Three to six months. Yes, you read it right. This is the general wait time to see a psychologist face to face. 1 in 3 psychologists are unable to see new clients according to the Australian Psychological Society (APS) post pandemic. Would you wait 3 to 6 months if your car broke down on the side of the road? No, you would call ‘Roadside Assistance’ as soon as possible. So why wait to see a mental health professional when there are services available? Because of common misconceptions.
There are other professionals in the allied health industry that are well-trained, qualified and experienced to help with your mental health issues. The public may not realise but social workers and counsellors can also address the mental health concerns addressed by the GP and provide support and evidence-based intervention strategies. Social workers are just as passionate about serving the community in an efficient way.
We cannot afford to lose yet another life.
At Asoka Health, we offer same-day counselling services so you can speak to a mental health professional as soon as possible. It means that you can simply pick up your phone and make an appointment. You can either talk to a mental health professional on the phone or face-to-face within a 24 hour timeframe (business hours). Get peace of mind knowing someone can assess you, and determine if you need to access crisis services or can book on-going appointments. As a new business, eager to serve the community, we are thrilled to accept new clients without having to put them on a waiting list. Life and death can be dependent on it.
We have people on a waiting list experiencing suicidal thoughts. We have people who are going through life-challenging situations such as job loss, housing crisis and relationship breakdowns. There are parents who are in desperate need to help their children who are going through mental health challenges and refusing to go to school. However, our public mental health system is inundated and overwhelmed.
Please don’t wait, reach out! Asoka Health is here to support you here and now.
References:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-14/psychologists-facing-tsunami-of-demand-this-summer/13054708
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-18/australia-mental-health-wait-times-covid-pandemic/100457162