Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services is a not for profit organisation that works with women and families in the community to reduce the impact of mental health problems on families and to help foster growth, for strong women and strong families. Your small change will make a big change!
WHWS counselling services support women, men, children, and families.
WHWS provides an initial comprehensive assessment, ensuring that our clients are matched with a therapist and services that best meet their needs. We offer individual, couple and family counselling sessions with one of our professionally qualified Counsellors and Psychologists. Therapeutic Groups are offered throughout the year by our Counsellors & Psychologists.
The full fee is paid by the client at the time of the appointment to WHWS. The Medicare rebate is refunded directly into the clients bank account by Medicare.
The fees can be subsidised through the use of Medicare rebates, private health insurance, funding, and where health care cards are applicable. Services provided by, psychologists, counseling psychologists and clinical psychologists are eligible for Medicare rebates.
For all services, a referral is necessary. This can be verbal, online or from a GP. If you need to claim the Medicare rebate a GP referral and Mental Health Care Plan are required. a GP referral is valid for as long as it takes to use up the services stated on the referral.
We will endeavor to remind you of your referral status but it is ultimately the responsibility of the client to have a valid referral.
A Mental Health Care Plan from a general practitioner or a psychiatrist is necessary to receive a rebate for counselling sessions, but counselling can also be provided under private health insurance policies or fee for service. A Mental Health Care Plan allows access to a rebate for 10 sessions of individual and 10 sessions of group therapy per calendar year.
All referrals should be sent to WHWS PRIOR to the appointment, by e-mail, fax or in person.
If you are experiencing financial hardship, we have a financial hardship subsidy program. Please talk to reception for more information on how to access this.
Payment Options
Online or telephone sessions – Debit/Credit Card or Direct deposit
Face to face sessions – Cash or Eftpos
Medicare Safety Net Program
Medicare provides additional financial support to cover any out of pocket expenses for medical services after you have reached the safety net. It is advisable to contact Medicare and make sure all members of your family are registered. The Medicare SafetyNet for 2025 is $2,615.50 for a family and $834.50 for concession and families eligible for family tax benefit . Information on Medicare can be found at:
https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/medicare/medicare-safety-nets
Private Health Funds
Check with your fund to see what you may be eligible for. Rebates can be available for medical, psychological, or allied health services.
Financial Hardship
If you are experiencing financial hardship, we have a financial hardship subsidy program. Please talk to reception for more information on how to access this.
The Australian Psychological Society’s 2025 recommended fees for a 50-minute session in private practice is $311
For more information or to access these services you can either call (08) 9490 2258 or click on the button to the left to be redirected to our counselling referral form or download a referral form and email it to info@whws.org.au. Once you have completed the online referral or emailed the referral form, a member of staff will contact you within 2 business days with a suggested time and date for a telephone appointment/assessment with our Therapeutic Administration Officer. This allows you to be added to our waitlist and ensures you are allocated to the correct therapist and services to suit your needs.
If you do not receive contact with anyone within this timeframe please call us on (08) 9490 2258
WHWS is able to offer Perth counselling appointments Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am – 4.30pm. Thursday 9am – 8.30pm from our Gosnells office, sadly we are unable to offer after hours or emergency counselling services.
Client eligibility
WHWS is a gendered family service supporting individual, couple, family and child clients, with non-acute, non-chronic, common mental disorders of mild to moderate severity. Clients must be able to maintain their own safety between appointments.
Exclusion criteria
Please note the following are not eligible for WHWS services;
**Clients who present in the exclusion criteria are best treated by either Emergency department, MEAD or a psychiatrist.
