Couples counsellor in rented consulting rooms

Couples paying privately, often found through Google, GP and other practitioner referrals, or word of mouth.

A set fee per session, usually 60 to 90 minutes. Income grows as your referrals build and your calendar fills.

• Active listening and calm presence
• Handling conflict between two people fairly
• Counselling qualification and ongoing supervision
• Basic business admin and record keeping

• Counselling is not licensed in the same way as some health professions, but clients and referrers expect recognised qualifications and association membership, so check what applies
• Professional indemnity insurance is essential, check what your policy covers for couples work
• Check whether Medicare or private health rebates apply to your services, as they often do not for counsellors
• Screen for family violence and know when to refer on, couples work is not suitable for every situation
• Privacy laws apply to client records, check your obligations for secure storage
• Income builds slowly at first, so plan to keep other income while you build referrals

Startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on room hire, insurance, marketing and record-keeping setup. Check what your professional indemnity policy covers for couples work before you take clients.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many couples you see and your session fees. Income builds slowly at first, so plan to keep other income while you build referrals.

Check what qualifications and association membership clients and referrers expect, as counselling isn't licensed like some health professions. Also check professional indemnity cover, whether Medicare or private rebates apply, privacy obligations for client records, and when to refer on after screening for family violence.