with Postgraduate Level Training: Master of Professional Psychology
Welcome to Heart and Home Psychology
Sometimes the hardest struggles aren’t obvious from the outside — recurring relationship tensions, workplace conflicts, or patterns that feel impossible to shift. Many adults reach a point where they want to understand how and why these cycles happen, and how to respond differently without feeling stuck.
At Heart and Home Psychology, Susan works with adults and adolescents navigating relational distress, attachment patterns, workplace and/or family system stress, and emotional cycles that feel difficult to change. Therapy integrates attachment-informed, emotion-focused, and compassion-focused approaches with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and psychodynamic perspectives, offering insight, practical strategies, and self-compassion.
Registered Psychologist (AHPRA)
APS Committee Member — North Coast NSW Branch
Medicare Registered Provider
SIRA Accredited (WorkCover NSW)
NDIS Provider for Plan Managed Participants
Diploma in Disabilities
20+ years personal lived experience as a caregiver
About Susan
Grounded, experienced, and genuinely caring
Susan Hodgkinson is a registered psychologist with postgraduate level training (Master of Professional Psychology) and the founder of Heart and Home Psychology. Susan is based and has lived in the beautiful Bundjalung Country of the Northern Rivers of NSW for 40 years, so she understands the community needs. With 15+ years of experience working across disability and community services — including child protection — Susan brings a deep understanding of relational, developmental, and systemic factors that shape mental health and wellbeing.
Susan offers compassionate, evidence-based therapy for adults, young people (with caregiver involvement), and families. She is a SIRA-accredited workers’ compensation provider and an NDIS provider for plan-managed participants.
Heart and Home Psychology is an LGBTIQ+ safe space, offering neuroaffirming services for ADHD and ASD participants. Susan supports individuals with intellectual disability, cognitive differences, and acquired brain injury (ABI), as well as caregivers, professionals in caring roles, and those navigating relational distress, attachment patterns, and life transitions.
Susan offers a range of session types to suit individual needs, circumstances and budgets. All sessions can be delivered in-person in Lismore or via secure telehealth. Heart and Home Psychology is an LGBTIQ+ safe space, offering neuroaffirming services for ADHD/ASD participants, and welcomes adults, young participants (with caregiver involvement), couples, caregivers, and participants with intellectual disability or cognitive differences.
THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
Evidence-based, tailored to you
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Practical, structured therapy helping to identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Developing psychological flexibility and values-driven action for meaningful change.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
Shifting from self-criticism to self-support and relational awareness through compassion-based approaches.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
A humanistic, evidence-based approach drawing primarily from attachment theory to facilitate secure, vibrant connection with self and others. Grounded in the science of emotions and attachment, EFT helps clients identify and transform the negative processing and interaction patterns that create distress.
Mindfulness-Based Approaches
Building present-moment awareness and grounded, non-judgmental attention to support emotional wellbeing.
Trauma-Informed Practice
All approaches are delivered within a trauma-informed framework, ensuring safety, trust, and empowerment.
CONSULTATION TYPES
Choose the session that's right for you
Please contact Susan or book via Halaxy to discuss what's right for you.
Individual Session
Psychological therapy tailored with you. Bring your general practitioner (GP) referral with your Mental Health Care Plan to be eligible for your Medicare rebate. Susan creates a safe, compassionate space at your own pace.
Standard consultation 50+ minutes Medicare rebates of $98.95 available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.
If you have a healthcare card, you may be eligible for a concession card rate of $150 per session with your Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.
Fees payable at time of consultation or via invoice
Couples Session
Joint sessions for couples wanting to improve communication, navigate conflict or rebuild connection. Susan provides a neutral, supportive space.
In-Person · LismoreTelehealth
Fee
$250
Medicare rebate of $98.95 per session with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP referral
Caregiver Support Group
Group psychotherapy helps caregivers share emotional load, reduce isolation, build resilience, exchange coping strategies, and sustain compassionate, balanced caregiving over time. Please reach out for details on upcoming groups in Lismore clinic rooms.
In-Person · LismoreMedicare
Fee
$120
Medicare rebate of $98.95 per session $21.05 out of pocket Contact Susan for next group bookings to check numbers and availability
Detailed Psychological Assessment
Comprehensive psychological assessments for NDIS, workers compensation and other third-party purposes. Detailed written reports provided. Please speak to Susan for your individual purposes and regarding any eligibility for Medicare rebates upon assessment.
