Every session is with Emily Stone, Clinical Psychologist, directly. No rotating clinicians, no repeating your story to someone new, no compromise.
"Of all the men I have met in my life time I have never been so impressed with such a gentleman a quality that was supreme."
"His only worries were the way which he suffered in bad dreams. I should have realised he needed treatment but I used to tell him keep on laughing life is too precious to worry about anything. Unfortunately his bad dreams destroyed him."
— from the letter written to Harry's children by the officer who commanded him.
Her grandfather survived the war. He did not survive what came after it.
What he carried home had no name then. His family kept a letter, written by the officer who had commanded him.
Stone Veteran Psychology exists because one generation didn't have access to the treatment we now take for granted. This generation does.
Over time, my DVA work became the part of my practice that felt most clinically alive and most in demand. I found myself working with people who were resilient, direct, self-reliant, often hard on themselves, and not easily drawn into traditional therapy language. That fit me.
Eventually, I made the decision to build something dedicated entirely to DVA-funded clinical psychology, bringing that same experience and care to the veterans I know I work with best.
I've always been drawn to people who ask more of themselves than most, people who carry real responsibility and keep performing under pressure long after most would stop. My approach is practical and direct: helping people recover, adapt and find their next edge, without losing the qualities that got them this far.
Emily isn't your typical academic. She captained NSW in junior sport and competed at a high level across multiple disciplines, and she has never stopped testing her own limits, snowboarding, surfing, MTB, BJJ, kickboxing among them. She has always been more comfortable at the edge than in the middle, and that hasn't changed.
University Medal
The most prestigious academic award an institution can bestow — recognised fewer than one percent of graduates, for exceptional performance across an entire degree.
The question is not simply whether a psychologist is qualified. The question is whether they are the person you want sitting opposite you when you finally decide to have the conversation. That is why every appointment is with Emily personally.
Areas of focus
Veterans rarely come in with one neat issue. Trauma, anxiety, sleep, anger, mood, avoidance and relationship strain often overlap. The work is to understand the full picture, then treat what is actually driving the distress. Where it helps your recovery, a partner or family member can be part of that work.
Service-related trauma, intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, emotional shutdown or a body that still feels on alert.
Constant scanning, tension, panic attacks, racing thoughts or the sense that something is about to go wrong.
Pulling back from people, places and ordinary parts of life that now feel too difficult to navigate.
Low mood, numbness, withdrawal, hopelessness, loss of drive or the sense that you are no longer yourself.
Loss of structure, identity, purpose or belonging after leaving the ADF or moving into a different stage of life.
Short fuse, conflict at home, emotional flooding, shutdown, guilt after outbursts or a temper that feels harder to control than it used to.
Poor sleep, nightmares, exhaustion, chronic pain that flares under stress, physical tension and a nervous system that stays switched on.
Using alcohol, other substances or compulsive behaviours to sleep, switch off, manage anxiety or get through the day, especially when it sits alongside trauma, low mood or stress that never seems to switch off.
Guilt or shame from something you did, witnessed or could not prevent, especially when you had little real choice in the moment.
Distance, conflict or disconnection with partners, children or close friends, and the sense that the people nearest to you no longer fully recognise who you've become.
We also support veterans working through family pressure, grief, guilt and unresolved service experiences.
Questions from veterans
It is the job of an experienced clinician to read the room. I monitor your window of tolerance — what you are ready for, where your edges are, when to move and when to hold. If you are ready to go hard at it, I will know. If you are not, I will know that too. Nothing happens before you are ready for it. That is not a policy. It is a clinical skill, and it is mine to manage, not yours.
No. DVA funding your sessions does not give DVA, Defence or anyone else access to what you say in them. The only information DVA receives is what is needed for billing: your name, card number, date of session and session type. Nothing clinical. Your employer and Defence have no involvement whatsoever. The only exceptions are the legal obligations that apply to all registered psychologists in Australia: if there is a serious and imminent risk of harm to you or someone else. If that threshold is ever reached, I will tell you directly.
That is one of the most common things I hear, and it is a fair thing to raise. Most veterans who have had a poor experience describe the same pattern: a clinician who did not understand service, asked questions that missed the point, or applied a generic approach to something that was not generic at all. This practice works exclusively with veterans. I am not learning about military culture from a textbook. I have spent over two decades working with people carrying the kinds of things that service asks of you, and I understand what that weight actually looks like. If something is not working, say so. You will not offend me and you are not locked in.
