Telehealth & Online Counselling
Life across Ballarat and the Grampians is spread out, and getting to a consulting room isn’t always realistic.
Stacey Black’s telehealth service delivers the same evidence-based care you’d receive in the rooms, from wherever you are — home, the office, or a parked car on your lunch break.
Telehealth isn’t a second-best option. Research consistently finds that psychological therapy delivered by video achieves outcomes comparable to face-to-face sessions for common presentations including anxiety and depression and trauma, when it is delivered by a registered, clinically trained psychologist. You can read more about what the evidence actually says.
Sessions run on an end-to-end encrypted video platform that meets the Australian Privacy Principles, so you can speak freely.
Why Ballarat Locals Choose Telehealth
- No two-hour round trip. Clients from Creswick, Beaufort and the Pyrenees Shire reach specialist care without spending half a day on the road.
- It fits around shift work. Telehealth appointments run after hours on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- No travel, no waiting room. A session fits into a lunch break, or while the baby naps.
- Continuity when life moves. If you are admitted to hospital and then discharged home, or your circumstances change, your sessions carry on uninterrupted.
- Comfort and privacy. Some people find it easier to raise hard things from a familiar room. Pets on laps welcome.
Who Can Benefit?
- Adults managing anxiety, depression or workplace stress
- New parents experiencing post-natal mood changes who cannot easily leave home
- Shift workers, FIFO and defence personnel who need a therapeutic relationship that survives an irregular roster
- People living across the Western District, the Wimmera and regional Victoria
- Immunocompromised clients minimising public exposure
If you have reliable internet and a private space—bedroom, parked car, or even a quiet corner of the backyard—you’re already set up for online therapy.
How an Online Session Works
- Send an enquiry. Use the contact form and mention that you would like telehealth. Stacey replies by email to arrange a time.
- Confirm. You will receive your confirmed time, a secure video link and a short tech checklist.
- Prepare. Five minutes beforehand, click the link on any device. Nothing to download, it runs in your browser.
- Connect. Stacey greets you in a virtual waiting room, checks your audio and video, and you begin.
- Reflect and plan. Afterwards Stacey emails through any exercises or resources, and arranges the next session if you need one.
Safety, Privacy & Confidentiality
Your telehealth session is confidential on exactly the same terms as a session in the consulting room, and Stacey conducts telehealth appointments from her private rooms in Drummond Street.
You’ll be asked for your physical location at the start of each session. That’s a safety measure: if a serious risk arises, Stacey needs to be able to reach the right local service. If that ever happens she can coordinate in real time with Grampians Mental Health and Wellbeing Services (1300 247 647) or Lifeline (13 11 14).
Telehealth is not a crisis service. If you need help right now, the crisis numbers at the bottom of this page can help.
Medicare Rebate & Fees
Telehealth psychology is covered by Medicare under the Better Access initiative when you have a current Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP or psychiatrist. The rebate is $141.85 for a standard 50-minute clinical session.
Telehealth is charged at the same rate as an in-person session — $225 — leaving a gap of $83.15. Private health extras cover may also apply. See full fees and rebates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online therapy really as effective?
For most common presentations, yes. Peer-reviewed systematic reviews repeatedly find that psychological therapy delivered by video achieves outcomes comparable to in-person treatment, including for anxiety and depression.
What if my internet drops out?
Can I mix telehealth with face-to-face sessions?
Do I need a referral?
Where can I find out more information?
Serving the Grampians & Regional Victoria
Stacey’s telehealth clients join from Ararat, Horsham, Maryborough, the Surf Coast and across regional Victoria. If you move within the state for work or study, your sessions come with you — no need to restart your story with a new clinician.
Ready to Begin?
If you’re juggling rosters, can’t easily travel, or simply prefer the convenience, telehealth removes what’s standing between you and getting started.
Step 1: Send an enquiry using the button below, and mention a few times that would suit you.
Step 2: Stacey replies by email to confirm your appointment.
Step 3: Check your inbox for your secure link and session guide.
Prefer to ask a question first? Email [email protected]. Let’s make therapy fit your life — wherever you are in Ballarat or beyond.