Speak to Susan regarding ADHD/ASD and cognitive assessment quotes. Using formal testing and observational data, reports may be quoted up to $1,800 at a rate of $250 per hour. Medicare provides a rebate for some autism assessments up to $98.95. A referral is required from a paediatrician or psychiatrist to claim these specific assessment rebates.
In-Person · LismoreTelehealthWorkers Compensation
Fee
$250/hr
Tailored quotations available following initial consultation
Letters & Reports
Letters and psychological reports are invoiced according to the amount of time necessary to complete them. Speak to your psychologist regarding your requirements. Please speak to Susan for your individual purposes and regarding any eligibility for Medicare rebates upon assessment. Invoices will be emailed upon completion.
ReportsCourt Documentation
Fee
Upon request
Approx. $250 per hour Tailored quotations available following initial consultation Speak to Susan
WHERE WE MEET
In-person or online — you choose
In-Person Sessions
Susan's clinical practice rooms are located in Lismore in the heart of the Northern Rivers. Private, professional and comfortable clinic consultation rooms.
32 Molesworth Street, Lismore NSW 2480
Telehealth Sessions
Secure video sessions available for all individual, couples and group consultations. Accessible from anywhere in Australia — ideal if you're rural, interstate or prefer the flexibility of home.
Available across Australia
FUNDING OPTIONS
Making support accessible
Medicare
Up to 10 rebated individual sessions per calendar year with a GP Mental Health Care Plan. Ask your GP for a referral to get started.
NDIS (Plan Managed)
Self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants welcome. Susan works collaboratively with participants, carers and support coordinators.
Workers Compensation
Susan is a SIRA-accredited provider and accepts icare workers compensation referrals from approved case managers.
Private
No referral needed. All private clients welcome. Contact Susan directly to discuss availability, fees and what’s right for you.
Healthy Minds
Government-funded mental health program for those experiencing financial hardship. Please ask Susan for any information you need if you are experiencing financial hardship.
Ready to take the first step?
Book a consultation online or send Susan an enquiry — she'll respond personally.
Psychologist and founder of Heart and Home Psychology — providing grounded, compassionate therapy in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
A MESSAGE FROM SUSAN
If you're feeling unsure about beginning, that's okay.
Life can be challenging at times, with hard moments and experiences we did not anticipate. We can feel pressure in many ways to move forward, and life just keeps rolling on…
If you're here, you may be feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or noticing the same patterns repeating in your life or relationships. You might be managing strong emotions, feeling exhausted, or struggling to make sense of experiences that don't seem to shift no matter how hard you try.
Beginning therapy can feel like a big step — especially if you've been coping on your own for a long time. You don't need to have everything worked out before you start. We can take things one step at a time.
At Heart and Home Psychology, we offer a steady, thoughtful, and compassionate space to help you reconnect with yourself, allowing for deeper perspective to move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
Grounded, experienced, and genuinely caring
Susan Hodgkinson is a registered psychologist with postgraduate level training (Master of Professional Psychology) and the founder of Heart and Home Psychology. Susan is based and has lived in the Northern Rivers of NSW for 40 years, so she understands the community needs. With 15+ years of experience working across disability and community services — including child protection — Susan brings a deep understanding of relational, developmental, and systemic factors that shape mental health and wellbeing.
Susan is a Committee Member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) North Coast NSW Branch and recognised as an active volunteer.
With over 15 years of professional experience across the disability and community services, including work in the child safety sector, Susan brings a deep understanding of relational, developmental, neurological and systemic factors that shape mental health and wellbeing.
Her background includes frontline and leadership roles supporting people with intellectual disabilities, cognitive differences, and neurodivergence, as well as vulnerable young people, caregivers, and individuals with complex psychosocial needs. Susan has personally experienced over 20 years supporting others as a caregiver and can draw on her lived experience.
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
Qualifications
Registered Psychologist
Postgraduate level training
Master of Professional Psychology (MProfPsych)Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours — BPsychSc (Hons)Diploma in Disabilities
15+ Years in Disability & Community Services
A history of 15+ years across disability and community services, including child protection. Supporting self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants.
