Find a Mental Health Professional for Grief, Loss & Life Changes

About Grief, Loss & Life Changes support

Grief is one of the most universal and deeply personal human experiences. If you are searching for grief counselling or bereavement support in Australia, this category connects you with practitioners who specialise in supporting people through loss in all its forms. This includes bereavement after the death of a loved one, anticipatory grief when someone is seriously ill, pregnancy loss and miscarriage, prolonged grief disorder, and the grief that can accompany major life transitions such as relationship breakdown, job loss, or serious health diagnosis. Grief does not follow a set timeline or pattern, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. For some people, grief becomes complicated or prolonged in ways that significantly affect daily functioning. In these cases, professional support from a psychologist or grief counsellor can make a meaningful difference. Therapeutic approaches include Complicated Grief Treatment (CGT), narrative therapy, meaning-centred therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Medicare rebates apply with a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, particularly where grief is affecting your mental health significantly. Many practitioners in this directory offer telehealth sessions, and some offer flexible scheduling for people navigating particularly difficult circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find a grief counsellor or bereavement therapist in Australia?

You can search this directory filtering for grief and loss to find practitioners with specific expertise in bereavement support. Your GP can also provide a referral and a Mental Health Treatment Plan if your grief is significantly affecting your mental health and daily functioning. Some grief counsellors work outside the Medicare system but offer lower-cost or sliding-scale fees, particularly through community organisations and hospice services.

Is grief counselling covered by Medicare in Australia?

Medicare rebates are available when grief is assessed by a GP as significantly affecting your mental health and you receive a Mental Health Treatment Plan. This gives you access to subsidised sessions with a registered psychologist, mental health social worker, or occupational therapist. Not all grief counselling is covered by Medicare, particularly sessions with counsellors who are not registered under the Medicare system, so it is worth asking your practitioner about costs upfront.

What is the difference between normal grief and prolonged grief disorder?

Normal grief involves intense sadness, longing, and distress that gradually eases over months, though it may resurface around anniversaries and milestones. Prolonged grief disorder (sometimes called complicated grief) is diagnosed when grief remains intensely disabling beyond 12 months after a loss for adults, and significantly interferes with daily life. If you are unsure whether what you are experiencing is prolonged grief, a psychologist or GP can help you assess this and identify the most appropriate support.