Do You Offer a Medicare Rebate for Counselling?

I’ve been asked this question many times by women in Australia:

“Do you offer a Medicare rebate?”

And because the answer can be a little confusing, I want to explain how Medicare-funded mental health support works in Australia, and why my counselling service is different.

First, what does a Medicare rebate for mental health support actually mean?

Under the Australian Government’s Better Access initiative, eligible Australians can receive Medicare benefits towards certain mental health treatment services provided by eligible mental health professionals.

There are some important eligibility requirements.

To access Better Access services, you generally need to have been assessed as having a clinically diagnosed mental disorder, require at least a moderate level of support, and be likely to benefit from a structured approach to managing your mental health needs.

You will also need an appropriate referral.

This can involve seeing your GP, who may prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) and refer you to an eligible psychologist or other eligible mental health professional. Direct referrals from psychiatrists and paediatricians are also possible in certain circumstances.

Since November 2025, the rules around who can prepare and manage a Mental Health Treatment Plan and make the referral have changed. The GP or prescribed medical practitioner needs to be your usual medical practitioner or be at the practice where you are enrolled with MyMedicare.

What about the diagnosis?

This is an important part of understanding the difference between Medicare-funded mental health care and private counselling.

A Mental Health Treatment Plan is intended for people who have been clinically diagnosed with a mental disorder and who meet the other Better Access eligibility requirements. This diagnosis is recorded on your Medicare record to allow mental health rebates to be approved.

Your doctor will assess what you’re experiencing and determine whether you meet these requirements.

That doesn’t mean that everyone who is stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted, unhappy, struggling in their relationship, or finding motherhood particularly difficult will necessarily meet the criteria for a Medicare-funded Mental Health Treatment Plan.

And this is where I believe there is an important distinction.

You don’t have to be experiencing a clinically diagnosed mental disorder to recognise that you’re not feeling like yourself and that you’d benefit from professional support.

Sometimes you are simply going through a particularly difficult period of life.

Sometimes you’re functioning reasonably well on the outside, but inside you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, irritable, disconnected or constantly worrying.

Sometimes your relationship is suffering.

Sometimes you’re struggling to switch off.

Sometimes motherhood, work, relationships, changing hormones, family pressures or a major life transition have left you feeling stuck.

You may know that something needs to change, without necessarily seeing yourself as someone who needs a mental health diagnosis.

And that’s where private counselling can provide another pathway.

How many Medicare-subsidised sessions can you receive?

The Better Access rules have also changed over the years, so you’ll sometimes see older information online referring to six, ten or even twenty sessions.

Under the current arrangements (2026), eligible patients can receive Medicare benefits for up to 10 individual and 10 group mental health treatment services per calendar year.

The individual sessions are generally provided in an initial course of treatment of up to six sessions. If further treatment is appropriate, your GP can refer you for additional sessions, up to the remaining annual limit of 10 individual services.

Your GP may also review your treatment and consider whether other forms of support are appropriate for you.

It’s worth remembering that 10 sessions doesn’t mean Medicare pays the full cost of 10 sessions.

The amount you actually pay depends on the practitioner’s fee and whether they bulk bill.

The Australian Psychological Society’s 2026–2027 National Schedule of Suggested Fees lists $330 as the suggested fee for a standard 46–60 minute consultation. This is a suggested fee only, and psychologists set their own private-practice fees.

Many private psychologists charge substantially more than the Medicare schedule fee, which means there can still be a significant out-of-pocket “gap” for each appointment.

So when you’re comparing the cost of different forms of professional support, it’s worth looking at the actual psychologist’s fee, the Medicare rebate and the resulting out-of-pocket cost, rather than simply asking whether a service is “Medicare covered.”

So, do I offer Medicare rebates?

No, I don’t (but my fees are much lower than a psychologist’s fees).

I’m not an eligible Medicare psychologist or social worker, and my private counselling services aren’t claimable through the Medicare Better Access scheme.

I am a professionally trained Counsellor and Therapist. I have a degree in Psychology, along with postgraduate qualifications, and I’ve specialiased in supporting women and mums in my private practice, Mind Momentum since 2015.

