Frequently asked questions

All ages. Eliza Hartley (clinical psychologist) and Felicity Staedler (psychologist) see children and teens, so please book under 16s with one of them. Our other psychologists see clients aged 16 and over.

Psychology sessions are 50 minutes, for first sessions and reviews alike. NDIS psychology sessions are 60 minutes.

Both are registered with AHPRA and both provide psychological treatment. A clinical psychologist also holds an area of practice endorsement in clinical psychology, which reflects extra postgraduate training and supervised practice. For most clients the practical difference is cost: the fee and the Medicare rebate are both higher for a clinical psychologist, so the out of pocket cost ends up similar.

Therapy is matched to the person and the presentation, and commonly draws on cognitive behavioural therapy including CBT-E, acceptance and commitment therapy, DBT informed skills, schema informed work and trauma informed practice. Your psychologist will explain their approach in the first few sessions.

Disordered eating rarely comes alone. Our psychologists also work with anxiety, depression, body image distress, perfectionism, low self worth, difficulty managing emotions and trauma, which often sit alongside an eating disorder.

Yes, if you are paying privately. A GP referral with a Mental Health Care Plan or an Eating Disorder Plan is only needed if you want a Medicare rebate.

No. We are not a psychiatric service and do not prescribe medication. We are also not a crisis service and cannot respond to urgent contact outside appointments. In an emergency call 000. For support right now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673.

An Eating Disorder Plan is prepared by a GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician for people who meet the Medicare criteria. It gives access to up to 40 rebated psychology sessions and up to 20 rebated dietitian sessions in a 12 month period, with reviews along the way.

Your doctor decides against the Medicare criteria. People with anorexia nervosa may be eligible on diagnosis alone. Other presentations, including bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and OSFED, generally need to meet extra criteria assessed with a validated questionnaire. Your GP will assess this with you.

There are two other common pathways. A Chronic Condition Management Plan, which replaced Chronic Disease Management plans in July 2025, covers up to 5 rebated allied health sessions per calendar year, including dietitians. A Mental Health Care Plan covers up to 10 rebated psychology sessions per calendar year, but does not cover dietitians. Your GP can advise which suits you.

Book a long appointment with your GP and say you would like to talk about an eating disorder or mental health care plan. Ask them to send the plan and referral to admin@biteintofreedom.com.au, or email a copy yourself. The referral needs to be dated before your first claimable session.

Payment is taken after your session from the card stored on file. We then lodge the Medicare claim for you, and Medicare pays the rebate into the bank account you have registered with them, usually within 1 to 3 business days. You can add bank details to Medicare through your myGov account.

No. Bite Into Freedom is a private practice and does not bulk bill. With a valid referral and care plan, the Medicare rebate reduces what you pay, and the rest is your out of pocket cost.

Yes. Medicare has video telehealth items for dietitian and psychology services under eating disorder, chronic condition and mental health pathways, and we bill the correct video item for your appointment. Some pathways need an in person service with your referring doctor, which your GP manages.

Yes. Medicare care plans have built in review points, and further sessions cannot be claimed until your doctor completes the review. Under an Eating Disorder Plan, psychology sessions are released in blocks that need a review before continuing. We will remind you as you approach a review, but booking it is up to you.

No. You can claim one or the other for an appointment, not both. If you have both, compare the Medicare rebate with your extras rebate and remaining annual limit to see which leaves you better off.

You add a card before your first session, and payment is taken after each session from the card stored on file. You receive a tax invoice and receipt by email.

We ask for at least 24 hours notice to change or cancel an appointment. Late cancellations and missed sessions are charged the full session fee, which Medicare and private health do not cover.

Many extras policies include dietetics and psychology, and most funds cover telehealth. We give you an itemised receipt with the provider number so you can claim through your fund. Rebates and annual limits vary, so check with your insurer first. You cannot claim Medicare and private health for the same appointment.

Yes. We work with self managed and plan managed NDIS participants of all ages where dietetics or psychology is funded in your plan. NDIS sessions are 60 minutes: $178.99 with a dietitian and $252.99 with a psychologist, in line with NDIS pricing. If you are plan managed, give us your plan manager's details at booking so invoices go straight to them. We are not a registered NDIS provider, so we cannot see participants with agency managed plans.

Routine letters back to your referring GP are part of your care. Detailed reports, third party paperwork and long case conferences outside a standard session may attract a fee, which is always quoted before any work is done. For NDIS participants, report writing is charged to your plan as NDIS pricing allows.

We make a range of self paced digital tools written by our clinicians: the Recovery Roadmap, the ARFID Meal Builder, the Binge Eating Emergency Kit, the Mealtime Companion and our Intuitive Eating eBook. They are delivered instantly online and are yours to keep.

No. Our digital resources are educational and are not individual advice. They can be a useful starting point, a support between appointments or something to use while you wait to start, but they do not replace care from a clinician who knows your history.

No. Medicare rebates, private health extras and NDIS funding apply to sessions with a clinician, not to digital resources.

Email the referral and care plan to admin@biteintofreedom.com.au. Please include the patient's contact details and consent to be contacted, the plan type, and relevant medical information such as recent bloods, weight history or medical monitoring arrangements. Patients can also book directly online.

Yes. With the patient's consent, we write after the initial assessment and at review points, and contact you sooner if clinical concerns arise. We are happy to join case conferences where they support coordinated care.

It varies by clinician and service. Live availability on our booking page is the most accurate guide to current wait times. Speak with our teamCall 03 9001 9100 if a patient needs priority review.

As a telehealth outpatient service, we are not suitable for patients who are medically unstable and need admission or close in person medical monitoring, or who need acute crisis or psychiatric care. Psychology is available for all ages, with under 16s seen by Eliza Hartley or Felicity Staedler. Dietetics is available for all ages, with under 18s seen by Samantha Wright, Sarah Why or Gabriela Salant. Where a patient is not right for our service, we will say so and point to a better pathway where we can.