HealthInfo Canterbury
Diabetes Centre psychological services
This page answers some questions that people commonly ask about psychologists at the Diabetes Centre.
What are clinical psychologists?
Clinical psychologists are registered under the Psychologists Act and have had at least six years intensive university education. They have learned how to listen to and understand people's problems, and how to help people make changes in their lives.
Who can see a clinical psychologist at the Diabetes Centre?
The clinical psychologists see all age groups from adolescence onwards who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Why might I choose to see a clinical psychologist at the Diabetes Centre?
People come to see the clinical psychologist at the Diabetes Centre for several reasons, such as:
- adjusting to having diabetes
- difficulty in making the changes necessary to stay well
- difficulty managing anger, conflict, and other emotions related to your health
- depression, sadness, and grief
- anxiety, worries, panic, and phobias
- eating difficulties
- difficulty coping with the complications of diabetes
- family, relationship, or interpersonal problems
- life stress or changes (such as relationship break-up, having a baby, redundancy).
If I have a problem, at what stage is it best to see the psychologist?
From our experience, the sooner you are aware you have a problem, the less time it takes to work through it.
What happens when I see a clinical psychologist?
Your first appointment is a chance for you to get to know the psychologist as much as it is for the psychologist to get to know you. If at any stage you do not understand what your psychologist is saying, you should ask them to explain again. When you first see a clinical psychologist, they will ask you about the problem that has brought you to see them and about your past and present life.
Your psychologist will discuss with you the type of therapy they think will help you.
You may continue meeting together or your psychologist may suggest you see another psychologist or agency specialising in the type of help you need. If this is the case, the psychologist will refer you to the recommended agency or psychologist.
In the first session you can discuss how much information you want kept in confidence.
What do clinical psychologists do at sessions?
Clinical psychologists use talking therapy to help you to identify solutions to your problems. So all that will happen is that you will sit in a chair in an office talking about the way you feel, think, and act. The clinical psychologist listens and supports you to help you gain new understandings of yourself, so you can make changes in your life. There are also many different types of therapy a clinical psychologist may practice.
These include:
- helping you learn skills for managing problems
- helping you to understand and change the way your thoughts affect how you feel and act
- helping you become more aware of your emotions and understand them better
- exploring and changing the way you relate to and communicate within your family and other relationships.
Therapy sessions are for 50 minutes.
How many times will I see the psychologist?
Sometimes people only see the psychologist for one session, sometimes three or four times and sometimes for much longer, depending on what your psychologist recommends.
Who is available here?
There are two part-time clinical psychologists at the Diabetes Centre.
How can I contact the psychologist?
There are several ways you can be referred to see the psychologist:
- Your diabetes health professional at the Diabetes Centre (physician, nurse educator, dietitian) may suggest a referral if there are problems or difficulties affecting your diabetes management.
- You can ask your family doctor or other allied health professional (such as a nurse or podiatrist) to refer you.
If you are uncertain about whether it would be helpful to see us, you are welcome to telephone us directly at the Diabetes Centre to discuss this.
Sometimes there is a waiting list to see the psychologist. However, you will be contacted as soon as possible to arrange an appointment or inform you of the waiting time once a referral has been made.
How much will it cost to see the psychologist?
There is no charge to see the psychologist at the Diabetes Centre.
Diabetes Centre
Ground floor, Christchurch outpatients building, 2 Oxford Tce
Phone: (03) 364-0860
Written by the clinical psychologists, Diabetes Services. Endorsed by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed May 2016. Last updated November 2018.
Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Review key: HIDIA-21832
