Unboxed Pride FAQ.

We’re an online therapy service developed by the LGBTIQ+ community for the LGBTIQ+ community, which is accessible anywhere in Australia. Unboxed Pride has been built to connect LGBTIQ+ members with dedicated psychologists, counsellors, and psychotherapists, who are all based in Australia and all have a track record of success stories supporting our beautifully authentic community. 

Mental health outcomes are a part of life and do not define us. Our mission is to empower the LGBTQIA+ community with educational tools, solutions, and holistic therapeutic care to encourage people to talk about mental health in the community and personally. We developed a solution that connects mental health experts to community members seeking affordable, convenient, and in-context therapy. 

To remove stigmas with a compassionate lens, focussing on deeper layers of authenticity for healing, transformation, and long-term change.  Unboxed Pride online services are run through a safe and secure platform with our smart matching tool to connect you with a therapist who really gets you, all sessions can be booked on your schedule and can be accessed anywhere.

Having a sense of trust and understanding in a supportive relationship is the foundation for holistic treatment. For therapists treating individuals from abroad can lead to out-of-context ways of thinking which can significantly impact sessions and a sense of trust or connection. All Unboxed Pride psychologists, counsellors, and psychotherapists are based in Australia and are qualified, accredited, and regulated under Australian Law. Our team is handpicked and accredited locally to provide the best possible care for LGBTIQ+ members seeking support. All our therapists have a track record of success stories supporting the LGBTIQ+ community in Australia for a committed, in-context and non-judgemental experience.

Yes. Unboxed Pride has been built for the LGBTIQ+ community in Australia. All psychologists, psychotherapists, and counsellors have been handpicked to deliver an accepting and non-judgemental therapeutic experience. All psychologists, counsellors, and psychotherapists have experience helping and supporting the LGBTIQ+ community in Australia to ensure the best possible care and therapeutic treatment tailored to unique needs or hardships that can be faced.

Our services are open to any individual who are LGBTIQ+ living in Australia, aged 16 and over. 

Unfortunately, we do not service anyone under the age of 16 at this time. But we will look to do so in the near future.

We can help address a wide range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, panic, sleep concerns, confidence or self-esteem, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, drug or alcohol concerns, trauma, stress, coming out, gender or identity, grief, and many more. LGBTIQ+ community members can face unique challenges contributing to mental health issues and how we are feeling. Our team of therapists are either experienced in or part of the community, they’re well-equipped to support you in your journey. To see our full list of services and specialised team of therapists click here.

We offer sessions through our secure video conferencing platform.  All you need is a computer or a smartphone and a stable internet connection, and access to a safe space from anywhere in Australia.

Both types of psychologists must complete extensive training to assist with any mental health treatments. 

Psychologists (General or Registered Psychologists) must complete a four-year university degree alongside either a postgraduate university degree or two years of supervised practical training to become a psychologist. 

Clinical Psychologists must meet the above requirements but complete a six-year university degree alongside two years of supervised training. 

All Psychologists (both General and Clinical) must hold a general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia and are regulated under strict ethics, quality of care, standards, and codes of conduct. 

We highly encourage you to check out our practitioners in our smart matching tool to help find a psychologist, counsellor, or psychotherapist that you feel comfortable with.  All of our practitioners have a dedicated biography page and you can schedule an introduction call at no charge to see if it feels like the right fit.

If you need help, please feel free to call our friendly support team who will be able to match you with a practitioner, email us at hello@unboxedpride.com.au or call our friendly support team on (02) 6190 9200.

Suppose you are looking for practical tools, solutions, and evidence-based approaches to well-being or building strength and resilience. In that case, our team of therapists specialise in providing you with a framework of strategies tailored to the unique challenges, changes or hardships for anyone in the LGBQIA+ community. 

Our team of psychologists, counsellors, or psychotherapists can help you with mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, panic, sleep concerns, confidence or self-esteem, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, drug or alcohol concerns, trauma, stress, coming out, gender or identity, grief, and many more. 

