What does it cost to see a psychologist in Brisbane?
A standard 50-minute session with a registered psychologist at Brisbane Counselling Centre is $255 to $275 (weekdays) and $295 (weekends). With a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan, Medicare rebates $101.55, leaving an out-of-pocket gap of approximately $154 to $174 during the week and $194 on the weekend.
Fees vary between practitioners depending on their qualifications and experience. Sessions with a counsellor range from $190 to $220 during the week and from $240 on the weekend.
Written and clinically reviewed by Natascha Madden, Registered Psychologist (AHPRA reg. PSY0000953827), Brisbane Counselling Centre. Fees and Medicare rates current as at 01/07/2026. Last reviewed: September 2026
Fees at a glance
Psychologist – 50 minutes Fee: $255–$275 (weekdays); $295 (weekends) Medicare rebate: −$101.55 You pay: $154–$194
Counsellor – 50 minutes Fee: $190–$220 (weekdays); $240 (weekends) Medicare rebate: not available, private health rebate may apply You pay: $190–$240
Couples or relationship session Fee: $290-$370 Medicare rebate: not available, private health rebate may apply You pay: full fee
Psychological assessment Fee: From $2500, depending on the assessments required. Initial assessment appointment is $275 Medicare rebate: Depends on assessment You pay: Varies (please phone for assistance)
Online and telephone sessions are charged at the same rate as in-person appointments and attract the same Medicare rebate.
Rebates require a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP or psychiatrist and are set by the Australian Government. Last indexed 1 July 2026.
How do Medicare rebates work?
Medicare’s Better Access initiative subsidises psychology sessions for people with a diagnosed mental health condition.
Your GP or psychiatrist assesses whether you are eligible and, if so, prepares a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP). This is a referral, and you need it before your first session if you want to claim a rebate for that session – rebates cannot be backdated.
With a valid plan, Medicare rebates $101.55 per session with a registered psychologist.
The rebate does not cover the full cost of a session. You pay the fee in full on the day and the rebate is refunded to you, usually within minutes.
You do not need a referral to see a psychologist at Brisbane Counselling Centre. A referral only affects whether you can claim a rebate. If you would rather start now and sort out the paperwork later, that is a perfectly reasonable choice – call (07) 3831 4452.
How many sessions does Medicare cover?
Up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year, plus up to 10 group sessions where relevant.
These are not referred all at once. Your GP will usually refer you for an initial block of up to six sessions. After those, you return to your GP for a review, and they can refer you for up to four more in the same calendar year. The count resets on 1 January.
Which conditions are covered?
Better Access covers diagnosed mental health conditions that significantly affect a person’s thoughts, emotions, relationships or day-to-day functioning. These include:
- Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder
- Depression and other mood disorders, including bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Adjustment disorder
- Alcohol and other drug use disorders
- Eating disorders
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Sleep problems and other conditions at your GP’s assessment
Your GP makes the assessment. Some conditions, such as eating disorders, have separate referral pathways with a higher number of rebated sessions – ask your GP if you think this may apply to you.
What is the Medicare Safety Net?
Once your out-of-pocket costs for the calendar year pass a threshold set by the government, the Medicare Safety Net increases the rebate you receive on further eligible services. Gap payments for psychology sessions count towards it. Services Australia publishes the current thresholds.
What about private health insurance?
If you hold extras cover that includes psychology, you may be able to claim a partial rebate.
Every fund and every level of cover is different, so we recommend checking with your fund before your first appointment. The item numbers to quote are 100 for an initial consultation and 200 for subsequent consultations.
We can process an on-the-spot claim through Tyro HealthPoint if you bring your health fund card. Your treatment details go directly to your fund over an encrypted connection and can only be seen by your provider and your fund.
Some funds have additional requirements and will only accept a claim lodged directly by you. Your fund can tell you whether that applies.
Can I use Medicare and private health together?
No – not for the same session.
Medicare requires us to use different item codes depending on whether you are being seen under a Mental Health Treatment Plan, so the two cannot be combined to reduce your gap.
You can, however, use them sequentially. Once you have used your 10 rebated sessions for the calendar year, you can switch to claiming through your private health cover for any further sessions. Some clients do it the other way around.
Fees for couples and relationship counselling
Medicare does not rebate couples or relationship counselling, even when the session is delivered by a registered psychologist. This is a rule of the Better Access scheme, not a decision of ours.
Private health extras cover sometimes includes couples counselling. Check with your fund, and ask about item numbers when you do.
If one partner has an individual Mental Health Treatment Plan, individual sessions forming part of the broader work may still be rebatable. Our reception team can talk this through with you.
See our Couples and Marriage Counselling page.
How do I claim my rebate?
- Email or bring your Mental Health Treatment Plan and your Medicare card. Give the plan to reception on or before the day of your first appointment.
- Pay the full fee at the end of your session. Cash or card. If you want your Medicare rebate processed on the spot, you will need a debit card linked to a savings or cheque account – Medicare cannot refund to a credit card.
- We process your claim. Medicare rebates go through Medicare Easyclaim and private health claims through Tyro HealthPoint, both at reception, usually within a couple of minutes.
For online and telephone sessions, on-the-spot claiming is not available due to Medicare and health fund restrictions. Ask reception to email you a receipt and you can claim through your myGov account or your fund’s app, which usually takes a few minutes.
Medicare Rebates
Your GP or psychiatrist can ascertain whether you are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) referral through Medicare’s Better Access Initiative. Under this initiative, your GP can refer you for up to 10 sessions with a registered psychologist per calendar year. A MHTP entitles you to a Medicare rebate of at least $101.55 for these 10 sessions.
To claim your rebate, you simply need to provide our reception team with your MHTP paperwork that your doctor has completed for you, either on or before the day of your appointment. Make sure you also bring your up-to-date Medicare card to your appointment if you wish to claim your rebate on the day.
We are able to process an on-the-spot claim, provided that your MHTP and Medicare card details are correct – all we need to be able to complete this is your savings/cheque account card (i.e. a debit card, not a credit card). If you’d prefer, we can also provide you with a receipt, which will allow you to claim your rebate online via your myGov account at your convenience.
It is important to note that Medicare’s rebate through the Better Access Initiative will not cover the complete cost of an appointment with a psychologist at Brisbane Counselling Centre. For a complete explanation of the therapists’ fees, please contact our friendly reception team.
Private Health Rebates
If you have private health insurance, then you might be entitled to a partial rebate for your appointments. If you’d like to process an on-the-spot claim after your appointment, please make sure you bring your health fund card with you. Each fund is different, so we recommend checking with your fund directly to see what your entitlements are – the applicable Item numbers are ‘100’ (for an initial consultation) and ‘200’ (for all subsequent consultations).
Regarding confidentially, your treatment details are sent directly to your health fund through the Tyro HealthPoint system and can only be viewed by your provider and your health fund, utilising secure encryption protocol which fully protects your privacy. Importantly, some health funds have extra requirements when claiming a rebate for an appointment, which may mean that you have to arrange a claim directly with your health fund – please contact your insurer for more information.
