Provisional Psychologist

Provisional Psychologists

WHAT IS A PROVISIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST?

Even though they're not yet fully registered, a provisional psychologist has already typically completed all of these academic qualifications before they start working with us:

an undergraduate psychology degree
an honours degree in psychology
the coursework component of their Masters degree

Plus, they have usually worked for at least a few years with children in some sort of therapeutic or supporting context (i.e not as babysitters!).

So, yes, they are experienced and qualified and we wouldn't recommend them for your child otherwise - because getting you towards the best outcomes is our priority.

CAN A PROVISIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST HELP US?

Parents sometimes worry they won't get the treatment from a provisional psychologist that they’d otherwise receive from a fully registered psychologist. Of course there is something to be said for the years of experience and grey hairs that those of us who have been at it for a long time have acquired! But we can reassure you that for non-complex cases like counselling for children with mental health concerns, administering assessments or providing intervention for children with neurodiversity, our provisional psychologists have the right skill set and support system to provide an effective intervention. No, this isn’t always the case for all provisional psychologists – but we have been lucky to secure practitioners who have had a wealth of experience before arriving on the NCCD doorstep.

THE BENEFITS OF SEEING A PROVISIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST:

You’ll get seen much more quickly

You’ll pay far less per session

You’ll get their wealth of prior experience and knowledge (they’re not ‘green’ like a lot of people might think they are)

If your child is ineligible for Medicare rebated sessions the reduced cost sessions make receiving psychological treatment far more affordable

The enthusiasm of a provisional psychologist is second to none!

If your child has NDIS funding, seeing a provisional psychologist will use up less of your funding.

WHAT IF THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO HELP US?

Provisional psychologists have to undergo at least one hour of clinical supervision per week. That means they meet with their clinical supervisor to discuss their clients and brainstorm ideas if they're feeling stuck. In fact, all psychologists are required to meet with a supervisor regularly - but for provisional psychs it is much more frequent. This basically means you get two heads for the price of one!

As with any psychologist, if a provisional psych feels out of their depth, they address it. However we overcome this by only allocating clients to our provisional psychologists who are suitable and have been triaged by our team.