Which Therapist Do I Need?

Psychologist, Counsellor or Accredited Mental Health Social Worker? How to Choose the Right Therapist

Psychologist, counsellor, accredited mental health social worker, clinical psychologist, family therapist. If you’ve tried to find a therapist lately, you’ve probably met this list and wondered whether any of it actually matters. It does, a bit. It’s also a lot less confusing than it looks.

People come to therapy for all sorts of reasons. Some are referred by their GP on a mental health care plan. Others go looking on their own, usually after deciding something needs to change. Either way, you end up staring at a page of titles and qualifications and weird acronyms that don’t make much sense. We get it. A question our clients ask a lot is how these professions actually differ and which one they should choose, so here’s our guide.

Start with you, not the qualifications

Before you compare anyone’s degrees, it helps to get clear on what you’re after.

Ask yourself:

• What do I need help with?
• What do I want to be different by the end of therapy?
• How often can I realistically make it to sessions?
• Do I want longer-term support, or short-term help with something recent?
• How much can I afford to spend?

You don’t need perfect answers. Even a rough sense of what you want will make the rest of this much easier.

If you don’t know the answers to these, that’s ok too. We’ve created a resource just for you: the Get Ready for Therapy guide

Not all therapists are the same (and that’s a good thing)

Some therapists specialise in trauma. Some bring art or play into sessions. Some think relationally, looking at how you connect with the people around you, while others are more structured and goal-focused. Some people come to therapy because something is really hard right now. Others are doing fine and want help with motivation, productivity or a relationship that keeps hitting the same wall.

What works brilliantly for one person can hinder progress for another. It’s about finding someone who matches your needs and has the skills to help you with what you need.

The relationship between you and your therapist matters more than you’d think

One of the most important factors in whether therapy helps is the relationship you build with your therapist. You want someone who feels accepting, kind, and empathetic, someone you can be honest with without bracing yourself first. That connection shapes how helpful you find the whole process, sometimes more than the specific approach they use.

If the first person you see doesn’t feel right, that’s useful information, not a failure. It’s okay to try someone else.

Match their expertise to what you need

Look for someone who knows your area well, whether that’s eating disorders, relationships, couples therapy, PTSD or anxiety. No therapist is an expert in everything, and a good one will tell you when someone else is a better fit. You can see the areas our team works with on our counselling services page.

What’s the actual difference between a Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Counsellor or Accredited Mental Health Social Worker?

The biggest differences between these professions usually aren’t in the therapy itself. There is more overlap than people realise. The main differences are in the focus of each person’s early training. Psychologists generally have more training in research and statistics. Accredited Mental Health Social workers generally have more training in how people and systems interact, such as families, workplaces and communities, then specialise in mental health and therapy. Counsellors’ training generally centres on talk therapy itself, with a strong focus on the therapy relationship and practical counselling skills. All get training and experience in therapy, and all three use evidence-based approaches.

Here’s a quick guide to who’s who in Australia.

Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSW)
These are social workers who’ve gone further in mental health. They complete a Bachelor’s or Master’s in Social Work, then extra training and an exam to be accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers as mental health specialists. They’re trained in approaches like CBT, ACT and EMDR therapy, and keep up ongoing professional development and supervision. We’ve written more about what an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker does.

Clinical Psychologists
Clinical psychologists start with the same foundation as general psychologists, then add a Master’s or Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a two-year supervised registrar program. Some also do formal diagnostic assessments, including ADHD and Autism assessments.

General Psychologists
General psychologists complete a psychology degree followed by postgraduate training. They work across a wide range of concerns, from anxiety and depression to relationship stress, using evidence-based approaches.

Registered Counsellors
Counsellors usually hold a degree in counselling or psychotherapy. Their focus is talk therapy, and many specialise in areas like grief, trauma or family dynamics.

Family Therapists
Family therapists work with the family or couple as a whole, rather than one person on their own. They often come from a background in psychology, social work or counselling, with specialist training in family therapy. You can read more about family therapy at The Therapy Hub.

Registered Social Workers
Social workers complete a Bachelor’s or Master’s in Social Work and provide counselling and therapeutic support tailored to you. Depending on their experience, they may specialise in areas like family work, couples therapy, or trauma.

If you’re still weighing up who to see, our guide to choosing between a psychologist, counsellor or social worker explains how each one works.

Which mental health professionals attract a Medicare rebate?

Cost is a factor; we get that, and Medicare works differently depending on who you see. Sessions with a psychologist, clinical psychologist or Accredited Mental Health Social Worker may attract a Medicare rebate under the Better Access initiative, which starts with a conversation with your GP. Medicare covers up to ten individual sessions each calendar year.

Counsellors don’t attract Medicare rebates, and couples therapy never does. Family therapy isn’t eligible either, although some private health funds may partially cover it. If you’re not sure where you fit, get in touch and we’ll help match you with the right clinician. Rebates may apply depending on who you see.

Questions you’re allowed to ask

You’re choosing someone to trust with some pretty personal stuff, so it’s completely fine to ask questions first:

• What is your training?
• Are you regulated by a professional body?
• How can I make a complaint if I need to?
• What are your fees?
• Do you have experience working with my specific issue?

A good therapist won’t be put off by any of these.

If you’re ready to talk to someone about your panic attacks, our guide to choosing a psychologist, counsellor or social worker can help you work out where to start.

Finding your person at The Therapy Hub

Whether you see an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, a psychologist, a counsellor or a registered social worker, every therapist on our team is registered, well trained and committed to ongoing professional development and supervision. You can meet our team to get a feel for who we are. We see clients in person in Melbourne and online across Australia.

Finding the right person can take a little time, and that’s okay. It’s worth getting right.
If what actually brought you here is wanting to support someone else, like your team, your staff or a young person in your life, that’s a different skill set, and Mental Health First Aid training is a better place to start.

Want some help choosing?

Get in touch with us, and we’ll help match you with the right person on our team.