Written by Adam Szmerling, Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AASW) and Clinical Psychotherapist (PACFA). Last updated 23 September 2026.
Psychologist, psychotherapist, counsellor, therapist. If you are looking for help, the titles can start to blur together.
Here’s the short answer. In Australia, “psychologist” is a protected title for practitioners registered with Ahpra. “Therapist”, “psychotherapist” and “counsellor” are not regulated by government. The right choice depends on what you need, how you like to work and whether a Medicare rebate matters to you.
How do they compare?
| Psychologist | Clinical psychologist | Psychotherapist or counsellor | Accredited Mental Health Social Worker | Psychiatrist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered with Ahpra? | Yes | Yes, with an endorsement in clinical psychology | No. Many belong to a professional body such as PACFA or ACA | No. Accredited by the AASW | Yes (a medical doctor) |
| Typical training | At least six years of study and supervised practice | As for a psychologist, plus an accredited clinical master’s or doctorate and a registrar program | Varies widely, from short courses to postgraduate degrees | A social work degree plus at least two years of supervised mental health practice | A medical degree plus specialist psychiatry training |
| Medicare rebates (Better Access)? | Yes, with a Mental Health Treatment Plan | Yes, at a higher rebate | No, unless also a psychologist, social worker or OT | Yes, with a Mental Health Treatment Plan | Yes |
| Can prescribe medication? | No | No | No | No | Yes |
What does a psychologist do?
Psychologists assess and treat a wide range of mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, trauma and eating problems. Many use structured, evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Psychologists cannot prescribe medication, and often work alongside a GP or psychiatrist.
A clinical psychologist is a registered psychologist who has completed further accredited training in the assessment and treatment of mental health conditions, and holds an endorsement in clinical psychology from the Psychology Board of Australia.
What does a psychotherapist or counsellor do?
Counselling usually focuses on current problems, such as a relationship difficulty, a life change or stress, and on practical ways of coping. Psychotherapy tends to go deeper and run longer, exploring how earlier experiences and patterns shape how you feel and relate to others today. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy, for example, gives you space to talk freely and understand what sits beneath the problem.
Because these titles are not regulated, training varies a great deal. It is worth asking about a practitioner’s qualifications, and checking whether they are registered with a professional body such as the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) or the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
What is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker?
An Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) is a social worker accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) to provide mental health services, including Medicare-rebated sessions under Better Access. Accreditation requires at least two years of supervised mental health practice after qualifying.
What does a hypnotherapist do?
A hypnotherapist uses hypnosis, a focused and deeply relaxed state, to help with things like habits, fears, anxiety and sleep. Hypnotherapy is often combined with other ways of working in the same session.
Like counselling, hypnotherapy is not regulated by government, so training varies. Many hypnotherapists belong to a professional association such as the Australian Hypnotherapists Association (AHA), which sets training standards for its members. Medicare does not cover hypnotherapy, although some private health funds rebate sessions with members of certain associations. You can read more about hypnotherapy at Bayside.
Which one should I see?
There is a lot of overlap, and the relationship you build with your practitioner is one of the things that matters most. As a rough guide:
- If you want a Medicare rebate, see a psychologist, clinical psychologist or Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, and ask your GP about a Mental Health Treatment Plan.
- If you would like structured, skills-based therapy for a specific problem, a psychologist is a good place to start.
- If you want to understand long-standing patterns in depth, a psychotherapist may suit you.
- If you want support with a current life problem, a counsellor is another option.
- If you may need medication, or your symptoms are severe, talk to your GP about seeing a psychiatrist.
If you are in crisis, please call 000, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Does the type of therapy matter?
There are hundreds of named therapy approaches, and it is easy to feel you need to pick the right one. Research keeps finding that the working relationship between you and your practitioner is one of the strongest predictors of how therapy goes (Flückiger and colleagues, 2018).
The method still matters. Some problems respond well to structured, skills-based work. Others need time to understand what keeps them going. A good practitioner will tell you how they work, why they think it suits your problem, and when someone else might suit you better.
How do Medicare rebates work?
Under the Better Access initiative, you can receive up to 10 Medicare-rebated individual sessions each calendar year with an eligible clinical psychologist, psychologist, social worker or occupational therapist. You need a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP (previously called a Mental Health Care Plan), or a referral from a psychiatrist or paediatrician. Since 1 November 2025, the plan generally needs to come from the practice where you are registered with MyMedicare, or your usual GP.
Sessions with counsellors, psychotherapists and hypnotherapists are not covered by Medicare, although some private health funds may rebate them.
How can I check a practitioner’s registration?
You can look up any psychologist or psychiatrist on the Ahpra public register. For counsellors and psychotherapists, PACFA and the ACA each list their registered members online.
How often will I see a therapist?
Most people start with weekly or fortnightly sessions. How long therapy runs depends on the problem, the approach and what you want from it. At Bayside, work with our counsellors, psychotherapists and hypnotherapists typically runs 6 to 20 sessions, while in-depth psychoanalytic psychotherapy can run for months or years.
Questions to ask before you book
- What training do you have, and which professional body are you registered with?
- How do you work, and why would that suit my problem?
- How many sessions do people usually need?
- What does a session cost, and can I claim a rebate?
- Do you see people in person, online or both?
Who can I see at Bayside Psychotherapy?
Our team includes one clinical psychologist, Natalie Szmerling, and one Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and psychoanalytic psychotherapist, Adam Szmerling. Both offer Medicare-rebated sessions. Our counsellors, psychotherapists and hypnotherapists work with a wide range of concerns, and each profile lists their qualifications and memberships.
Not sure where to start? Our matching tool suggests practitioners based on what you need, how you would like to meet and when you are free.
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Note: This information is informative only and is not to be used for diagnosis or substitution of appropriate assessment and/or treatment by your GP or another qualified health professional. We take care to keep our information accurate and up to date, but it may contain errors or omissions. To the extent the law allows, we’re not responsible for loss caused by relying on it, as explained in our Website Disclaimer.
