Free Counselling in Melbourne — How Cairnmillar’s Community Clinic Works
Cairnmillar Institute’s Community Clinic offers completely free individual counselling in Melbourne for people aged 4 and over. No referral is required. Services are available through supervised student clinicians across Cairnmillar’s four Melbourne clinic locations, with telehealth also available.
What Is the Cairnmillar Community Clinic?
The Cairnmillar Community Clinic is a fundamental part of Cairnmillar Institute’s not-for-profit initiatives. It upholds Cairnmillar’s commitment to helping people access quality counselling and psychological assessment and treatment.
Cairnmillar Institute is a not-for-profit organisation and registered health promotion charity. Cairnmillar states that 100% of donations are directed to its no-cost counselling services.
The Community Clinic provides free individual counselling and low-cost assessment services through student clinicians across all four of Cairnmillar’s Melbourne clinic locations.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
| Cost | Completely free (individual counselling) |
| Referral required | No |
| GP referral required | No |
| Ages served | 4 years and older |
| Session limit | No limit |
| Locations | Hawthorn East, Melbourne CBD, North Melbourne, Dandenong |
| Telehealth | Available |
| Assessment services | Low-cost assessment options including cognitive, career/vocational and achievement testing/assessment; additional Community Clinic assessment pathways are listed on the Assessments page |
| Medicare bulk billing | Available in some cases — see below |
| Couples or family therapy | Not available via Community Clinic |
Who Delivers the Sessions?
Community Clinic counselling is primarily provided by student clinicians undertaking postgraduate training in psychology, counselling and psychotherapy at Cairnmillar. In some cases, clients may also see generally registered psychologists who are completing further specialist training in clinical psychology.
Before being placed in the clinic, every student clinician goes through an application and interview process. While on placement, they work under close supervision from Psychology Board of Australia-approved supervisors.
Is It Really Free? What About Medicare?
Individual counselling sessions at the Community Clinic are completely free.
In some cases, you may be seen by a registered psychologist who is completing specialist studies in clinical psychology. In this case, sessions may be bulk billed through Medicare — still at no cost to you — if you have an active GP referral and Mental Health Care Plan already in place.
Key points:
- No GP referral is needed to access the Community Clinic
- If you already have a GP referral and Mental Health Care Plan, Medicare bulk billing may apply
- Either way, the session costs you nothing
Who Can Access the Community Clinic?
The Community Clinic offers individual counselling and assessment services to individuals aged 4 years or older. No referral is required to access these services.
Please note: Student clinicians are only able to deliver counselling and assessments for individuals. For couples counselling or family therapy, visit Cairnmillar’s Psychology and Counselling Services page.
Low-Cost Assessments Also Available
In addition to free individual counselling, the Community Clinic offers low-cost assessment services. Cairnmillar’s Community Clinic page specifically lists cognitive, career/vocational and achievement testing/assessment. Its current assessment fee schedule also includes Community Clinic comprehensive, vocational and personality assessment options. The appropriate assessment pathway depends on the person’s needs.
How Many Sessions Can I Have?
There is no stated limit on the number of counselling sessions that can be accessed through the Community Clinic. However, student clinicians undertake placements for a limited period. When a clinician’s placement finishes, a handover to another student clinician may sometimes be possible depending on incoming clinician availability. Clients are also welcome to reconnect with the Community Clinic at a later time.
Where Are Sessions Available?
The Community Clinic operates across all four of Cairnmillar’s Melbourne clinic locations:
- Hawthorn East
- Melbourne CBD
- North Melbourne
- Dandenong
Sessions are also available via telehealth. Telehealth links are typically sent by the student clinician on the day of the scheduled appointment. If you have not received a link 10 minutes before your appointment, check your spam or junk folder. If still nothing, call 1800 391 393.
How to Book
No GP referral or Mental Health Care Plan is needed.
Step 1: Submit an appointment request online or contact the Cairnmillar Clinic team.
Step 2: A clinical administration team member will contact you to commence the triage process.
