About couples therapy
Couples therapy helps partners improve communication, handle conflict, rebuild trust after a crisis or make decisions together, including separation. Sessions are usually joint, sometimes with individual meetings. It is not about deciding who is right but about understanding the patterns between you.
Family therapists work with the whole family or several of its members to improve communication, resolve conflicts and go through changes such as separations, losses or a child’s difficulties. They look at relationships rather than at one person alone.
Getting mental health care in Australia
Public health system · Medicare (Better Access initiative) and state and territory public mental health services
Medicare pays rebates for a limited number of sessions with a psychologist each year under the Better Access initiative, usually after a GP referral with a mental health plan; the psychologist may charge a gap fee. State and territory public mental health services treat more severe conditions.
How to check that a professional is licensed
- Psychology Board of Australia, through Ahpra. Psychologist is a protected title and registration is mandatory nationally. The public register shows registration status and any area of practice endorsement, such as clinical psychology. Search the official register
- Medical Board of Australia, through Ahpra. Psychiatrists must be registered as medical practitioners with specialist registration in psychiatry. Search the official register
- Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, through Ahpra. Occupational therapists must be registered nationally. Search the official register
Typical private fees
- Session with a psychologist
- $318 – $330
Australian Psychological Society suggested fee for a 46-60 minute consultation: 318 (2025-26) and 330 (2026-27); each psychologist sets their own fee. Sources
Urgent help in Australia
If your life or someone else's is in danger, call the emergency number now. These services can help at any time:
- 000 · Triple Zero (000)
- 13 11 14 · Lifeline
- 1300 659 467 · Suicide Call Back Service
- 1300 22 4636 · Beyond Blue Support Service
Information reviewed in November 2026 · Sources: ahpra.gov.au, psychology.org.au
Signs to look out for
All couples argue. It may be time to seek help when the same arguments repeat without resolution, conversations quickly turn into criticism or silence, you feel lonely within the relationship, affection or sex have faded and that worries you, trust has been broken, or a big change such as a baby, illness or a move has unbalanced things. Considering separation is also a reason to talk.
What helps: treatments and professionals
Couples therapy approaches with good evidence include emotionally focused therapy, integrative behavioural couple therapy, cognitive-behavioural couples therapy and the Gottman method. Couples therapists, psychologists and psychotherapists with couples training usually lead the work, and a sex therapist can help when sexual concerns are central. Therapy can help couples reconnect, or separate with less damage, especially when children are involved.
When to seek urgent help
If there is physical violence, threats, sexual coercion, or you feel afraid of your partner, your safety comes first: contact your local emergency services if you are in immediate danger, and seek specialised support for domestic violence. Couples therapy is not recommended in these situations. Seek urgent help too if anyone has thoughts of suicide or harming others.
What you can do in the meantime
Choose calm moments to talk about difficult topics, rather than in the middle of an argument. Try to describe how you feel and what you need, instead of criticising. Take a break if things escalate and agree to come back to it. Make time for small moments of connection. Reading reliable information on relationships together can also open useful conversations.
What does a family therapist do?
A family therapist works with families as a system, seeing several members together or in different combinations. Day to day they help families improve communication, manage conflict, adapt to changes such as separation, illness, migration or the arrival of a child, and support a member who is struggling. They look at roles, rules and patterns in the relationships rather than blaming one person.
When to see a family therapist
Family therapy makes sense when tension at home is constant, when a child or teenager’s difficulties affect everyone, after a separation or blended-family transition, during a loss or serious illness, or when communication has broken down between generations. If one person has a severe mental health condition, family therapy can complement, not replace, individual treatment. Couple-only problems may suit couples therapy better.
How to choose
When choosing, check the licence and training, the approach they use and whether they have experience with what you need. Consider practical aspects too: language, price, location or online sessions and availability. The relationship with the professional matters a great deal; if after a few sessions it does not feel right, it is fine to change.
Frequently asked questions
Does the public health system in Australia cover psychological care?
Medicare pays rebates for a limited number of sessions with a psychologist each year under the Better Access initiative, usually after a GP referral with a mental health plan; the psychologist may charge a gap fee. State and territory public mental health services treat more severe conditions.
How do I check that a family therapist is licensed in Australia?
Psychology Board of Australia, through Ahpra: Psychologist is a protected title and registration is mandatory nationally. The public register shows registration status and any area of practice endorsement, such as clinical psychology.
How much does a session with a psychologist cost in Australia?
Usually between $318 and $330 per individual session in private practice. Australian Psychological Society suggested fee for a 46-60 minute consultation: 318 (2025-26) and 330 (2026-27); each psychologist sets their own fee.