How To Find The Best Therapist For You

If you’re struggling with a mental health condition like anxiety or depression, it can help to consult a professional therapist or psychologist.

The most important thing to remember is that you’re not alone. Almost half of all Australians between 16 to 85 years old experience mental health issues at some point in their lives. The most common mental health conditions are anxiety, depression and substance use disorders – but there are many other valid reasons to seek professional help. Psychologists can also provide support for distressing situations like the death of a loved one, financial challenges, and relationship issues. Even if you’re not in distress, therapy can also help with personal growth, self-awareness, confidence, and building healthier ways to cope with life’s challenges.

Accessing Mental Health Support in Australia 

In 2026, healthcare professionals such as licensed therapists and psychologists are more in-demand than ever, and there’s less stigma about seeking help for your mental health. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, almost half of MBS mental health specific services (49%) between 2023 and 2024 were provided by psychologists (including clinical psychologists).

While Australians have been getting more comfortable talking about mental health, it can still be challenging to find a psychologist that feels right. Perhaps you don’t know where to start or have been discouraged by past experiences. Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and what works for one person may not work for another.

It can be challenging to be vulnerable with a potential therapist, especially since they will be a stranger to you at your first appointment. Finding a good match takes patience and self-awareness, but once you find the right therapist, you’ll become empowered through fresh insights and strategies for positive, lifelong changes.In this article, New Vision Psychology provides invaluable tips to guide you towards finding the best therapist in 2026.

Things to Consider When Looking for the Right Psychologist

Before The Session

Understand your counselling goals

To get the most out of therapy, it is essential to establish your goals. A psychologist can provide support across a wide range of emotional, mental, relational, and life challenges — from mental health concerns to personal growth and wellbeing.

Before booking your first session, try to put your mental health needs into words – this will help you articulate them to your therapist later on. Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• Why are you seeking professional help? 
• What would you like to achieve with therapy? 
• What does the ideal life or situation look like to you?
• What are the main issues stopping you from achieving this ideal?

If you’re unsure, that’s perfectly fine – during your first session, your therapist can figure this out with you based on your values and mental health needs.

Do your research

In narrowing down potential candidates, you’ll probably consider practical factors such as their location, fee structure, telehealth services, whether they offer Medicare or private health rebates, office hours and after-hours options.

With the high demand for psychologists, appointment availability is likely to be one of the main issues you’ll face when looking for a therapist. However, if you choose a psychologist based solely on availability, you will be overlooking other key factors which may affect your experience and efficacy of therapy. 

When researching psychologists, you may want to consider the following:

Cultural background

Some of us may prefer a therapist from a similar culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation or age group. It’s your right to have a personal preference when it comes to choosing a therapist. The benefits of culturally responsive therapy are significant and should be considered in your decision. 

People with similar backgrounds share lived realities of certain experiences. This prevents situations where you need to explain your background to the therapist, which can be frustrating and potentially triggering. A therapist with similar life experiences or experience in working with other people from the same culture will be more likely to understand the context of your issues, which reduces communication barriers and enhances mutual understanding and trust in the therapeutic relationship.

Type of mental health professional and therapeutic modality

Are you looking for a psychiatrist, psychologist, counsellor or social worker? Each of these mental health professionals uses different processes and treatments. Choosing the right psychological treatment depends on your mental health issues and therapy goals.

Some popular therapeutic modalities include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
• Solution Focused Therapy
• Schema Therapy
• Positive Psychology
• Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Therapy

Read more about the different types of therapy here.

Experience and qualifications

Does your therapist have relevant experience, registrations (for example, at the Australian Psychological Society) and qualifications to handle the specific issues you’re seeking help with? Find out about your therapist’s areas of expertise – are you looking for someone with expertise in relationship counselling, child and adolescent issues, trauma and PTSD or something else?

It’s also important to know the difference between types of psychologists. In Australia, there are provisional, registered and clinical psychologists. Provisional psychologists are interns who are undergoing training, registered psychologists have received their full registration from AHPRA and make up 60% of Australia’s psychologists, and clinical psychologists have received additional endorsement in the area of clinical psychology. At New Vision Psychology, all our psychologists are registered or clinical psychologists. They assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of clients and issues.  

For most people, a registered psychologist will be suitable. If your condition is especially complex or if you aren’t responding well to existing treatment, then a clinical psychologist may be particularly beneficial. 

Counselling style

Every therapist has their own approach and therapy process. For instance, some may be highly structured, establishing a 3-month plan with fortnightly in-person appointments. Others may work more flexibly and book individual sessions in line with your preference and progress. 

There is no right or wrong way to go about therapy – what’s important is that both you and your therapist establish a system that works for you.

Interview the therapist

Shortlist candidates before making your first appointment. You can try and set up a call or email, or even talk to the practice’s intake team to give them an overview of what you’re hoping to achieve from the sessions. These initial points of contact will help you get a feel of what the therapist is like and allow both parties to address any questions.

Some types of questions you may ask include:

• What’s your education and specialised training in this area?
• What is your area of expertise?
• How much experience do you have working with people with my issues or history?
• What kind of treatments do you offer?
• How does this therapeutic modality work?
• Is this intervention effective for my condition?

Cost

While the cost of therapy is a significant factor for many, it is impossible to put a price on your mental health. As a guide for the industry, the Australian Psychological Society (APS) recommends a fee of $318 for a 45-60-minute session. Ideally, the best psychologist for you will also offer a comfortable fee structure. At New Vision Psychology, we keep our session fees below the official APS recommendations to ensure that more people can access the mental health support they need.

During The Session

Assess your rapport with the psychologist and notice how you feel

Effective counselling requires the willingness to be truthful and vulnerable, so it is crucial that you feel secure and at ease with your therapist. Good rapport involves genuine connection and engagement. Research shows that the therapeutic relationship is the most important factor in psychological efficacy, even more so than the therapist’s experience, gender, expertise or any other factors!

To know whether you’re a good match, use your feelings as a gauge. How do you feel during and after the sessions? Listen to your gut. Although therapy will be uncomfortable and challenging at times, it should ultimately feel respectful, non-judgmental and collaborative.

After The Session

At the end of your first consultation, you should feel heard, understood, supported and hopeful that things can change. A good therapist should have outlined a mental health care treatment plan and strategies to achieve your goals.

To get the most out of therapy at a psychology clinic, you must be ready to do some work in between sessions. The work doesn’t stop when you leave the room; you’ll only experience lasting change when you implement your new strategies in your daily life.

Allow yourself to assess how the therapeutic relationship feels after the first couple of sessions.

If you feel like you’re not getting much out of your session, it is important to let your therapist know so they can adjust their approach. If something doesn’t feel right, continue your search. It’s a bit like dating! Most people go to a number of therapists before finding the perfect fit. When you find “the one”, you’ll be on your way to living life to your fullest potential.

Find Your Best Fit with New Vision Psychology

• Meet our team of  clinical and registered psychologists here and book online
• Use our matching tool below to find the right therapist for you .
• Call 1300 001 778 to speak to our clinical intake team who will personally match you with the best practitioner according to your specific needs