Telehealth Counselling, From the Comfort of Home

Celia Dunsmore is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) offering secure video counselling to clients across Australia. Same counsellor, same 50-minute sessions, same care as in person — from wherever you feel most comfortable. Sessions are $225.57, reduced to $136.07 after the Medicare rebate of $89.50 with a valid Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

If leaving home feels hard right now — because of anxiety, distance, health, or simply where life is at — that's not a reason to wait for support. It's often the very reason to reach for it.

Why counselling from home matters

For a lot of people, the hardest part of counselling isn't the conversation — it's everything before it. The travel. The waiting room. Being seen walking in. For someone living with anxiety or social discomfort, those hurdles can be the exact thing that keeps support out of reach.

Telehealth quietly removes those hurdles. You can talk with Celia from your own couch, in a space that already feels safe. Being able to open up from home isn't a lesser version of counselling — for many people, it's what makes counselling possible at all.

Real counselling, with a real counsellor

Telehealth with Celia isn't an app, a chatbot, or TV-style pop psychology. It's a proper counselling relationship with an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker — registered with Medicare and the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), with over 25 years of clinical experience. Online sessions draw on the same evidence-based approaches used in person, including CBT, EMDR, ACT, and Internal Family Systems.

Who telehealth may suit

• People whose anxiety or social anxiety makes travel and waiting rooms feel like a barrier
• Anyone in regional or rural Australia, far from in-person counselling options
• Parents and carers who can't easily leave home
• People living with mobility limitations, chronic illness, or fatigue
• Those with demanding schedules who need sessions to fit around work
• Anyone who simply feels safer and more open talking from their own space

Prefer to meet in person, or a mix of both? Celia also sees clients face to face in Brunswick and Coburg, Melbourne. You can move between telehealth and in-person sessions as your needs change.

How telehealth sessions work

1. Start with a free 15-minute phone chat — a relaxed phone conversation, no video and no forms, to see whether working together feels right. No commitment needed.
2. Receive your secure session link — before your session, Celia sends a private video link. Nothing complicated to install or set up.
3. Find a quiet spot and join — somewhere you feel comfortable. The session is the same 50 minutes of focused, unhurried care.

All you need is a phone, tablet or computer with a camera, and a reliable internet connection. Sessions run on a secure video platform, handled in line with Australian privacy standards.

Fees & Medicare for telehealth

Sessions are $225.57 (50 minutes). With a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, the Medicare rebate of $89.50 applies to telehealth just as it does in person — reducing your cost to $136.07 per session, for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. See fees & Medicare details.

Frequently asked questions about telehealth counselling

Is telehealth counselling as effective as meeting in person?

For many concerns — including anxiety and depression — research consistently shows online counselling can be as effective as meeting in person. What matters most is the relationship you build with your counsellor, and that works over a screen too.

Do Medicare rebates apply to telehealth sessions?

Yes. Telehealth sessions attract the same Medicare rebate as in-person sessions — $89.50 per session with a valid Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, for up to 10 sessions per calendar year.

What do I need for a telehealth session?

A phone, tablet, or computer with a camera and microphone, a reliable internet connection, and a reasonably private space. Celia sends you a secure link before your session.

I'm nervous about video calls — is that okay?

Completely okay, and very common. Celia offers a free 15-minute phone chat first — no video — where you can ask questions and see how it feels.

What happens if the connection drops mid-session?

If the video drops out, Celia will call you on the phone number you've provided so the session can continue or be rearranged.

Take the first step — from wherever you are

Start with a free 15-minute phone chat. Call or text 0438 593 071, or send a short message via the contact page — whichever feels easiest.

Medicare provider · Confidential · No pressure, no obligation