Telehealth at The Talk Shop
While many clients value face-to-face sessions, telehealth offers a convenient and flexible alternative — giving you more choice in how, when, and with whom you access support.
What is Telehealth
Telehealth sessions take place via video call or phone, usually from the comfort of your home. We understand there are concerns about the privacy and security of some common video platforms like Skype or Zoom, which may not offer the level of confidentiality required for therapy.
To address this, The Talk Shop does not use Skype or Zoom. Instead, we use Jitsi Meet, hosted on our own secure servers with end-to-end encryption, ensuring your sessions are private and secure.
Booking or Changing to a Telehealth Appointment
When you call to book a session—or switch an existing one to telehealth—we’ll check if you’re able to access a telehealth setup. Video calls are preferred, as they allow for a more natural interaction, similar to in-person therapy.
Currently, most initial appointments are booked as telehealth. Your Clinician will assess whether this format is suitable for your ongoing sessions and let you know if any changes are needed.
Future appointments will be arranged with this in mind—you and your Clinician will know if the next session will be via telehealth or in person.
Telehealth Eligibility
- Medicare: As of April 6, 2020, Medicare supports bulk-billed and rebated sessions via telehealth, where appropriate.
- TAC, Workcover, NDIS, DVA, and similar programs: These have specific criteria for covering telehealth services.
- Self-funded: If you’re paying entirely out of pocket (not using Medicare or other programs), you’re free to choose telehealth at any time.
You can find more details on this in our Telehealth Session Eligibility information.
What You’ll Need for Your Telehealth Session
Depending on how you’ll be joining the session, here are your options:
- A smartphone or tablet for video calls
- A PC or laptop with a webcam
- A phone for voice-only sessions
Submitting Referrals and Paperwork
Protecting Your Privacy
Protecting Your Privacy.
To keep your telehealth sessions private and secure:
Your Clinician will verify your identity before beginning the session
When prompted for a name in the video call, just a first name or initials is fine (even leaving it blank is okay—it just helps your Clinician know who’s who)
We never include your full name in the video call link
For phone sessions, we call you—so our number won’t appear on your phone bill
Therapy That Comes to You
Expert mental health care, from the comfort of your home.
Whether you’re juggling a busy schedule, prefer privacy, or live in a remote area — our telehealth sessions make it easy to prioritise your mental well-being without leaving your space.
🧑💻 Connect securely with our psychologists via phone or video.
📆 Flexible appointments — weekdays, evenings, and weekends.
🌏 Available Australia-wide.