Session Fees
Initial Individual appointments - $200 (exc.gst)
Subsequent individual appointments - $180 (exc. gst)
All appointments are 50 minutes in duration.
Couples/Relationship Counselling
Initial appointments: $240 (exc.gst)
(90 minutes in duration)
Subsequent appointments - $200 (exc.gst)
Assessment and report writing - $240 per hour (subject to GST)
Note: The Australian Association of Social Workers recommends the following fees for services:
Subsequent individual appointments - $180 (exc. gst)
All appointments are 50 minutes in duration.
Couples/Relationship Counselling
Initial appointments: $240 (exc.gst)
(90 minutes in duration)
Subsequent appointments - $200 (exc.gst)
Assessment and report writing - $240 per hour (subject to GST)
Note: The Australian Association of Social Workers recommends the following fees for services:
Medicare Rebates
Under the Medicare Better Access Initiative, you may be eligible to claim a Medicare rebate of $81.90 per session, for up to 10 individual sessions with a Mental Health Social Worker per calendar year.
To be eligible, your GP will need to deem you to be suffering from a mental health disorder (e.g., depression or anxiety), and will need to provide a referral and a Mental Health Treatment Plan prior to your first session. Please note that most GPs require you to book in for a longer consultation if you are wanting to access a Mental Health Treatment Plan, in order to complete a thorough assessment.
Anyone can book an appointment with a Therapist without a referral from a GP, however, these sessions are not eligible for any Medicare rebate.
Note: There are currently no Medicare rebates available for couples therapy.
- The fees for seeing a social worker will depend on the service provider and your circumstances. For example, whether you are eligible for Medicare rebates or other compensation
- If you are seeing an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW), obtaining a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP will enable you to claim a Medicare rebate for up to 10 sessions.
- AMHSW services are recognised by some private health insurance funds such as Bupa, HCF and Teachers Health (including UniHealth and Nurses and Midwives Health). Benefits paid by these funds vary depending on the level of ancillary cover and your eligibility.
- Accredited Social Workers can be registered with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). There are item numbers under the NDIS relevant to various services provided by social workers, with two item numbers specifically dedicated to social workers.
- Social workers can provide services under a number of state-based worker compensation schemes and transport accident schemes.
To be eligible, your GP will need to deem you to be suffering from a mental health disorder (e.g., depression or anxiety), and will need to provide a referral and a Mental Health Treatment Plan prior to your first session. Please note that most GPs require you to book in for a longer consultation if you are wanting to access a Mental Health Treatment Plan, in order to complete a thorough assessment.
Anyone can book an appointment with a Therapist without a referral from a GP, however, these sessions are not eligible for any Medicare rebate.
Note: There are currently no Medicare rebates available for couples therapy.
Private Health Rebates
If you are not eligible for Medicare rebates (for example, you are wanting couples therapy or you do not have a mental health condition but would like support with parenting strategies etc), you may be able to claim rebates from your private health insurance provider instead. You will need to consult your provider to confirm how many sessions are covered per year, and the rebate amount per session. You will need to pay full fee for psychological services, then claim the rebate directly with your private health provider.
Please note that you can only claim rebates through either Medicare or private health insurance for any one session.
Please note that you can only claim rebates through either Medicare or private health insurance for any one session.
Case Management/Court Attendance
Case management/individual work incurs a fee of $180 per hour. Case management fees are not currently funded by Medicare or Private Health Insurance. If you are in need of Case Management, please call Althea Counselling to discuss or refer to the Victims Services page for further information and support.
Attendance at Court/Court support incurs a fee of $190 per hour (exc. gst).
People often think there has to be something really wrong before you would see an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker but that is not the case. Many people facing the court process need someone to talk to and someone that can help them manage what they are going through, someone independent that is not a friend or family member. Perhaps you have come from an unsupportive home life, or have been a victim of family and domestic violence and you have developed poor coping skills. A Mental Health Social Worker or Therapist can help you to identify the underlying causes and develop strategies to manage and learn new behaviours. They can also support you by attending court with you, preparing paperwork, and supporting you with legal jargon.
In certain instances, your Accredited Mental Health Social Worker might prepare a report for the judge to review prior to sentencing. Alternatively, they may offer to compose a supportive letter or a confirmation of your participation in counseling sessions. The availability of these services can vary depending on the clinician, so it's advisable to inquire about them when selecting a clinician before your initial appointment.
Attendance at Court/Court support incurs a fee of $190 per hour (exc. gst).
People often think there has to be something really wrong before you would see an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker but that is not the case. Many people facing the court process need someone to talk to and someone that can help them manage what they are going through, someone independent that is not a friend or family member. Perhaps you have come from an unsupportive home life, or have been a victim of family and domestic violence and you have developed poor coping skills. A Mental Health Social Worker or Therapist can help you to identify the underlying causes and develop strategies to manage and learn new behaviours. They can also support you by attending court with you, preparing paperwork, and supporting you with legal jargon.
In certain instances, your Accredited Mental Health Social Worker might prepare a report for the judge to review prior to sentencing. Alternatively, they may offer to compose a supportive letter or a confirmation of your participation in counseling sessions. The availability of these services can vary depending on the clinician, so it's advisable to inquire about them when selecting a clinician before your initial appointment.