Psychotherapist
Psychotherapists work with people over repeated sessions to understand and change persistent emotional and behavioural patterns.
- Median salary*
- $88,400
4.2%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 4,000
2.6%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +30.6%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 41/wk
+1h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
Psychotherapists work with clients over repeated sessions to explore emotional, relational and behavioural difficulties that have not shifted on their own. They assess what a client brings, agree goals and deliver talking therapy using approaches such as psychodynamic, cognitive or systemic methods. Most work in private practice or community mental health, and because psychotherapy is not a registered profession under AHPRA, professional standing usually rests on membership of a peak body such as PACFA or the Australian Counselling Association.
How much do psychotherapists earn?
The median full-time salary for a psychotherapist is $88,400 per annum, before tax, up $18,600 since 2018.
How the work is set up changes pay more than anything else. Employed roles in community health, hospitals or employee assistance programs pay a set salary under an award or enterprise agreement, while private practice income depends on your session fee, your caseload and how many appointments actually go ahead. Sessions are generally not rebatable through Medicare unless they are delivered by a registered provider, so many clients pay privately, through the NDIS, a victims of crime scheme or an employer-funded program.
What does a psychotherapist do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Assessing a new client's history, current concerns and risk factors in an initial session
- Agreeing treatment goals and a rough plan for how many sessions the work might take
- Running regular sessions using an approach such as psychodynamic, cognitive or systemic therapy
- Writing confidential case notes and keeping client records in practice software
- Referring clients on to a GP, psychiatrist or community service when their needs sit outside talking therapy
What skills do psychotherapists need?
Employers look for counselling and support work, clinical assessment and treatment, casework and client support, backed by Cliniko fluency and strong empathy and interpersonal care.
Specialist skills
- Counselling and support work
- Clinical assessment and treatment
- Casework and client support
Software and tools
- Cliniko
- Halaxy
- PowerDiary
- Zoom
- Medicare Online claiming
General skills
- Empathy and interpersonal care
- Written communication
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving
Is the job growing?
About 4,000 people work as psychotherapists in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 30.6% over the decade to 2035. That's very strong growth. Few roles in Australia are expanding this fast, and it points to solid demand for years to come.
How do you become a psychotherapist?
Here's the path most psychotherapists take, step by step.
- 1Start with a degree or diploma in counselling or behavioural science
A bachelor degree in counselling, psychology or a related field is the common foundation, and postgraduate courses usually expect one. Some courses accept graduates from other disciplines, which is a realistic route for a career changer.
- 2Complete a postgraduate qualification in psychotherapy
A graduate diploma or masters in psychotherapy or counselling typically takes one to two years and includes supervised client work as part of the course.
- 3Log supervised client hours
Peak bodies expect a set number of client contact hours under an approved supervisor before you can join, and many practitioners keep this supervision going throughout their career.
- 4Join a peak body
Membership of PACFA or the Australian Counselling Association signals your training to clients and employers, and it usually requires ongoing supervision and continuing professional development.
- 5Choose your setting and build a caseload
Community health, schools, employee assistance programs and private practice each bring a different client group and a different pay structure, so it is worth trying more than one early on.
Ready to apply as a psychotherapist?
Whether you're working toward becoming a psychotherapist or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a psychotherapist move to?
Moving into Psychologist typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $26,200 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychologist Psychotherapists bring therapeutic skills to psychology, but must complete full psychology qualifications and registration.Known move | +$26,200 | 26% | requalify |
| Rehabilitation Counsellor Psychotherapy skills in mental health carry into rehabilitation counselling, with a short course covering injury and disability practice. | −$2,600 | 53% | short course |
| Play Therapist Therapeutic training and client work carry into play therapy, with a short course adding child-centred methods. | −$5,200 | 53% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a psychotherapist?
The typical psychotherapist is 46 years old; 81% are women, 35% work full-time, and full-timers average 41 hours a week.
- 46
- Median age
- 81%
- Female share
- 35%
- Full-time
- +1h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a psychotherapist?
The week is built around sessions, usually 50 minutes each, with notes, emails and referrals fitted in between or after. Caseloads grow slowly, especially in private practice, so income can trail the hours worked for the first year or two. The work suits someone who can stay curious about another person's experience over a long stretch and who is comfortable not having a quick answer.
What people like
- You see change across months. Sessions build on each other, so progress shows up in how a client handles a relationship or a bad week rather than in a single appointment.
