The benifits of attending to life issues through counselling: dispite not being able to offer a medicare rebate. Mairead Ashcroft 4/12/16

 As a qualified mental health practitioner I hold a bachelor in counselling and diploma in Art therapy. Although I have been working in the industry for a number of years now and have experience with clients who are working towards healing from complex illnesses and life issues, I am unable to offer my clients a medicare rebate.  According to information on the Australian Government, Department to Health and Ageing, www.health.gov.au
"Medicare rebates are available to patients for selected mental health services provided by general practitioners (GPs), psychiatrists, psychologists (clinical and registered) and eligible social workers and occupational therapists...... The Better Access initiative is available to patients with an assessed mental disorder who would benefit from a structured approach to the management of their treatment needs......... Provision exists for patients to access up to an additional six services individual allied mental health services under exceptional circumstances, to a maximum total of 16 services per patient in the 2012 calendar year."
Many people experience their world as a fast paced, difficult and/or a confusing place to navigate. Due to the performance pressures of being a good enough husband, wife, daughter, son, employee......etc,  the list goes on, many people suffer from the effects of anxiety, depression, internal critical berating and judgement. We may also experience grief and loss, relationship difficulties, addictions and other adverse symptoms that may be a result of being disconnected to our needs. Long term difficulties can

require long term support from a qualified person who can offer you time and space to find your own conclusions. This empowering experience can transform the lived experience creating a more contented and peaceful existence. When we learn from our own inner wisdom we may be less likely to fall back into unhelpful patterns of behaviour that we may have used previously as a coping mechanism. Understanding our relationships and how to manage negative energy in a positive way can promote long lasting encounters with people and things that are truly important to us. Learning to participate in life in a fulfilling way that is true to your values can enable better phisical and mental health. Unfortunately in life, things happen to rock the apple cart.
It can be during these times that you might need to speak with an impartial, empathic person who is trained to listen and allow you to come to your own answers without coaching you, offering you advise or telling you their own life problems. In Australia, counsellors do not come under the narrow umbrella of the Better Access initiative therefor no government rebates are claimable.

The positive side of this is -:

• Clients can continue to engage with their counsellor for as long as required without fear of sessions coming to an end before they are ready
• Clients do not need to have been diagnosed with a mental illness 
• Clients can spend time finding the counsellor appropriate for them without using up the valuable 6-16 sessions which would be available on the government scheme
• Many counselling fees are comparable to psychologist out of pocket fees after rebates have been deducted. This means that the clients fee will not jump up to full fee (ave/ $170 per hr)  after e.g: 6 sessions
• Due to high demand for the rebate offer, there are often long waiting times to gain an appointment with a medicare participating psychologist or mental health social worker where as coulsellors may be in less demand for financial reasons. 
• Clients can visit with their counsellor as little or as often as required within any period of time. eg: short term intense counselling or long term, once per month/quarter year, as required 
• Many counsellors offer group workshops or ongoing group sessions, breaking social isolation and creating a safe space to explore positive social interaction often at a lower cost than private sessions.

I expect that it is the hope of all counsellors who practise in a multitude of mental health modalities not recognised by the government due to the freshness and newness of the practise, that thing will change, The sooner the better. Until then, those of us who believe that one size does not fit all will continue to offer our skills to enable clients to gain access to transformative practises and better mental health.

Live your Bliss

Mairead