Counselling and emotional support

Find someone early

The time to connect with a counsellor or psychologist is before you are in crisis. Finding a good fit, building a working relationship, and getting into a regular rhythm of support takes time. If you wait until you are overwhelmed, you are also less able to engage with the process of finding someone.

Many people feel reluctant to seek counselling because they believe their distress is not "bad enough" to warrant it, or because they feel others are suffering more. Neither of these is a reason to go without support. The bar for seeking help is simply that life is harder than it needs to be.

For both the patient and the carer, connecting with a psychologist or counsellor in the first months after a diagnosis gives you the most time and the most benefit. You can process decisions, manage anxiety about the future, maintain your relationship with each other, and build the emotional resources you will need as things progress.

Medicare-rebated sessions

Under the Medicare Better Access initiative, a person with a mental health condition can access up to 10 individual psychology sessions per calendar year with a Medicare rebate. To access this, ask your GP for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. The GP assesses your mental health needs and prepares a plan that then allows you to see a psychologist at a reduced out-of-pocket cost.

A Mental Health Treatment Plan is prepared by a GP, who assesses whether it is appropriate. You do not need a long-standing mental health diagnosis to be assessed, and distress connected to a serious illness is something GPs see often, but whether a plan is right for you is a conversation to have with yours.

The rebate depends on which kind of psychologist you see, more than on how long the session runs, and the difference is large enough to plan around. As at 1 July 2026, for a session of at least 50 minutes in the psychologist's rooms:

• A registered psychologist, item 80110: schedule fee $119.45, rebate $101.55
• A clinical psychologist, item 80010: schedule fee $175.30, rebate $149.05

These are set in the Medicare Benefits Schedule and are usually adjusted on 1 July each year, so check Services Australia or ask the practice for the current amount.

Many psychologists charge above the schedule fee, and the gap is yours to pay. Ask about the fee and the expected gap before the first appointment rather than after. Some psychologists in community health settings bulk bill entirely. Healthdirect (healthdirect.gov.au) has a find-a-health-service tool that can help you locate bulk-billing psychologists and mental health services in your area.

What to look for in a counsellor or psychologist

For grief, serious illness, and end-of-life situations, you want someone with specific experience. A generalist counsellor is not always the right fit. Look for a psychologist or counsellor who has experience in grief and bereavement, palliative care, or health psychology.

The Australian Psychological Society has a Find a Psychologist directory at psychology.org.au where you can search by area of practice. Palliative Care Australia can also provide referrals to counsellors experienced in end-of-life contexts. Your palliative care social worker may have recommendations for your area.

The relationship matters as much as the credentials. If the fit is not right after two or three sessions, it is worth trying someone else. A counselling relationship that does not feel safe or helpful is not serving you.

Counselling for the carer

Carers often put their own psychological needs last. The emotional experience of caring for someone with a terminal illness involves anticipatory grief (grieving a loss before it has happened), exhaustion, fear, isolation, and the specific weight of watching someone you love decline. All of this is legitimate and significant.

Seeking support for yourself as a carer is not taking something away from the person you are caring for. It is how you remain present and capable for them. A carer who is not psychologically supported tends to reach a point of collapse, which benefits no one.

Carer Gateway offers free counselling and coaching specifically for carers at carergateway.gov.au. This is a good starting point if you are not sure where to go or are concerned about cost.

Support through your palliative care team

Palliative care teams include social workers and psychologists. If you are already connected to a palliative care service, ask them directly about counselling support. Many provide this as part of the service, at no additional cost, for both the patient and the family.

Palliative care social workers are particularly skilled at navigating the practical and emotional intersection of a terminal illness. They are not the same as a psychologist, but they provide meaningful support and can refer on to a psychologist when more intensive support is needed.

Peer support

Peer support, connecting with others who are in a similar situation, can be a powerful complement to professional counselling. Knowing that your experience is shared, that others have managed what you are managing, and that there is a community that understands can reduce the sense of isolation that accompanies a terminal illness in the family.

Cancer Council runs support groups for patients and carers, along with an online community. Groups are organised by the Cancer Council in each state, so what is available depends on where you live. Their community support page is the place to start, and 13 11 20 will tell you what runs near you. Carers Australia runs peer support programs. Many condition-specific organisations have online communities and peer support programs.

Peer support works alongside professional support, not instead of it. Both are valuable.

Planning for bereavement support

If you connect with a counsellor or psychologist before the death, that relationship does not have to end at the death. Continuity of support through bereavement is one of the strongest predictors of healthy grief outcomes. When you are interviewing potential counsellors, ask whether they offer bereavement support and whether they would be willing to continue working with you after the death if that is something you want.

Bereavement support through palliative care teams is also typically available for family members for a period after a death. Ask your palliative care team what is offered.