Online family counselling from home

Families paying privately, especially in regional areas, shift workers, parents who can't easily travel, and clients referred by charities or community services.

A fee per online session. Lower overheads than a clinic room mean more of each fee is yours, though building a client base takes effort.

• A recognised counselling or family therapy qualification
• Building trust over video
• Comfort with secure online tools
• Managing family dynamics and safety concerns remotely

• Professional indemnity insurance that explicitly covers online sessions, plus clinical supervision
• Check the privacy settings of any video platform, and Australian privacy and health records rules for storing notes
• Have a plan for emergencies and family violence concerns, including knowing the client's location and local support services
• Mandatory reporting and Working with Children Check requirements vary by state, so check where you and your clients live
• Running a business from home may need council approval, so check with your local council
• Medicare rebates generally don't cover counsellors, so check before promising clients a rebate
• Ask an accountant or the ATO about GST and tax

As an estimate, startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $4,000, depending on your secure video tools, home office setup, insurance and supervision. Costs vary with the equipment you already own.

Things to check include professional indemnity cover that explicitly includes online sessions, video platform privacy settings, health records rules, emergency and family violence plans, state mandatory reporting and Working with Children Check rules, council approval for home businesses, Medicare rebates and GST.

As an estimate, monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many families you see and your session fees. Plan for at least about 6 hours a week, plus time for notes and supervision.