- The pace belongs to the client. You listen, check what you are seeing and let the client set how fast the work moves, which is different from roles driven by targets or throughput.
- Private practice gives you control. Choosing your own hours, caseload and approach is one of the main draws, though it takes time for the referrals to support it.
- There is always another approach to learn. Training in a new modality or working with a different client group keeps the work from going stale over a long career.
What people find hard
- Building a caseload takes time. New private practitioners can wait months for referrals to build up, and income follows the caseload rather than the effort you put in.
- Notes and admin sit outside session time. Records, billing and reminders are usually unpaid and often done in the evening, after a full day of listening.
- Cancellations and dropouts cost you. A client who stops coming or misses a session is lost income in private practice, and gaps in the week are hard to fill at short notice.
- You carry what clients tell you. Hearing about trauma, grief and family breakdown has a cumulative weight, which is why regular supervision and clear boundaries are part of the job rather than optional extras.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ psychotherapists?
Health Care and Social Assistance employs the largest share of psychotherapists, followed by Education and Training.
Top employing industries
- 1Health Care and Social Assistance
- 2Education and Training
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Postgraduate | 57% | |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor degree | 29.7% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 6.8% | |
| Year 12 or below | 3.5% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 1.4% |
Will AI replace psychotherapists?
Psychotherapy has low exposure to AI, because the core of the job is a relationship: sitting with someone, following what they bring and responding in the moment. Practice software and AI scribes already handle scheduling, reminders and draft session summaries, and they are getting better at those tasks. That shifts time back to client work rather than replacing it, and the clinical decisions stay with the therapist.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Running therapy sessionsReading a client's mood, noticing what they avoid and responding in the moment is the part clients come for, and it depends on a live relationship.45%low
- Assessment and treatment planningWorking out what is going on and what to focus on draws on the client's own account, your training and your judgement about risk.30%low
- Session notes and client recordsAn AI scribe can draft a summary from a session recording, but you still check it against what happened and keep the record accurate and confidential.15%high
- Scheduling, billing and practice adminPractice software such as Cliniko or Halaxy already handles reminders, invoices and Medicare-style claiming, which cuts the paperwork in private practice.10%moderate
Common questions about becoming a psychotherapist
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does a psychotherapist earn?
$88,400 per year before tax for full-time work. That is a median, so it sits in the middle of what psychotherapists earn, and take-home pay varies widely with the setting. Employed roles in community health or employee assistance programs pay a set salary, while private practice income depends on your fee, your caseload and how many sessions go ahead.
How do you become a psychotherapist?
The usual route is a postgraduate qualification in psychotherapy or counselling, which is what most of the workforce holds: about 57% of people in the role have a postgraduate qualification as their highest. Courses include supervised client work, and peak bodies then expect a set number of supervised hours before you can join. A bachelor degree in counselling, psychology or a related field is the common starting point, though some courses accept graduates from other disciplines.
Are psychotherapists in demand?
Psychotherapists are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 30.6% over the decade to 2035. The work follows demand for mental health services rather than one industry, so roles appear across community health, schools, employee assistance programs and private practice. If you are deciding where to train, look at which settings in your area are hiring and what qualifications they ask for.
Will AI replace psychotherapists?
AI has limited reach into the therapy itself, because the work depends on a relationship and on reading what a client brings in the moment. Where it is used is behind the scenes: scheduling and reminder software, and AI scribes that draft session notes you then check and correct. The parts affected are administrative rather than clinical, so the job is more likely to change shape than disappear.
What can a psychotherapist move into?
Private practice is the common progression, and it is often where earnings grow once your caseload and referral sources are established. Some psychotherapists requalify as psychologists, which means further study and registration, though pay is $26,200 more. Others move into rehabilitation counselling or play therapy with a short bridging course, keeping the therapeutic skills and changing the client group or the system they work in.
Do psychotherapists need to be registered?
No, psychotherapy is not a registered profession in Australia, so there is no AHPRA registration to hold. Most practitioners join a peak body such as PACFA or the Australian Counselling Association, which sets training and supervision requirements for membership. Membership matters because it shows clients and employers what your training involved, and it makes insurance and referrals easier to arrange.
Related roles
- Psychologist
- Rehabilitation Counsellor
- Play Therapist
- Family and Relationship Counsellor
- Rehabilitation Counsellor
- Play Therapist
Not sure this is you? Take the career quiz and get a ranked shortlist of roles that fit how you like to work.