Step 3: If the Community Clinic pathway is appropriate, an initial 30-minute intake call will be booked. Once this appointment is booked, you should receive an appointment confirmation and welcome email containing a link to Cairnmillar’s online registration form.
Step 4: Complete the registration form before your intake call, as it contains important information about consent and confidentiality.
Step 5: The intake call helps Cairnmillar assess whether the Community Clinic is appropriate for your needs and assists in matching you with a suitable student clinician.
📞 1800 391 393 🌐 cairnmillar.org.au/clinic/community-clinic
Community Clinic vs Registered Clinician Services — What Is the Difference?
| Feature | Community Clinic | Registered Clinician Services |
| Cost | Free | Fee applies |
| Who delivers sessions | Student clinicians under supervision | Registered psychologists and other qualified clinicians, depending on the service |
| Referral required | No | No for private access; an eligible referral/Mental Health Care Plan is required where claiming applicable Medicare rebates |
| Ages | 4 and over | Varies by service |
| Telehealth | Available | Available for selected services; availability varies by service |
| Session limit | No limit stated | Contact clinic |
| Assessment services | Low-cost cognitive, career, vocational | Comprehensive and complex assessments |
| Couples and family | Not available | Available |
| ASD assessments | Low-cost Community Clinic assessment options | Comprehensive, diagnostic and brief assessment pathways, depending on need |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Cairnmillar Community Clinic really free?
Yes. Individual counselling sessions through the Community Clinic are completely free. In some cases, clients may see a registered psychologist who is completing specialist clinical psychology training. Where the client has an active GP referral and Mental Health Care Plan, these sessions may be bulk billed through Medicare and remain at no cost to the client.
Q: Do I need a referral to access the Cairnmillar Community Clinic?
No referral is required. Contact the clinic directly by phone or online appointment request.
Q: What age group can access the Community Clinic?
The Community Clinic provides services to individuals aged 4 years and over.
Q: Who are the student clinicians?
Cairnmillar’s student clinicians undertake postgraduate training in psychology, counselling or psychotherapy. Some are also generally registered psychologists completing further training in clinical psychology. Before placement, student clinicians go through an application and interview process and work under close supervision from Psychology Board of Australia-approved supervisors.
Q: How many free sessions can I have?
There is no stated limit on the number of Community Clinic counselling sessions. However, student clinicians are on placement for a limited period. When a placement finishes, a handover to another student clinician may sometimes occur depending on incoming clinician availability.
Q: Can couples or families access the Community Clinic?
No. Student clinicians can only deliver counselling for individuals. For couples or family therapy, visit Cairnmillar’s Psychology and Counselling Services page.
Q: Is telehealth available?
Yes. Telehealth links are typically sent on the day of the appointment. If not received 10 minutes before, check spam and then call 1800 391 393.
Q: Are low-cost assessments available?
Yes. Cairnmillar’s Community Clinic lists low-cost cognitive, career/vocational and achievement testing/assessment. The current assessment fee schedule also includes Community Clinic comprehensive, vocational and personality assessment options. Low-cost assessments specifically for autism are not available through the Community Clinic.
Q: What do I do if I have not received a registration form?
Contact the clinic on 1800 391 393. Your welcome email containing the registration form link should arrive after your intake call is booked.
Crisis Support
If you need urgent mental health or crisis support, Cairnmillar maintains a current list of crisis and specialist support services on its Community Clinic page. Please refer to its Crisis Numbers section for the latest contact details and operating information.
| Service | Number | Hours |
| Emergency Services | 000 | 24/7 |
| Lifeline | 13 11 14 | 24/7 |
| SuicideLine Victoria | 1300 651 251 | 24/7 |
| BeyondBlue | 1300 224 636 | 24/7 |
| MensLine Australia | 1300 789 978 | 24/7 |
| Kids Helpline | 1800 551 800 | 24/7 |
| Safe Steps | 1800 015 188 | 24/7 |
| 13YARN (First Nations) | 13 92 76 | 24/7 |