment time will incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the appointment fee (Medicare rebate is not available in the event of a cancellation).
The remaining 50% will be held as a credit toward a future appointment.
If no further appointment is booked within three months, the credit will expire.
Less than 24 hours’ notice or missed appointments
Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice, or missed appointments where no notice is provided, will incur a 100% cancellation fee.
Appointment times are reserved specifically for each client. Providing adequate notice if you need to cancel or reschedule helps ensure that appointment availability can be offered to others seeking care.
Fees & Payment
Fees for services will be communicated prior to your appointment.
Payment is required at the time of booking or consultation, unless otherwise arranged.
Where applicable, Medicare rebates may be available for eligible clients attending with a valid referral under a Mental Health Care Plan.
Online Therapy
Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy offers secure video consultations, allowing clients to attend appointments regardless of their location.
All that is required is a reliable internet connection and a device with a camera and microphone such as a computer, laptop, tablet (e.g. iPad), or smartphone.
Clients will receive a secure appointment link by email prior to the session. No software installation is required.
For the best experience, the use of headphones is recommended to improve sound quality and privacy.
Clients are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate equipment and a stable internet connection prior to the session. Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy is not able to provide or loan equipment.
If an appointment cannot proceed due to client equipment, software, or internet connectivity issues, the standard cancellation policy may still apply, as the appointment time has been reserved.
Confidentiality & Privacy
Information shared during therapy is treated with strict confidentiality in accordance with professional ethical guidelines and Australian privacy legislation.
Your personal and health information will not be disclosed to third parties without your consent except in limited circumstances where disclosure is required or permitted by law.
These situations may include:
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where there is a serious and imminent risk of harm to you or another person
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where information is required by a court of law (for example, a subpoena)
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where disclosure is required or authorised by legislation
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where you have provided consent for information to be shared with another professional involved in your care
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For example, with your permission we may communicate with another healthcare professional involved in your care such as a GP, specialist, or other treating practitioner.
Further information about how personal information is handled is available in our Privacy Policy.
Mandatory Reporting Obligations
Under Australian law, health practitioners may be required to report situations where there is a reasonable belief that a child or young person may be at risk of significant harm.
These legal obligations exist to help protect the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.
Clinical Records
Confidential clinical records are maintained to reflect the issues and goals identified during therapy and to summarise sessions. These records are clinical summaries rather than verbatim transcripts of appointments.
Clinical records are stored securely and retained in accordance with Australian legal and professional record-keeping requirements. In most cases, health records must be retained for a minimum period of seven years.
If a client requests access to their records, this will be managed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and relevant professional guidelines. In some circumstances, clinicians may provide a summary of relevant clinical information rather than raw therapy notes, particularly where notes are written as brief professional reminders or reflections intended to support ongoing treatment.
Where appropriate, clinicians may recommend that clinical information be discussed with you so that it can be understood in the appropriate therapeutic context.
Communication Between Appointments
Communication between appointments is generally limited to administrative matters, such as scheduling or appointment changes.
Clinical advice or therapeutic support is typically provided during scheduled consultations.
Clinical Supervision & Professional Consultation
Health practitioners may participate in clinical supervision or professional consultation as part of maintaining high professional standards, ethical practice, and ongoing professional development.
Clinical supervision involves confidential discussion of clinical work with another appropriately qualified practitioner to support reflective practice, clinical safety, and high-quality care.
During this process, identifying client information is not disclosed unless required by law. Discussions are conducted in accordance with professional ethical guidelines and confidentiality obligations.
Engaging in professional consultation is a recognised component of responsible clinical practice and supports practitioners in maintaining current knowledge, reflective practice, and the delivery of high-quality psychological care.
Many clinicians working in trauma-informed practice regularly engage in professional consultation when working with complex clinical presentations to help ensure thoughtful, safe, and well-considered therapeutic care.
Reports & Documentation
Occasionally clients may request written reports or documentation for legal, insurance, workplace, or compensation matters.
Preparation of reports requires careful clinical consideration and may involve time outside of therapy sessions. Requests for reports are considered on a case-by-case basis, and additional professional fees may apply.
The preparation of medico-legal reports may not always be appropriate within a treating therapeutic relationship.
Workshops & Training Events
All workshop registrations are subject to the following conditions:
Participants must present their ticket (printed or digital) upon entry to the event.
Delegates are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time to allow for registration and to minimise disruption once the workshop has commenced.
Additional event-specific information, including any cancellation terms, will be communicated at the time of registration.
Safety & Respect Policy
Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and professional environment for clients, practitioners, and staff.
We ask all clients and visitors to engage with our team in a respectful and professional manner at all times.
Behaviour that is threatening, intimidating, aggressive, or abusive is not acceptable within the practice.
This includes, but is not limited to actual or perceived:
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verbal abuse or harassment
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threatening or intimidating behaviour
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aggressive conduct
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attempts to pressure, intimidate, or coerce staff or practitioners
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harassment of staff through email, telephone, text message, social media, or other communication channels
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repeated attempts to contact practitioners or staff outside of appropriate professional channels
If behaviour of this nature occurs, the practice may take appropriate steps to protect the safety and wellbeing of staff and clients.
This may include:
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ending the consultation immediately
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requesting that the individual leave the premises
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cancelling or declining future appointments
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declining to provide further services
Where necessary, law enforcement may be contacted to ensure the safety of staff and others.
Where a consultation is ended due to actual or perceived threatening or abusive behaviour, the appointment fee will not be refunded, as the appointment time has been reserved and professional services were made available.
Intoxication or Impairment
For the safety and wellbeing of all clients and staff, appointments may be cancelled or terminated if a client attends an appointment while intoxicated or impaired by drugs or alcohol, or where this is reasonably suspected.
In these circumstances, the practice may end the consultation and reschedule the appointment at a later time. The standard cancellation policy may apply, as the appointment time has been reserved.
Recording of Sessions
To protect the privacy and therapeutic integrity of consultations, therapy sessions may not be recorded without the prior consent of the therapist. This includes audio, video, or screen recordings made using phones, computers, or other devices.
Where recording is appropriate, this will be discussed and agreed upon in advance.
Crisis Support & Emergency Services
Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy provides scheduled psychological consultations and is not a crisis or emergency service.
While we aim to respond to administrative enquiries as soon as possible during business hours, we may not be available outside scheduled appointments and cannot provide immediate support in crisis situations.
If you are experiencing an urgent mental health crisis, or feel that you or someone else may be at risk of harm, please contact one of the following services which provide 24-hour support.
Queensland Mental Health Crisis Services
1300 MH CALL (1300 642 255)
Queensland’s 24-hour mental health access line providing advice, assessment, and referral to local mental health services.
Lifeline – 13 11 14
24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention service.
Website: www.lifeline.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
24-hour telephone and online counselling for people experiencing suicidal thoughts, those caring for someone at risk, or people bereaved by suicide
Website: www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
13YARN – 13 92 76
A 24-hour crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander counsellors.
Website: www.13yarn.org.au
DVConnect Womensline – 1800 811 811
24-hour support for women experiencing domestic or family violence.
DVConnect Mensline – 1800 600 636
Support for men experiencing or using violence and those seeking assistance with behaviour change.
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732
24-hour national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.
Emergency Situations
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact emergency services on 000 or attend your nearest hospital emergency department.
Changes to Practice Policies
Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy may update these policies from time to time to reflect changes in practice procedures, legal requirements, or professional guidelines.
The most current version will always be available on this website.