Unboxed Pride cannot support people who fall into the categories below: 

• You’re a minor, under 16, and under the care of a legal guardian.
• You have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHA), Major depressive disorder, and Schizophrenia.
• We are advised that you are under psychological supervision or psychiatric in-patient care.
• Urgent Crisis or Emergency Situations (please refer to Crisis support page).
• Suicidal ideation or Self Harm or harming others (please refer to Crisis support page).
• You are unable to access a device with a reliable internet connection.
• You are under court order to undergo therapy or counselling by any authority.

Before your session, it’s best to find a quiet and private space where you will not be interrupted and feel most comfortable talking.  Using headphones can also be helpful for privacy and reduce any potential distractions.  Checking your internet connection and speed will provide an optimal experience and clarity of the video conference.  In the first session of therapy, nerves are very normal; our practitioner’s first goal is to create a safe space you feel comfortable talking. 

To access Medicare rebates, you must have a valid GP referral and a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). It’s best to book an appointment with your GP to acquire the referral and MHCP. It’s best to specify the type of practitioner, being a Clinical or General Psychologist. 

Once you’ve acquired your MHCP and GP referral and booked a session with an Unboxed Pride therapist, we will email you a form to upload relevant documentation, including your  MHCP and GP referral. Or you can email us at hello@unboxedpride.com.au or fax the documents to us at (02) 8365 3202, and we will process the rebates on your behalf. You can be eligible for up to 10 sessions per year. 

You sure can. We’ve built Unboxed Pride as a digital service that can be accessed by any LGBTIQ+ community member living in Australia. So if you are traveling or working remotely, your sessions will not be interrupted as you can access us at any time, anywhere.

For many, online therapy has been highly effective for psychology, counselling, and psychotherapy. Online therapy offers several advantages over face-to-face, including greater flexibility, anonymity, and accessibility. 

It’s the same as face-to-face in the sense that all our psychologists, psychotherapists, and counsellors are registered as part of their regulated profession, including the Psychology Board of Australia, Australian Counselling Association, Australian Psychological Society, Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia or Australian Counselling Association or Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Online therapy offers all the same benefits as face-to-face treatment, and the same rapport can be built. Unlike some therapists you may be dealing with face-to-face, our team all have experience working with people in the LGBTIQ+ community, so we have a rich understanding of your needs and related challenges to support your recovery journey. We encourage people to use what works for them.

Please note that by Australian Law, online psychologists cannot provide an official diagnosis to fulfil court orders.

Yes. Our team of therapists are accredited, experienced and registered based on the type of their therapy profession, such as a counsellor, psychotherapist, general or clinical psychologist, including the Psychology Board of Australia, Australian Counselling Association, Australian Psychological Society, Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia or Australian Counselling Association or Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

If you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, you may be eligible to claim a portion of the session fee back from Medicare for Clinical or Registered Psychologist sessions. The Fee after your medicare rebates has been applied are as follows: 

$98.45– Clinical Psychologist

$99.55– Registered Psychologist

If you don’t have a Mental Health Care Plan (no worries!), you can still see a psychologist at Unboxed Pride, but you will need to pay the full Fee for the session. The current prices are as follows:

$235.50 – Clinical Psychologist

$192.90 – Registered Psychologist

$130 – Counsellors 

$130 – Psychotherapist

For your first session, you will be charged the full fee at the time of booking confirmation.

Your total fee payment will be processed for future sessions following your first appointment. We will charge your saved payment method from your initial session with us. Please contact us if you would like to change payment methods via hello@unboxedpride.com.au or (02) 6190 9200.

With a valid Mental Health Care Plan & GP Referral supplied to us (we will email you a form on appointment booking psychology session upon booking confirmation). Medicare claims will be processed on your behalf within 2 – 5 business days once your payment has been made. You can also claim your session via medicare or on your private health insurance policy once we’ve sent your invoice upon receiving payment.