Yes, and you do not need a diagnosis before booking. Many veterans who come to see me cannot name what is wrong. They just know something is. DVA covers a wide range of mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, adjustment difficulties, sleep problems, alcohol use concerns and moral injury, as well as PTSD. Part of what the initial sessions are for is working out what is actually driving the distress. You do not need to have figured that out before you arrive.
No. If you hold a DVA White Card or Gold Card you pay nothing. No gap fee, no upfront payment, no Medicare claim to lodge and no reimbursement process. I bill DVA directly after each session and the financial side is entirely invisible to you. Gold Card holders are covered for all mental health treatment. White Card holders are covered where mental health is listed on their card, including in some cases under Non-Liability Health Care arrangements. Two minutes with MyService at my.gov.au will confirm whether your card covers it, or call DVA on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).
Yes, and for many veterans it works better than sitting in a waiting room. You are in your own environment, in a space you control, with no travel and no reception desk. This is a telehealth practice, and the evidence base for video therapy is strong, including for trauma-focused work. All you need is a phone, tablet or laptop with a camera and a private space. A secure link is sent before each session. Most people find it feels natural very quickly. If video is genuinely not available to you, phone sessions are an option from session two onwards.
It's a deliberate choice, not a fallback. You see Emily personally, every session, never whoever happens to be free. Sessions run on Zoom Telehealth Pro, chosen for its healthcare grade security (ISO 27001 certified) and uninterrupted session length, with no forced cut off. If your connection drops, you simply rejoin the same link and continue.
Your GP referral covers up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever comes first. Near the end of that treatment cycle, Emily sends your GP an End of Cycle Report outlining your progress and any recommendation for further treatment. If further sessions are clinically appropriate, your GP can provide a new referral.
Then you cancel or reschedule and we try again when you are ready. That is not a problem. What I would say is this: the feeling that you cannot go through with it is not a sign that you are not ready. It is almost always a sign that you are closer than you think. The first session asks nothing of you except showing up. That is genuinely all it takes to start.
Yes. Partners and family often reach out first, and that's completely appropriate. If you're not sure whether what you're seeing warrants professional support, or you just want to understand what a referral pathway looks like, you're welcome to get in touch directly. Emily can talk through the options and, where appropriate, help you find the right next step for the veteran in your life.
Cost
If you're an eligible DVA White Card or Gold Card holder, treatment is fully funded by DVA. No out-of-pocket fee for eligible sessions. Emily bills DVA directly after each session, so the financial side of this is invisible to you.
DVA-funded does not mean entry-level care. The fee is fully covered by DVA at the Clinical Psychologist rate. Emily chose this model because she believes veterans deserve experienced, dedicated clinical psychology care, not because it is the most commercially attractive path for an experienced clinician.
What that looks like in practice
Your sessions are funded. Your time together is for the work, not the paperwork.
The following rates are Emily's Clinical Psychologist session fees. These are set at the higher DVA schedule applicable to Clinical Psychologists, reflecting her level of training, AHPRA registration and two decades of clinical experience. These fees only apply if DVA eligibility cannot be confirmed at time of your appointment — eligible DVA clients are never charged.
Video session
30-minute consultation
$163.40
Video session
50-minute consultation
$239.85
Trauma-focused video
90-minute therapy session
$359.90
Your GP writes a standard referral on their own stationery. No specialist form, fax, or prior approval needed.
Pick a time that suits you and book online in a couple of minutes. Sessions are held by secure video, anywhere in Australia.
DVA is billed directly at the clinical rate. Your GP referral covers up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever comes first. Near the end of the treatment cycle, Emily sends your GP an End of Cycle Report. If further treatment is clinically appropriate, your GP can provide a new referral. You simply do the work.
Gold Card holder? Your mental health treatment is covered. White Card holder? Check that mental health is listed on your card in MyService before booking, or call DVA on 1800 838 372. This is an eligibility check, not a compensation claim, and you do not need to prove your condition was caused by service.
Your first session
This isn't about learning to cope. The aim is to work through what's underneath it, precisely, so you come out the other side with something you didn't have before. The first session is where that starts, and it asks less of you than you might expect.
Before you join
Sessions are by secure video (Zoom Telehealth Pro, ISO 27001 certified), from wherever suits you. No app to install, just a link opened in your browser at your appointment time.
In the session
Emily will ask about what has changed, what is not working, what you are worried about, and what you want to be different. You do not need to have the whole story ready. That is her job, not yours.
After the session
Emily will explain what she is noticing clinically and what treatment direction she thinks fits. You decide whether to continue. Most people leave the first session with more clarity than they arrived with.
