Privately funded counselling is when the individual, or agreed third party (eg. Family member), pays for the sessions.

Counselling sessions can be subsidised in a number of ways:

  1. Private Health Insurance Rebates (rates are dependent on your specific policy, so please call your insurer for more details)
  2. Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP), which can be prescribed by one or any of the following medical professionals:
    • a medical practitioner, either as part of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, or as part of a shared care plan or as part of a psychiatrist assessment and management plan; or
    • a specialist or consultant physician specialising in the practice of their field of psychiatry; or
    • a specialist or consultant physician specialising in the practice of their field of paediatrics.

Every individual with a valid Medicare card is entitled to 10 sessions per calendar year. In August 2020, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has announced a further 10 sessions to be provided to Victorians, totalling up to 20 Medicare-subsidised sessions per individual.

  1. Professional Development and Training (PDT). This is reimbursed through your End-of-Financial-Year income tax declaration of expenses.

During Private Counselling, Barrington Centre’s Psychologists counsel, coach, and practically assist clients through life’s challenges in order for them to reach their personal and professional goals.

We achieve this through the strategic application of a broad range of psychological interventions and therapeutic techniques designed to build our clients skills and resources. Our services utilise a broad range of psychological interventions and techniques, particularly solution- focussed strategies and cognitive behavioural therapy (or CBT).

Our registered psychologists and counsellors have expertise across various specialised areas including grief, loss, and trauma, and are able to respond to the specific demands, age groups, and cultural backgrounds of our clients. We provide confidential counselling services to individuals, couples, families, and groups.

We also provide crisis support and debriefing services including access to 24-hour counselling.