You might speak fluent English. You might work, study, and build your whole life in it. But when it comes to talking about how you feel, something can still feel slightly out of reach.
Have you ever reached for a word in English and felt it land slightly wrong? Too flat, too clinical, not quite what you meant?
Have you ever found yourself describing something painful as “fine” or “okay”, not because it was, but because the right word didn’t seem to exist in that language?
Have you ever left a conversation feeling like you only said half of what you actually meant?
If any of that resonates, you’re far from alone. And there’s a reason for it.
Australia speaks more than one language
Australia is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. According to the most recent Census, nearly 1 in 4 Australians speaks a language other than English at home, and that number is growing.
The most common languages spoken at home beyond English include Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Punjabi, Greek, and Italian. For a growing number of people, English is a second or even third language, used comfortably every day, but not always the language of the inner world.
The difference between understanding and feeling
Language isn’t just about words. It’s about meaning, nuance, and the way we’ve learned to express emotion over a lifetime.
For many people, their first language is where emotions were first named, relationships were first formed, and difficult experiences were first understood. It’s the language that lives closest to the self.
Even for people who are highly proficient in a second language, expressing something deeply personal can feel flatter, or harder to access. You may know the right words. But they don’t always feel like the right words.
Research into bilingualism and emotional processing helps explain why. Studies often find that emotional words learned in childhood carry more weight than the same words learned later in life, sometimes referred to as the “foreign language effect.” Autobiographical memories, in particular, are often more accessible in the language in which they were originally formed.
Why this matters in therapy
Therapy is built on communication. Not just what you say, but how you say it, tone, texture, cultural meaning.
When you can speak in your native language, something often shifts. It becomes easier to describe complex emotions, to say what you actually mean without mentally translating first, and to speak more naturally and openly. For many people, it also creates a sense of ease and familiarity that makes it easier to show up fully in the process.
The effort of translating thoughts into a second language can itself create emotional distance, the opposite of what therapy needs to work.
When there’s a mismatch between a client’s preferred language and the language used in therapy, it can affect the depth of disclosure and the quality of the therapeutic relationship, both of which matter to how care unfolds.
It’s not just language, it’s culture
Language and culture are deeply intertwined.
Two people can speak the same language and still come from very different worlds. And often, it’s the unspoken things, the cultural context beneath the words, that shape how we experience stress, family, relationships, and identity.
For some people, this shows up as a clear preference for one language over another. For others, particularly people who grew up bilingual in Australia, it’s more layered. Your heritage language might carry family and childhood, while English carries work and adult life. Both feel like home, in different ways. Therapy that recognises this can hold space for the whole picture, not just one half of it.
Feeling understood in therapy can go beyond vocabulary. It can mean working with someone who shares your cultural references, understands the weight of family expectations, or recognises the values and dynamics that shaped how you grew up. That kind of recognition can be quietly significant.
The gap, and why it’s starting to close
Despite Australia’s extraordinary cultural diversity, research consistently shows that people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds face significant barriers to accessing mental health support.
A comprehensive scoping review of Australian research found that stigma, language barriers, limited mental health literacy, cultural misunderstandings, and difficulty navigating the health system are among the most persistent obstacles. Many people miss out on care simply because information isn’t available in their language, or because no culturally appropriate service exists nearby.
This isn’t a reflection of need. It’s a reflection of access.
The consequences are real: people from CALD backgrounds have lower rates of voluntary mental health care compared with the general population, and are more likely to only access support when things have escalated. Many are waiting too long, or not getting help at all. Not because the need isn’t there, but because the system hasn’t met them where they are.
But that’s changing. The growth of online therapy has been quietly significant for communities where language-matched care was previously hard to find, particularly for people in regional areas, or in language communities too small to have a local specialist. Being able to connect with a therapist who speaks your language, via a video call, from wherever you are, removes a barrier that simply didn’t used to have a solution.
If you’ve ever felt this way
You’re not alone if you’ve ever struggled to explain something personal in English, felt like your words didn’t quite capture what you meant, or held back simply because it felt too hard to express.
These experiences are more common than people often realise, and they’re worth taking seriously.
A different kind of starting point
Being able to speak in your preferred language, with someone who understands your background, won’t change everything overnight. But it can change how easy it feels to begin.
And sometimes, that’s the part that matters most.
If you’d like to speak with a therapist who understands your language and cultural background, you can explore our therapists or get matched with someone who may be a good fit for you.
If you’ve been thinking about starting therapy, cost is probably one of the first things on your mind. The good news is that, through Medicare’s Better Access initiative, you can claim rebates on psychology sessions every calendar year, once you have the right paperwork in place.
This guide covers what referrals and Mental Health Treatment Plans are, how to get one, and how the rebates work.
What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan?
A Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) (previously called a Mental Health Care Plan) is a written plan developed by your GP with you. It records that you’ve been assessed as having a mental health condition that requires treatment, and refers you to a mental health professional for a set number of sessions.
The MHTP and the referral from the GP, are the key that unlocks Medicare rebates. Without these, you can still see a psychologist privately, but you won’t be eligible for the rebates. The plan is yours, and you can take it to any eligible practitioner. The Medicare rebates are available with registered psychologists, clinical psychologists and accredited mental health social workers.
Who is eligible
To qualify for Medicare rebates under Better Access, you need:
A valid Medicare card.
