Couples counselling in Australia usually costs about $100 to $330 a session when you pay privately. Counsellors most often charge $100 to $160 an hour, while the suggested fee for a psychologist’s standard session is $330. Medicare rarely covers couples sessions, but Relationships Australia charges by income and some government-funded services are free.
The figures below come from the bodies that publish them, and each one says where it is from. Fees change, so treat them as a guide and confirm the price before you book. This guide also covers what Medicare and private health insurance will and will not pay for, where to find free or low cost help, what the research says about whether couples counselling works, and when a self-guided tool is a reasonable place to start. If you are still deciding whether therapy is for you at all, our guide to what couples therapy is explains what it involves and the obstacles couples most often run into.
How much couples counselling costs in Australia
What you pay depends mostly on who you see.
Counsellors and psychotherapists. In a member survey reported by the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), the most common fee band for counselling and psychotherapy was $100 to $160 an hour, reported by 46 percent of respondents. Around a quarter charged less than $100, and about one in ten charged more than $160. PACFA also notes that couple and family counselling often costs slightly more than an individual session.
Psychologists. The Australian Psychological Society suggests $330 for a standard 46 to 60 minute consultation in its 2026 to 2027 fee schedule. That figure is a suggestion only, and psychologists set their own fees, so some charge less and some more. If a couples session runs longer than an hour, expect to pay more for it.
Not-for-profit services. Relationships Australia sets most of its counselling fees on a sliding scale based on income, and some of its services are free. As one example, Relationships Australia Tasmania lists counselling sessions at $40 to $120, depending on income and the type of appointment. Fees differ between states, so check with your local branch.
| Who you see | Typical cost per session | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Private counsellor or psychotherapist | Most often $100 to $160 an hour, couples sessions often slightly more | PACFA member survey |
| Psychologist | $330 suggested for 46 to 60 minutes; individual fees vary | Australian Psychological Society 2026 to 2027 schedule |
| Relationships Australia | Sliding scale by income, for example $40 to $120 in Tasmania | Relationships Australia Tasmania |
| Family Relationship Centre (for separating families) | Individual sessions free; some joint sessions free or low cost | familyrelationships.gov.au |
Couples usually attend a number of sessions rather than one, so the total depends on how many you need. It is reasonable to ask a counsellor at the first appointment roughly how many sessions they would expect for a situation like yours.
Does Medicare cover couples counselling?
Usually not. Medicare’s mental health rebates come through the Better Access initiative, which subsidises up to 10 individual and 10 group sessions a calendar year for a person who has been assessed with a clinically diagnosed mental disorder and has a mental health treatment plan from their doctor. It is built around one person’s treatment, not the relationship, so sessions for relationship difficulties on their own are generally not rebated.
If one of you is already receiving treatment under a mental health treatment plan, it is worth asking your GP and practitioner whether involving your partner could be part of that treatment. Do not assume it will be rebated; ask before you book.
Private health insurance
Some private health insurance extras policies pay a rebate towards counselling, and PACFA lists insurers that recognise its registered counsellors. Whether you are covered depends on your policy, your level of cover and who you see, so check with your insurer before your first session, and ask whether couples sessions are included.
Free and low cost couples counselling
If cost is the barrier, there are options before you rule counselling out.
- Relationships Australia. Fees on a sliding scale by income, with some services free. It has branches in every state and territory, along with online and phone options in many areas. Start at Relationships Australia.
- Family Relationship Centres. For families going through separation. According to Family Relationships Online, the centres provide information, referral and individual sessions free of charge, and up to one hour of joint family dispute resolution free. Clients earning $50,000 or more a year are charged $30 an hour for the second and third hours. The Family Relationship Advice Line is 1800 050 321.
- Your GP. A GP can point you to local services, including community health and not-for-profit counselling, and can assess whether either of you would benefit from individual support.
Does couples counselling work?
For most couples who go, yes. A widely cited review of a decade of couple therapy research, published in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy in 2012, concluded that couple therapy positively affects about 70 percent of the couples who receive it. Its effectiveness was comparable to individual therapy and far better than no treatment, with especially promising results for two approaches: integrative behavioural couple therapy and emotionally focused therapy.
That still means it does not help everyone, and a few things make a difference:
- Both of you take part willingly. Counselling works best when neither person has been dragged there.
- You go before positions harden. It is easier to change a pattern than to undo years of resentment.
- The fit is right. Look for someone who works with couples specifically, and do not be afraid to try a different counsellor if the first one does not suit you both.
When couples counselling is the right choice
Some situations need a qualified professional, whatever the cost:
- the same conflict keeps escalating and you cannot talk about it without it blowing up
- there has been an affair or another serious breach of trust
- you are deciding whether to stay together or separate
- depression, anxiety, addiction or trauma is part of the picture
- one of you has stopped engaging altogether
If there is violence, fear or controlling behaviour in the relationship, joint counselling is not always safe. Contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, or 000 in an emergency, and a specialist service can help you work out the safest next step.
Alternatives to couples therapy, and when a self-guided tool fits
Not every disagreement needs a counsellor. A great deal of everyday conflict, the recurring argument about chores, money, family or time, can be worked through by two people who both want to sort it out, given some structure. The conflict resolution strategies that counsellors teach are a good place to start, and a structured online programme or one of the better relationship apps can help you build the habits between conversations.
FairTalk is one of those self-guided tools. You talk an everyday disagreement through together while FairTalk listens without taking sides, and afterwards you both get a fair picture of each other’s perspective and a way forward you have shaped together, with guidance on the skills each of you could build. Professional services serving the same purpose are in the vicinity of ten times more expensive than the app subscription, and FairTalk is there whenever a disagreement actually happens. It is not therapy, though, and it is not a replacement for counselling where counselling is needed. Our comparison of an AI relationship coach and couples therapy looks at where each one fits, and many couples use both.
Frequently asked questions
How much does couples counselling cost in Australia?
Couples counselling in Australia usually costs about $100 to $330 a session when you pay privately. Counsellors most often charge $100 to $160 an hour, according to PACFA, while the Australian Psychological Society suggests $330 for a psychologist’s standard 46 to 60 minute session. Not-for-profit services such as Relationships Australia charge by income, so they are often cheaper.
Does Medicare cover couples counselling?
Usually not. Medicare’s Better Access rebates are for an individual’s treatment for a diagnosed mental health condition under a mental health treatment plan, so couples sessions for relationship difficulties are generally not covered. Some private health insurance extras policies do pay a rebate for counselling, so check your policy.
Is there free couples counselling in Australia?
Sometimes. Relationships Australia sets fees by income and offers some free services, and Family Relationship Centres provide free individual sessions and some free joint sessions for families going through separation. Your GP can also point you to local community or not-for-profit counselling.
Is couples therapy worth it?
For most couples who go, yes: a 2012 review of a decade of research found that couple therapy positively affects about 70 percent of couples who receive it. It tends to work best when both people take part willingly, go before resentment hardens, and find a counsellor who suits them both. It is especially worth it for escalating conflict, a breach of trust, or decisions about the future of the relationship.
What are the alternatives to couples therapy?
The main alternatives are learning conflict resolution skills together, structured online relationship programmes, relationship apps, and self-guided conflict tools for everyday disagreements. These suit two people who both feel safe and willing to work things through. They are not a substitute for counselling where there is a serious breach of trust, a mental health concern, or any violence or fear in the relationship.
