Let’s start a conversation.

There’s no single answer to this — and you don’t need to wait until things feel like a crisis. Some families come to us because they’ve noticed changes in their child’s mood, behaviour, or relationships. Others come because school has raised concerns, or because something’s happened and they want support in responding well.

If you’re asking the question, that instinct is worth paying attention to. A free 15-minute phone call is a good way to talk through what you’re seeing and work out whether Marenwood is the right fit.

No — you can contact Marenwood directly without a referral. A referral from your GP is only required if you want to claim a Medicare rebate on your sessions. If you’re planning to use your private health insurance or pay out of pocket, you can book without any referral at all.

If you do want to use Medicare, ask your GP for a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) and a referral to Marenwood. This will allow you to claim a rebate of $149.05 per session for up to 10 sessions per calendar year.

Marenwood works with children and young people aged 0 to 18. We also work with the parents of younger children — sometimes the most effective support for a very young child is to work primarily with the parent, rather than the child directly. If you’re unsure whether your child’s age is a good fit, get in touch and we can talk it through.

The first few sessions at Marenwood are about understanding your family — not just the presenting problem. We typically begin with a session that includes you and your child together, followed by time with parents separately, and then time individually with your child. This gives us a complete picture before making any recommendations.

After these initial sessions, we’ll meet with you again to share what we’ve understood and what we recommend. You’ll always know what we’re thinking and why before therapy begins.

This really depends on your child, their presentation, and what you’re hoping to achieve. Some families see meaningful change within 8–12 sessions. Others work with us over a longer period, particularly when the concerns are more complex or when there has been significant trauma or loss.

We review progress regularly and will always be transparent about how things are going and what we recommend next. We won’t continue sessions that aren’t serving your family.

Yes — Marenwood offers telehealth sessions via a secure, encrypted video platform. Telehealth is available for parent sessions, some adolescent therapy sessions, and supervision. For younger children, in-person sessions are generally preferable — play-based therapy is most effective in the room. If you’re unsure whether telehealth is appropriate for your situation, we’re happy to discuss it.

The standard fee for a 50-minute session at Marenwood is $270.

If you have a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) from your GP, you can claim a Medicare rebate. 

We also accept NDIS funding for eligible clients. Please contact us to discuss your plan and how we can support you.

A Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) is a document prepared by your GP that allows you to access Medicare rebates for psychology sessions under the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative. You’ll need to make an appointment with your GP specifically to discuss your child’s mental health and request an MHTP.

Once you have the plan, your GP will refer you to Marenwood. You can then claim a Medicare rebate for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. If your child needs more than 10 sessions, your GP can review the plan and refer for an additional 10 sessions.

We ask for at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. This allows us to offer the time to another family who may be waiting.

Cancellations made with less than 48 hours’ notice, and appointments that are not attended without notice, may be charged at the full session fee of $270. We understand that life happens — if something unexpected comes up, please contact us as soon as possible and we’ll do our best to work with you.

Marenwood offers comprehensive psychological assessments for children and adolescents, including:

• ADHD assessment — for children and teenagers where attention difficulties may be a factor

• Autism assessment — including structured observation, developmental history, and standardised tools

• Cognitive assessment — understanding your child’s overall intellectual profile, strengths, and areas of difficulty

• Educational and learning assessment — identifying specific learning disorders such as dyslexia or dyscalculia

All assessment reports are written in plain language with practical recommendations for home and school.