I made the decision to take a different professional pathway, one that has allowed me to focus on counselling, therapeutic support, and practical strategies that can help women and mothers in particular, understand themselves, shift unhelpful patterns, and make meaningful changes in their lives.

My work isn’t based on providing a formal psychological diagnosis.

There is no online or database record of our sessions, and no exchange of your private health information with any third party as part of the counselling process (for your peace of mind).

Instead, I work with women who want private, confidential and professional support to help them feel better and function better in their everyday lives.

That might mean working through anxiety or panic.

It might mean learning how to manage stress and overwhelm as a busy mum juggling kids, home, work demands, and everything else.

It might involve understanding unhelpful thinking patterns that are keeping you awake at night.

It might mean rebuilding confidence after motherhood, because you don’t feel like yourself anymore.

It might involve relationship difficulties, anger, resentment or feeling disconnected from your partner or children.

It might mean navigating a significant life transition.

Or sometimes, it simply means having somewhere safe to stop, breathe, talk honestly and work out what needs to change, so you can feel your best, again.

You don’t have to wait until things become a diagnosis

This is something I feel particularly strongly about.

There can be a tendency to think that you need to be “unwell enough” to justify seeing a mental health professional.

But counselling doesn’t have to be something you seek only when you’re at breaking point.

Many women I work with are functioning.

They’re working.

They’re parenting.

They’re looking after everyone else.

From the outside, they may appear to be coping perfectly well.

But internally, they’re tired of feeling anxious, overwhelmed, reactive, disconnected, or unlike themselves.

They don’t necessarily need or want their experience to be framed around a clinical diagnosis.

They want support to understand what’s happening, make some changes and feel more like themselves again.

I believe there is a legitimate place for this kind of professional support.

What can counselling help with?

I work with women experiencing many of the difficulties that might otherwise lead them to seek psychological support, including:

• stress and overwhelm of motherhood and life
• anxiety and excessive worrying 
• panic attacks
• difficulty switching off at the end of the day
• overthinking and negative thinking patterns keeping you stuck
• low mood
• irritability and anger toward your children, partner, or others
• feeling emotionally exhausted from juggling parenting and work (and the mental load)
• relationship difficulties
• parenting challenges of babies, toddlers, children, tweens, or teens
• loss of confidence
• feeling disconnected from yourself or your life
• major life transitions
• work and family pressures
• feeling stuck and unsure about what needs to change.

Sometimes a client comes for a few sessions because they simply need a safe space to talk, gain perspective, and work out their next steps.

Other clients choose to work with me over a longer period because they’re committed to deeper personal change, perhaps rebuilding their confidence, improving their relationships, changing long-standing patterns, or creating a life that feels more fulfilling.

There isn’t one “right” length of counselling.

It depends on you, what you’re experiencing and what you’d like to achieve.

Is private counselling right for you?

If you’re considering seeing a psychologist through Medicare, that’s absolutely an option worth discussing with your GP.

Medicare-funded psychological treatment can be an important and valuable pathway for people who meet the eligibility requirements and need that level of structured mental health care.

But it isn’t the only pathway to professional support.

If you’re experiencing significant or persistent difficulties, but don’t necessarily need or want your experience to be framed through a clinical diagnosis, private counselling may be another option to consider.

And if you’re unsure which type of support is right for you, that’s okay too.

A good place to start is by talking with a qualified health professional about what you’re experiencing and what kind of support would be appropriate.

A final note about the type of clients I support

My practice is focused on counselling and wellbeing support rather than the treatment of severe or complex mental illness.

I don’t provide treatment for conditions such as psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression involving suicidal ideation.

If someone is experiencing severe or complex mental health difficulties, I would encourage them to seek appropriate medical and specialist support, such as through their GP, psychiatrist or clinical psychologist.

My role is different.

I provide a safe, confidential and supportive space for women who want to understand what’s happening, feel better, and make positive changes in their lives. 

Many women see the support I offer them as being a valuable mix of evidence-based therapy and wellbeing coaching support.

And sometimes, getting help before things reach crisis point can be one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself.

You don’t have to wait until you’re falling apart before you ask for support.

Disclaimer: This is for information purposes only. If you have any concerns about your physical or mental health, please consult your healthcare practitioner for medical advice.