How Much Does Counselling Cost in Cairns? Fees, Medicare, NDIS & What to Expect
If you've been thinking about seeing a counsellor in Cairns, there is a good chance one of the first questions going through your mind is a very practical one:
How much is counselling actually going to cost me?
It is a fair question.
You might also be wondering whether you need to see your GP first, whether Medicare will cover part of the appointment, whether you can use NDIS funding, or whether starting counselling means committing yourself to months of appointments.
The simple answer is that there isn't one standard counselling fee across Cairns. Different counsellors and practices set their own fees depending on their qualifications, experience, appointment length, type of support and how their service operates.
At Strong Foundation Support, private individual counselling is currently $95 for a 60-minute session. I provide face-to-face counselling in Cairns as well as online counselling across Australia.
You don't need to commit to ongoing counselling before you've even met me either. If you're unsure whether counselling is right for you, you can start with a free 15-minute chat and ask whatever questions you have before deciding whether you'd like to book.
How much does private counselling cost in Cairns?
Counselling fees can differ considerably between providers, so it is worth checking exactly what is included before you book.
At Strong Foundation Support, private counselling is $95 for a 60-minute appointment.
When you're comparing counselling prices, however, I wouldn't look at the dollar figure alone.
It is worth asking:
How long is the actual appointment?
What qualifications does the counsellor hold?
Are they a member of a professional counselling association?
Is there a cancellation policy?
Are there extra fees you need to know about?
Can you speak with the counsellor before committing?
Most importantly, do you actually feel comfortable talking to them?
Counselling is a very personal service. Someone can have an impressive list of qualifications and still not be the right person for you.
Sometimes you simply need to talk with someone first and get a feel for whether the conversation feels comfortable.
You can learn more about my approach to individual counselling in Cairns before deciding whether you would like to make an appointment.
Do I need a GP referral to see a counsellor in Cairns?
No.
You do not need a GP referral to book private counselling with me.
You can contact me directly, explain as much or as little as you want about what has been happening, and we can work out whether counselling may be suitable.
You also don't need to arrive with a diagnosis.
People come to counselling for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes it is anxiety or grief. Sometimes a relationship has changed. Sometimes work or family pressure has become too much. Sometimes a person knows they are struggling but couldn't give you a neat clinical name for what is happening.
That is okay.
The first conversation is partly about working that out together.
If you would like to know more about the counselling services I provide, visit Strong Foundation Support – Counsellor Cairns.
Does Medicare cover counselling?
This is where things can become confusing because people often use the words counsellor, psychologist and therapist as though they all mean exactly the same thing.
They don't.
Australia's Better Access initiative provides Medicare rebates for certain mental health services delivered by eligible health professionals.
Counsellors are not currently included as Medicare-rebatable allied mental health providers under Better Access.
That means sessions with me at Strong Foundation Support do not currently attract a Medicare rebate.
The trade-off is that you don't need to organise a GP appointment or mental health treatment plan before you contact me. You can simply reach out directly.
If receiving a Medicare rebate is important to you, it is worth discussing your options with your GP.
You can read more about Australia's Better Access initiative through the Australian Government Department of Health.
I've also written a separate guide explaining the difference between counsellors and psychologists:
Counsellor vs Psychologist: What's the Difference?
Is private counselling still worth considering without a Medicare rebate?
For some people, yes.
A Medicare rebate is understandably important when cost is a major concern, but it is not the only thing worth considering when choosing mental health support.
Private counselling can allow you to contact a counsellor directly without first getting a mental health treatment plan.
You can also make the decision based on the counsellor's approach, experience, availability and whether you feel that person is someone you could actually talk to.
For me, counselling isn't about sitting across from somebody and telling them what is wrong with them.
It is about creating enough space to talk properly about what has been happening, understand what is underneath it and work towards something that feels more manageable.
Sometimes that means practical strategies.
Sometimes it means looking at patterns that keep repeating.
Sometimes it simply means finally saying something out loud that you've been carrying around for a long time.
You can learn more about working with a counsellor in Cairns on my main counselling page.
Can the NDIS pay for counselling?
For some NDIS participants, counselling may be able to be funded through their NDIS plan when the support is appropriate to their disability-related needs, goals and circumstances.
This is different from simply having an NDIS plan and therefore automatically being able to charge counselling to it.
The participant's funding, plan management arrangements and the purpose of the counselling all matter.
At Strong Foundation Support, I provide NDIS counselling for self-managed and plan-managed participants.
If you are trying to work out whether counselling may be appropriate for your plan, start with my guide to NDIS counselling in Cairns.
I've also written more detailed guides for different funding arrangements:
NDIS Counselling for Plan-Managed Participants
NDIS Counselling for Self-Managed Participants
The current NDIS pricing arrangements can also be checked directly through the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.
What can NDIS counselling actually help with?
NDIS counselling should have a connection with the participant's disability-related needs and the outcomes they are working towards.
Depending on the individual, counselling may include support around things such as emotional regulation, adjusting to disability or diagnosis, communication, confidence, self-advocacy, managing pressure, relationships, coping strategies, burnout and navigating significant changes in everyday life.