Depending on your private health insurance policy, you may be able to claim for your session. Best speak with your private health insurance company for more information on your level of cover.

Please visit our Terms of Service page for all information regarding our cancellation policy. The table below outlines fees based on the time the appointment is cancelled. We charge cancellation fees since other clients may miss out on appointments from late cancellations. We may waive your cancellation fee in extenuating circumstances; please get in touch with our friendly support team via hello@unboxedpride.com.au or (02) 6190 9200 if this is the case. 

Please visit our Terms of Service page for all information regarding our cancellation policy. You can cancel your appointment by contacting us at hello@unboxedpride.com.au, logging into your registered account or calling us on (02) 6190 9200. Please know that you cannot cancel an appointment via your registered online account within 48 hours before your appointment – please get in touch with us via phone or email in this case. 

The table below outlines cancellation fees based on the time the appointment is cancelled. We charge cancellation fees since other clients may miss out on appointments from late cancellations. 

Unboxed Pride accepts all major debit or credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard. Apple Pay and Google Pay is also available. 

Yes. Credit Card data is encrypted in transit and data at rest using strong, modern ciphers. Further, payment card details and health account information are protected through an advanced tokenisation system that leading banks and payment processors employ.

If you are having trouble covering the cost of your sessions, please get in touch with us via (02) 6190 9200 or hello@unboxedpride.com.au; we will do everything we can to help.

A Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) is a support plan written and created by your GP. You can visit your GP or a doctor you don’t usually see to get a MHCP and a GP referral to see a psychologist. 

A MHCP will provide access to 10 medicare subsidised psychology sessions per year.

Your initial plan will provide six sessions, followed by a review with your GP for an additional four sessions. Once you’ve utilised six sessions, we will send you an email and form to input your new GP referral and MHCP, which consists of four sessions. 

If you supply your relevant medicare details, GP referral and MHVP, we can process the rebate for you if there are remaining sessions left on your plan.

We can process the claim on your behalf for clinical or registered psychology sessions if you provide a valid MHCP and GP referral. Upon booking your first appointment with an Unboxed Pride psychologist, we will email you a form allowing you to upload your relevant documentation alongside some basic information we need.

Once we’ve received all relevant documentation, we can process the claim on your behalf following your session. You can also email your MHCP and GP Referral to us via email at hello@unboxedpride.com.au. or call our friendly Service Team on (02) 6190 9200.

You can choose to be anonymous or choose a nickname during your session if you prefer. Our platform has been purpose-built to ensure the safety and security of your personal information. 

Although Australian law and all psychology, psychotherapy or counselling practices require that we take down some of your details, we take privacy and security very seriously. We will meet the highest standards to keep your personal information secure. 

Please visit our Terms of Service page for more information on privacy or security.

We take your privacy and confidentiality very seriously. We don’t share your information with anyone without your permission except in an emergency situation.  All of our services are delivered through a secure, encrypted platform.

All our Practitioners in our platforms are legally and contractually bound to policies, rules and processes of their relevant professional regulatory bodies, in addition Australian Law and Legislation. Please visit our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy for more information.

If you are in a crisis, experiencing suicidal thoughts, considering self-harm or in a mental health emergency, use one of the following numbers that can provide you with immediate assistance:

• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 – Talk to a trained mental health professional who will listen, provide support and information, and refer you to services in your area.
• Lifeline – 13 11 14 – A crisis support and suicide prevention service. You can contact them 24/7 for free, confidential help.
• QLife – 1800 184 527 – A national telephone, web counselling, and referral service for LGBTIQ+ people.
• Suicide Callback Service – 1300 659 467. If you experience thoughts of Self-Harm or suicide
• Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800 – A free, confidential, 24/7 counselling service for young people aged 5-25.

If you are in a crisis, or if another person may be in danger or experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 000 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department for immediate help.