You have decided to talk to someone, and then you see the prices. Or you have a plan from your GP and a waiting list that stretches into next year. Either way, the question becomes the same: what can I actually afford, and how soon?
There are more options than most people realise. Some are free, some are subsidised, and some are a simple flat price. This guide lays them out honestly, including where each one falls short.
Note
Affordable counselling in Australia ranges from free services to flat-price private sessions. Free options include Medicare Mental Health Centres and the Beyond Blue Support Service. Medicare rebates can reduce the cost of eligible care with a GP plan. For ongoing sessions without a referral, InnerHub charges $59.90 AUD per 50-minute online session.
What free counselling can you get in Australia?
Free support exists, and it is worth knowing about whatever else you choose.
Medicare Mental Health Centres offer free, confidential support for adults, with no appointment or referral needed. You can call 1800 595 212 to find your nearest centre. Centres are not in every area, and they are designed for walk-in support rather than a long run of weekly sessions with one person.
The Beyond Blue Support Service offers free phone (1300 22 4636), webchat and email support, at any hour. It is a good place to talk something through today. It is not a place to book the same person every fortnight.
Free options suit people who want to talk now, or who are not sure what they need yet. They are less suited to someone who wants a regular hour with the same person.
How does Medicare help with the cost?
Under the Australian Government's Better Access initiative, a GP can prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan. With a plan and a referral to an eligible provider, Medicare rebates part of the fee for up to 10 individual sessions in a calendar year.
Two things to check before you rely on it:
- The rebate is not the whole fee. Many private practices charge more than the rebate, so there is often a gap to pay. Ask for the full out-of-pocket cost before you book.
- Waiting lists are common. Providers who bulk bill, meaning no gap at all, tend to be the busiest.
If you are weighing this route, our guide to therapy without a mental health plan explains how the pieces fit together.
Can your employer or a community service help?
Two more routes are easy to miss.
Employee assistance programs. Many employers fund a small number of confidential sessions for staff. Ask HR or look in your intranet. These sessions are often capped, but they cost you nothing.
Community health and university clinics. Some community health services and university training clinics offer lower fees, sometimes with a concession card. Eligibility and waiting times vary a lot, so call and ask.
What does private counselling cost, and where does a flat price fit?
Private counselling in Australia commonly costs $200 or more per session, based on typical published figures as at October 2026. Those figures change, and they vary by city and practitioner. Our guide to what therapy costs in Australia sets the models side by side.
InnerHub charges one flat price: $59.90 AUD for a 50-minute video session. There is no referral, no subscription and no waitlist, and you book one session at a time. Our practitioners are experienced and qualified in their own countries. They are not AHPRA-registered, which is why InnerHub sessions sit outside Medicare and no rebate applies. Each profile shows the degree, the country it came from and years of practice before you book.
Talk to someone this week
Get matched with your therapist and book a session in minutes. $59.90 flat, no referral, no subscription.
Find a therapistIs a lower price a sign of lower quality?
Not on its own. Much of what you pay for in a traditional private practice is overheads: rent for a clinic room, reception and admin. Online sessions do not carry those costs.
Price is not the only thing to check, though. Look at the practitioner's qualification, where they trained and how long they have practised. Then ask the question that matters most: do you feel understood by this person? If not, choose someone else. On InnerHub, changing practitioner costs nothing extra.
How do you choose between these options?
A simple way to decide:
- Need to talk today? Start with a free service.
- Want to use Medicare? Book a GP visit for a Mental Health Treatment Plan, and ask providers for their full fee and waiting time.
- Does your workplace offer sessions? Use them first.
- Want a regular session soon, without a referral? A flat-price online service is the quickest route to a first appointment.
These are not mutually exclusive. Many people use a free service this week while they wait for something longer term.
What counselling cannot do
Counselling is a place to work through what you are carrying. It does not replace a doctor. Our practitioners work within their training and refer honestly: if what you are carrying needs a GP or specialist care, they will say so.
Not sure where to start?
Take the two-minute quiz to see what kind of support fits, or read how matching works.
Take the quizWhen to get help sooner
InnerHub is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, call 000. For support at any hour, Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Your GP is also a good first stop for a medical check or a conversation about medication.
This article is general information for adults 18 and over. It is not financial, clinical or medical advice, and not a substitute for professional care.
General information, not clinical or medical advice. For adults 18 and over. InnerHub is not a crisis service: in an emergency call 000, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