Registrations
AHPRA Registration
Registered Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
APS Committee Member
Active member of the Australian Psychological Society — North Coast NSW Branch committee and recognised volunteer.
Medicare Registered
Medicare registered provider — clients can access rebated sessions with a GP Mental Health Care Plan referral.
SIRA Accredited
WorkCover (SIRA) accredited provider, accepting referrals from approved case managers.
Ready to take the first step?
Book a consultation online or send an enquiry — Susan will respond personally.
Important information about fees, cancellations, privacy, and what to expect.
What are the fees?
The fee for standard consultations of 50+ minutes is $180.00. Rebates are eligible for Medicare funding (rebate is $98.95) with referral from your GP.
Fees are payable at the time of the consultation or via invoice.
What is the cancellation policy?
We require 24 hours’ notice of any need to change or cancel an appointment. An administrative fee of $100.00 will be charged for non-attendance or cancellation with less than 24 hours’ notice.
Please note that Medicare and private health funds will not cover fees incurred for late cancellations or missed appointments.
This cancellation policy enables time to offer the consultation space to someone who may be on the waitlist. Thank you for your understanding.
How do letters and reports work?
Speak to your psychologist regarding your requirements. Letters and psychological reports are invoiced according to the amount of time necessary to complete them.
There are no Medicare rebates eligible with psychological reports. Invoices for letters and reports will be emailed to you upon completion of your report.
However, there is a Medicare rebate eligibility criteria for children under 13 years old investigating ASD developmental assessments, for up to four assessment appointments with a referral from a physician such as a psychiatrist or a paediatrician.
Can I use my private health fund?
Please check with your private health fund to see if they will cover part of your consultation under your health policy.
What age groups does Susan see?
Susan will provide therapy for children from 6 years of age so long as the child is accompanied by the caregivers with consent from legal guardians or parents.
Please provide any copies of legal court orders or parenting plans so that both parents may be involved in accordance with those plans.
Parents and caregivers are supported to strengthen their caregiving skills, communication, and emotional regulation. By doing so, they are better able to help children identify and name their feelings, guide them toward helpful coping strategies, and support them to process emotions. This collaborative approach promotes the child’s emotional understanding, problem-solving, and overall wellbeing.
How is my information kept private?
Please read our Intake Consent form carefully. We ask for your written consent to collaborate with and share information with other stakeholders, e.g., your GP. Your psychologist will also discuss with you the way your information is shared and stored.
All information you discuss will remain confidential and protected except if it is subpoenaed by court, or in the event that failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at risk, or where your consent is obtained to share information with another stakeholder, such as your GP.
Ready to take the first step?
Book a consultation online or send an enquiry — Susan will respond personally.
A safe space for carers, parents, and those supporting loved ones.
You don't have to carry it alone.
Group psychotherapy offers a safe, supportive space for caregivers to share the emotional load, reduce isolation, and feel understood — particularly when coming to terms with a new diagnosis.
Led by a psychologist and grounded in evidence-based practice, the group supports adjustment, builds resilience, and provides practical coping and communication strategies. Participants connect with others who truly understand, exchange insights, and strengthen their capacity to offer compassionate, balanced care over time.
Who is this group for?
Parents and families of children with disabilities or illness Adult children caring for ageing parents Foster carers and kinship carers People caring for someone with a disability or chronic illness Those adjusting to receiving a diagnosis — their own or a loved one's
What the group offers
Shared understanding
Connect with others who truly understand what you're going through. You're not alone.
Coping strategies
Learn practical, evidence-based strategies for managing stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue.
Resilience & self-compassion
Build the inner resources to sustain compassionate, balanced caregiving over time.
Communication skills
Strengthen your ability to communicate with health professionals, family, and those you care for.
Fees & funding
$120 per session
Medicare rebate of $98.95 per session — only $21.05 out of pocket with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.
For clinicians & referrers
Ideal for clinicians seeking a continuity of care pathway post-diagnosis, this group enables your clients to access structured, ongoing support during their adjustment period.
Clinicians are warmly invited to send referrals. Please reach out for further details or to register your interest.
Interested in joining the group?
Contact Susan for next group bookings, numbers, and availability.