An assessment by your GP (or in some cases a psychiatrist or paediatrician) of your mental health concerns, and whether they meet Medicare criteria.
A Mental Health Treatment Plan in place.
Conditions covered are broad, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, adjustment difficulties, eating disorders, and panic disorders. You don’t need a diagnosis before seeing your GP; that’s part of what the appointment is for.
How to get an MHTP
Book an appointment with your GP. Tell your GP practice you’d like to discuss your mental health and ask about a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Most practices will book a 30 to 45 minute slot. If you don’t have a regular GP, you can also access online GPs, including for bulk billed appointments.
Have the conversation. Your GP will ask how you’ve been feeling, for how long, and how it’s affecting your life. They may use a short questionnaire to assess how you are doing.
Receive the plan and referral. If your GP provides a MHTP and psychologist referral, they prepare the document and refer you to a mental health professional. You can ask for a specific clinician or practice, including Equana Minds. Your GP doesn’t choose for you.
Book your therapy sessions. Book your session with your chosen Equana Minds psychologist or social worker, then upload your MHTP and referral to the portal. After your session, Equana Minds will handle the Medicare claim on your behalf.
Sessions and rebates
Under Better Access, eligible patients can claim a Medicare rebate for up to 10 individual therapy sessions per calendar year.
The plan typically refers you for an initial block of up to 6 sessions. After that, your GP reviews how things are going and can refer you for the remaining sessions. Sessions can be in person or via telehealth at the same rebate rate, which is why platforms like Equana Minds can deliver Medicare-rebated therapy entirely online.
Unused sessions don’t roll over. On 1 January each year, your session count resets.
Current rebate amounts (2026)
These are the standard Medicare rebates per individual session, current as of 2026:
Provider type
Medicare rebate
Clinical Psychologist
$145.25
Registered Psychologist
$98.97
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
$87.24
The rebate is what Medicare pays back. The gap fee is the difference between what the clinician charges and the rebate. For example, if the fee for a clinical psychologist is $270 and Medicare rebates $145.25, your gap fee is $124.75.
Some clinicians bulk bill, which means they charge exactly the rebate amount and you pay nothing out of pocket.
Which clinicians does Medicare cover?
Covered under Better Access: Clinical psychologists, registered psychologists, Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSW), occupational therapists with mental health endorsement, GPs providing focused psychological strategies, and psychiatrists (under separate Medicare pathways).
Not covered: Counsellors and psychotherapists. They can be highly qualified and an excellent fit, but Medicare doesn’t currently rebate their services under Better Access. Some private health insurance extras policies do cover them.
If Medicare rebates are essential to making therapy affordable for you, you’ll want to see a psychologist, clinical psychologist, or accredited mental health social worker.
Reviews and renewals
After your initial block of sessions, your GP conducts a review to see how therapy is going, usually after six sessions. Following the review, your GP can refer you for the remaining four sessions in the calendar year.
You don’t need an entirely new MHTP each year, but you do need to see your GP for a referral renewal to access rebates for new sessions.
Private health insurance
Many private health insurance policies with extras cover include a benefit for psychology, counselling, or social work sessions. A few things to know:
You can’t claim both Medicare and private health insurance for the same session.
Private health insurance can cover clinicians Medicare won’t, including counsellors and psychotherapists.
Some people use Medicare for their first 10 sessions, then switch to private health insurance later in the year.
Coverage varies between funds. Contact your insurer to confirm what’s covered.
Common questions
Do I need a diagnosis before seeing my GP? No. The GP will assess you during the appointment.
Can I get an MHTP via telehealth? Yes, in many cases.
What if I don’t feel comfortable with my GP? Your MHTP can be created by any GP. If you’d prefer to discuss your mental health with someone who shares your language or cultural background, you can book with them.
Can I change therapists partway through my plan? Yes. If the fit isn’t right, ask your GP to redirect your referral.
Will my employer or anyone else find out? No. Medicare records are private.
What if I’d prefer to do therapy in another language? You can choose a clinician who speaks your preferred language. Working with someone who shares your language and cultural background can make a real difference to how comfortably you can express what you’re going through.
How Equana Minds works with Medicare
Equana Minds is an Australian telehealth practice offering therapy with psychologists, clinical psychologists, accredited mental health social workers, counsellors, and psychotherapists, across multiple languages and cultural backgrounds.
If you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you can use it with us to access Medicare rebates for sessions with our psychologists, clinical psychologists, or accredited mental health social workers. Sessions are conducted via secure telehealth, so you can access culturally and linguistically matched care from anywhere in Australia.
Our intake is straightforward: you tell us what you’re looking for, we match you with a clinician, and you upload your MHTP referral for your first session. We handle the Medicare claim on your behalf, and the rebate is deposited directly into your bank account.
For session fees, see our Pricing and Rebates pages. If you’re ready to get started, explore our Browse Therapists or Get Matched pages to find the right therapist for you.
This article is general information about Medicare’s Better Access initiative and is current as of 2026. Rebate amounts and eligibility criteria are set by the Australian Government and may change. For the most up-to-date official information, visit Services Australia (servicesaustralia.gov.au) or Medicare Mental Health (medicarementalhealth.gov.au). This article isn’t medical advice. Please speak with your GP about your individual circumstances.
If you are in crisis or immediate danger, please call 000 in Australia. For 24/7 crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
If you are located overseas, please use these crisis contact resources for assistance.
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