For example, someone may understand exactly what they want to say during an important meeting but become overwhelmed and freeze when the meeting starts.
Another person might struggle to ask for help or explain what they need when they are already under pressure.
Someone else may be adjusting to disability, chronic illness or a major change in independence and trying to work out what life looks like now.
Those are very different situations, which is why NDIS counselling shouldn't be treated as a one-size-fits-all service.
For a more detailed explanation of the funding side, read:
How NDIS Counselling Funding Works
You can also read:
What Line Item Does NDIS Counselling Come Under?
How many counselling sessions will I need?
There is no honest answer that applies to everybody.
Some people come to counselling because there is a particular issue they want help working through and only need a relatively small number of sessions.
Others have been dealing with something for years or have several things happening at once and decide that longer-term counselling is useful.
And sometimes what someone thinks is the problem during the first appointment isn't quite what they discover once they have had space to talk about it properly.
You don't need to decide at the beginning that you're going to attend counselling for six months or a year.
We can look at what brought you in, what you would like to be different and whether the sessions are helping.
Counselling should have a purpose. It shouldn't simply continue forever because "that's what you do."
What happens in the first counselling session?
The first session isn't an exam.
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to say and you don't need a perfectly organised explanation of everything that has happened in your life.
We usually start with what brought you to counselling.
I might ask what has been happening, how long it has been going on, how it has been affecting you and what you would like to get out of counselling.
From there, the conversation develops naturally.
You are allowed to take your time.
You're allowed to say you don't know.
You're allowed to talk about something and later realise there is another issue underneath it.
If you're nervous about making that first appointment, I've written a full guide explaining what happens in your first counselling session.
What kinds of things can I see a counsellor about?
There doesn't need to be a crisis before you speak to somebody.
I work with people experiencing a range of challenges, including anxiety, grief, stress, burnout, disability adjustment, relationship difficulties, addiction concerns, men's mental health and major changes in life.
For some people, the problem is very obvious.
For others, it looks more like waking up every day feeling exhausted, irritable or constantly switched on and not really understanding why.
You might be functioning perfectly well from everybody else's point of view while knowing something doesn't feel right underneath it.
You don't need to wait until everything falls apart before you're allowed to ask for support.
If one particular issue is affecting you, you can read more about:
Addiction counselling in Cairns
You can also learn more generally about individual counselling in Cairns.
Is cheaper counselling always the best option?
Not necessarily — but the most expensive counsellor isn't automatically the best option either.
Price is one part of the decision.
The relationship you have with your counsellor matters because counselling involves talking about things you might not normally discuss with anyone else.
You need to feel that you're being listened to rather than processed through an appointment.
Look at the person's qualifications and professional membership.
Read how they describe their approach.
Check whether their experience relates to what you're dealing with.
Then talk to them.
You can often learn far more from a short conversation than from reading another five pages of someone's website.
That is one of the reasons I offer a free 15-minute conversation before someone commits to a paid counselling appointment.
Can I have counselling online instead of travelling into Cairns?
Yes.
I provide both face-to-face counselling in Cairns and telehealth counselling across Australia.
Online counselling can be useful if getting into Cairns is difficult because of work, transport, disability, family responsibilities or simply because you would rather speak from your own environment.
Some people prefer sitting in a counselling room.
Others find it much easier to open up from home.
Neither option is automatically better. It is about what works for you.
How do I book a counsellor in Cairns?
You can contact me directly.
There is no GP referral required and you don't have to write a long explanation about what's happening.
You can simply say:
"Hi Allan, I'm thinking about counselling and wanted to see when you're available."
That's enough to start the conversation.
I'm Allan Bunyan, a certified counsellor providing private and NDIS counselling in Cairns, along with online counselling throughout Australia.
Private counselling is currently $95 for a 60-minute session.
Self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants are also welcome where counselling is appropriate to their circumstances and funding arrangements.
And if you're still not sure whether counselling is what you're looking for, start with the free chat.
No big commitment.
No need to have everything figured out.
Just a conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does counselling cost in Cairns?
At Strong Foundation Support, private counselling currently costs $95 for a 60-minute session.
Fees vary between counselling providers, so it is worth checking the length of the session, the counsellor's qualifications and whether there are any additional fees.
Do I need a GP referral to see a counsellor?
No.
You can book private counselling with Strong Foundation Support directly without a GP referral or mental health treatment plan.
Can I claim counselling through Medicare?
Counselling sessions with Strong Foundation Support do not currently attract a Medicare rebate.
If accessing Medicare-rebated mental health treatment is important to you, speak with your GP about the services available through the Better Access initiative.
Can I use my NDIS funding for counselling?
Possibly.
Counselling may be able to be funded where it is appropriate to your disability-related needs, goals and individual NDIS plan.
You can read more about NDIS counselling in Cairns or contact me if you're unsure.
Do you offer face-to-face counselling in Cairns?
Yes.
I offer face-to-face counselling in Cairns as well as telehealth counselling for people throughout Australia.
Can I talk to the counsellor before I book?
Yes.
I offer a free 15-minute initial chat so you can ask questions and decide whether counselling feels right for you.