Location does not need to interrupt care — whether you are at home, travelling, based regionally, or managing work and family commitments, your sessions continue without disruption. Subsequent sessions can be by phone where video is not available.
Ready when you are
Book online below. Please confirm your DVA eligibility before booking. Your first session is by secure video. Subsequent sessions can be by video or phone where needed. No referral yet? Your GP can write one in a standard consult — see how it works above.
emily@stoneveteranpsychology.com.au
FOR REFERRING GPs
Emily Stone is a Clinical Psychologist with over two decades of experience, trained at major Sydney teaching hospitals. She holds a Master of Clinical Psychology, a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), and a University Medal from the University of Sydney. She is a registered DVA provider and your patients are seen by Emily directly, not triaged through a clinic intake system or allocated to a junior clinician. Sessions are delivered by secure video across Australia, accessible regardless of where your patient is located. Current wait time for new DVA referrals is around 1 week.
AHPRA Registered Clinical Psychologist
AHPRA registration PSY0001378379. DVA/Medicare provider number 2995389W. Eligible to provide all DVA-funded psychological services including trauma-focused therapy.
DVA Provider — White Card & Gold Card
All eligible mental health conditions covered. No gap fee for eligible patients.
Secure video sessions — initial and ongoing
A telehealth practice: initial consultations by video, as required under DVA arrangements. Ongoing sessions by video, or phone where video is not available. Accessible from anywhere in Australia.
Areas of clinical practice
PTSD, depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder, moral injury, substance abuse, alcohol and addiction, identity & post-service transition, relationship and family impact (individual sessions).
Collaborative approach
Happy to liaise with referring GP on treatment planning and progress where appropriate.
Confirm your patient holds a DVA White Card or Gold Card and is eligible for mental health treatment.
Complete a referral to Emily Stone, Clinical Psychologist — your own referral letter or a DVA D0904 is accepted, a D0904 is not required. Include the presenting condition and DVA card number, and send it to emily@stoneveteranpsychology.com.au.
Provide the patient with this website address or the direct booking link below.
The patient books online and completes a brief eligibility confirmation. We handle the DVA billing directly.
To request a GP referral information sheet or discuss a patient, contact Emily directly.
Email Emily directlyDownload the GP referral info sheet (PDF)Common GP questions
Yes. A provisional diagnosis or presenting complaint is sufficient for referral. DVA covers a range of mental health conditions and I will conduct a full clinical assessment in the initial session. If you are uncertain about the appropriate condition to list on the referral, note the presenting symptoms and I will work from there. You do not need to have the diagnostic picture complete before referring.
A standard referral letter is all that is needed. Include the patient's name, date of birth, DVA card number, card type (White or Gold), the presenting condition or symptoms, and the referral to Emily Stone, Clinical Psychologist. For White Card holders, note whether the condition is accepted as service-related or whether you are referring under Non-Liability Health Care arrangements, which cover all veterans for mental health regardless of service connection.
Yes, with the patient's consent. I am happy to liaise with referring GPs on treatment direction and clinical progress. I will also write to you directly when a patient is approaching the end of their referral period, with a clinical summary and recommendation for continuation, so you are not going in blind at review. If you want to discuss a patient at any point, contact me directly at emily@stoneveteranpsychology.com.au.
I ask patients to confirm their DVA eligibility before their first appointment. If eligibility cannot be confirmed, standard session fees apply and the patient is advised of this before proceeding. If there is uncertainty about your patient's eligibility at the time of referral, I can work through the eligibility question with them directly before the first session is booked.
Emily is a registered DVA provider and AHPRA registered Clinical Psychologist (AHPRA PSY0001378379, DVA/Medicare provider number 2995389W). A direct referral to Emily Stone, Clinical Psychologist is all that is required — include this provider number in your practice management system if it requests one.
No. All sessions are delivered by secure video, which means location is not a barrier. Patients can access sessions from anywhere in Australia, at home, travelling, or in regional and remote areas. The initial session must be by video. Subsequent sessions can be by phone where video is not available. If your patient has limited internet access, contact me before booking and we will work out the best arrangement.
Video removes distance and delay for veteran patients without compromising continuity. Your patient sees Emily personally every session, never a locum. Sessions run on Zoom Telehealth Pro, ISO 27001 certified for healthcare grade security, with no session length cap. If a patient is hesitant, it's worth noting that the platform is purpose built for clinical use, not a consumer video app.
GP referral information last reviewed: July 2026.
