What happens in your first appointment with a CTP psychologist
What to bring, what the Allied Health Treatment Request is, roughly how long the session runs, and what happens after, so the first visit is less of an unknown.
Not knowing what to expect can be its own source of stress, on top of everything else after an accident. This guide walks through a typical first appointment with a psychologist for a motor accident (CTP) claim in NSW: what to bring, what actually happens, and what comes next. Every practice runs things slightly differently, so treat this as a general guide rather than a script.
You can usually start before your claim is fully approved
You do not need to wait for a signed-off treatment plan to have a first session. Under the scheme, a psychologist can generally provide an initial assessment session without needing the insurer's approval first. That first session is where your psychologist gathers the information needed to work out what ongoing treatment, if any, makes sense, and to prepare the paperwork the insurer needs to fund further sessions.
What to bring
A little preparation makes the first session smoother. It generally helps to have: your CTP claim number and the name of your insurer, if you have lodged a claim; a rough timeline of the accident and what has happened since; any letter or referral from your GP; a list of any other health providers you are seeing and any medications; and your Medicare card, in case you are using a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan as an interim option while your claim is sorted out (see the cost guide). If the appointment is by telehealth, the main extra thing to organise is a private, reasonably quiet space and a stable internet or phone connection.
If you have not lodged a claim yet, or are not sure who the insurer is, that is fine: bring what you have, and see the referral guide and claim timeline guide for how to get that moving in parallel.
What the Allied Health Treatment Request actually is
After your first session, your psychologist typically completes an Allied Health Treatment Request (AHTR) and sends it to your insurer. This is the current name for the form; it replaced an older version called the Allied Health Recovery Request (AHRR) in the NSW CTP and workers compensation schemes during 2024, so you may still see the older name in some places. The AHTR sets out your current presentation, how it connects to the accident, and the treatment your psychologist is proposing, and why, so the insurer can decide whether to fund it. It is a clinical and administrative document, not something you fill out yourself, though your psychologist will usually talk you through what it says.
Once submitted, the insurer generally has 10 working days to respond in writing. If it is only partly approved or declined, the insurer needs to give reasons, and you have the option of an internal review (see the guide on what to do if a treatment request is disputed).
How long the session runs, and what happens in it
There is no SIRA-mandated session length for CTP psychology, unlike the fixed time increments some other schemes use. In practice, an initial assessment commonly runs around 50 minutes to an hour, similar to a standard psychology session, though this can vary by practice. Expect your psychologist to ask about the accident itself, how you have been feeling and functioning since, your sleep, mood, and any avoidance (for example of driving), your history more broadly, and what support you already have. This is a clinical conversation, not an interrogation, and you can ask your psychologist to slow down or pause at any point.
For telehealth sessions, the content is generally the same as an in-person appointment; the main difference is the delivery method.
What happens after
After the first session, your psychologist writes up their assessment and, if further treatment is recommended, submits the AHTR. While that is being considered, it is worth confirming with the psychologist directly whether a second session can proceed before the AHTR is formally approved, since early intervention rules give insurers some discretion here. Once treatment is approved, sessions generally continue on whatever schedule you and your psychologist agree, with the insurer typically billed directly for approved sessions, so your out-of-pocket cost is usually nil (again, see the cost guide for the full picture, since CTP does not have a published fee schedule the way workers compensation does).
This directory does not sit inside that process. If you have not yet found a psychologist, we can help you find a SIRA-experienced one in NSW, including telehealth options.
This guide is general information, not legal, medical, or crisis advice. If you are struggling right now, you do not have to wait: Lifeline is on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue is on 1300 22 4636, 13YARN (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) is on 13 92 76, and in an emergency call 000.
Sources
SIRA "Providing allied health services in the NSW CTP schemes: FAQs" (https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/resources-library/motor-accident-resources/publications/for-professionals/allied-health-providers-in-nsw-ctp-schemes-faqs), on the initial assessment session, the Allied Health Treatment Request, and the 10 working day response window; SIRA "Allied Health Treatment Request (AHTR)" (https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/health-providers/allied-health-treatment-request-ahtr), including its 2024 transition from the Allied Health Recovery Request (AHRR); SIRA Motor Accident Guidelines: CTP Care (https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/resources-library/motor-accident-resources/publications/for-professionals/motor-accident-guidelines-ctp-care). Practice-level details such as exact session length and booking process vary, so confirm with the psychologist directly.