Working in a private practice, I get to complete a range of interesting, challenging and unique tasks in my role as a provisional psychologist. Some of these include:

• Administering and scoring psychometric assessments
• Researching and evaluating various diagnoses
• Liasing with third parties, such as schools, NDIS, support coordinator’s, GP’s, paediatrician’s etc.
• Developing resources and treatments plans for clients
• Writing diagnostic assessment reports
• Engaging in sessions with clients with a range of different presentations (E.g., depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, ASD, ADHD etc.)

MY MAIN ROUTINE…

• Most mornings, I arrive at the practice around 8:45am. As this is an hour before I see my first client, it gives me a chance to settle in, view my daily schedule, prioritise my tasks for the day, organise my notes for sessions with my clients, and of course, have a chance to catch up and chat with my wonderful colleagues.
• At 9:45am, I will see my first client for the day. At CQ Psych Services, we offer a variety of options for services. Some clients I will see face-to-face in our practice. Alternatively, I also see clients via telehealth. This can be done using a video call or a simple phone call.
• Following each session with a client, I take some time to finalise and reflect upon my session notes. These notes then get added to the client’s ‘Case Formulation’ which helps to inform and guide the best possible treatment plan tailored to each individual client’s needs.
• At 12pm, I take a break to have some lunch with the rest of the team, then I head to my desk to plan my afternoon sessions. Some afternoons include Peer Supervision where we meet with senior clinicians to discuss how we can improve the quality of the services we provide and ensure we are supporting each client as best we can on their goals of therapy. This is an incredible learning experience for me as a Provisional Psychologist.

WHAT MY WEEK LOOKS LIKE…

• On Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Friday’s, I will generally see 5-6 clients per day for therapy.
• On Wednesday’s, I only see 3 clients in the afternoon for therapy, as my mornings are spent either administering psychometric assessments or writing assessment reports. These include intelligence tests, achievement tests, memory tests, behavioural assessments, personality assessments, functional assessments, ADHD assessments, etc.
• I spend Thursday’s working at home where I engage in weekly supervision sessions with my AHPRA approved supervisor. This allows me the opportunity to seek external guidance and support regarding any challenging parts of the job, whether it be difficult client presentations, or simply just completing logbooks as a requirement of gaining general registration.

PERKS OF THE JOB

• Getting to work in a friendly, supportive work environment.
• Being provided with a good balance of autonomy as well as guidance.
• Being able to work at your own pace.
• Being able to help people make meaningful and positive change in their lives, improve their mental health, and their overall quality of life.

How to Access a Psychologist at CQ Psych Services:

• Contact us directly by calling 07 4972 6929 or email admin@cqpsychservices.com.au
• Ask your GP or health professional to refer you to our clinic.
• Come in and see our friendly staff at Shop 1 & 2, 13 Tank Street, Gladstone QLD 4680.
• Visit our website and complete a ‘Request an Appointment’ form and one of our friendly staff will reply to your enquiry. Website: https://cqpsychservices.com.au/

Thanks for joining us at a typical day at CQ Psych Services for a Provisional Psychologist. If you are interested in joining the CQ Psych Services team, take a look at our available positions or express your interest on our Join Our Team page. We are always wanting to chat with passionate clinicians who are excited about providing client centred and best practice care for their clients and the community and who are about helping people create the best life for themselves.

Author: Tom Grainger

Psychologist