10 Tips to Start a Counselling Business in Australia [Step-by-step]

With the rising demand for mental health services, counsellors can find a fulfilling career while making a positive difference in their communities. 

However, the process of establishing a counselling practice involves much more than just completing formal qualifications.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the key steps (or “tips”) you should consider when starting a counselling business in Australia. 

No matter if you’re newly qualified or looking to transition from employment into private practice, this guide will help you lay a strong foundation for a successful and ethically sound counselling service.

1. Complete Formal Qualifications

Although there is no strict legal requirement in Australia stating you must hold a specific qualification to call yourself a counsellor, having recognised credentials is vital for credibility and professional development. 

Clients often look for counsellors who can demonstrate both theoretical knowledge and clinical expertise.

🔶 Entry-Level Pathways

For entry-level positions, a common starting point is the Diploma of Counselling (CHC51015). This diploma provides foundational counselling skills, including active listening techniques, understanding various counselling theories, and developing basic therapeutic strategies.

🔶 Higher Education

To build a more robust skill set and attract a broader client base, many aspiring counsellors progress to completing a Bachelor of Counselling or an equivalent tertiary-level qualification. This degree program covers in-depth psychological theories, advanced counselling methodologies, and often includes supervised practical placements. 

🔶 Continuous Professional Development

Even after formal studies, ongoing professional development (CPD) is essential. 

The mental health field evolves continuously, and keeping your skills and knowledge up to date ensures that you deliver the best possible care to your clients.
CPD can include attending workshops, online courses, conferences, and regular supervision sessions with a more experienced practitioner.

2. Join Relevant Associations

Becoming a member of industry associations such as the Australian Counsellors Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) can lend substantial credibility to your practice.

These organisations set professional standards, provide ethical guidelines, and offer a wealth of resources to support their members.

🔶 Networking Opportunities

Associations often host conferences, webinars, and local meet-ups that allow you to connect with other professionals in the counselling field. 

Such networking opportunities can lead to valuable collaborations, peer referrals, and mentorship possibilities, all crucial elements when starting out.

🔶 Professional Development and Advocacy

By joining an association, you also gain access to workshops, online learning materials, and research publications that keep you informed about the latest developments in mental health. Moreover, these bodies often advocate for counsellors’ interests at both state and federal government levels, ensuring the profession remains recognised and well-supported.

3. Decide on Your Speciality

While it’s possible to offer general counselling services, the counselling market in Australia is relatively saturated. 

Specialising allows you to target a more specific demographic and stand out from other practitioners. 

🔶 Aligning Your Skills and Passions

Choosing a speciality should ideally reflect both your personal interests and your areas of expertise. 

If you have a strong affinity for helping teenagers deal with stress and anxiety, for example, adolescent counselling might be a natural fit. 

On the other hand, if you’re passionate about helping couples strengthen their bond, relationship counselling could be your niche.

🔶 Building Your Reputation

Over time, clients who have received successful outcomes may refer you to others with similar issues, thereby expanding your client base more quickly than a generic, broad-based approach might.

4. Register Your Business

Before accepting clients, you’ll need to handle some administrative tasks to officially set up your counselling business. 

The Business Registration Service in Australia allows you to apply for:

🔶 Selecting a Business Structure

Typical business structures include:

Pro Tip

Starting a counselling business in Australia requires an Australian Business Number (ABN) to operate legally and streamline financial management.

ANNA Money simplifies the registration process, offering a hassle-free way to set up your business, manage tax reporting, and keep your finances organised.

Here’s how the process works:

1️⃣ Simple ABN Registration

2️⃣ Confirm Your Business Details

3️⃣ Instant ABN Notification

Beyond ABN registration, ANNA provides additional features to help you run your counselling business smoothly:

✅ Company Registration – If you’re setting up a private practice as a company, ANNA takes care of the registration process hassle-free.

✅ Business Document Management – Store receipts, invoices, and essential business documents in one place. ANNA automatically matches transactions and extracts key details for easy record-keeping.

✅ Tax & Compliance Management – Stay on top of your tax obligations with ANNA’s automated tax calculations, Goods and Services Tax (GST) reporting, and annual company tax return lodgment (BAS).

✅ Invoice Management – Create professional invoices instantly and let ANNA chase unpaid invoices automatically to ensure timely payments.

✅ Virtual Business Address – Protect your privacy by using a virtual address instead of sharing your home address publicly.

5. Organise Insurance

Insurance is a critical aspect of running a counselling business, protecting both you and your clients from unexpected events. 

Here are some key insurance types to consider:

6. Establish Your Online Presence

Your online presence is often the first point of contact for potential clients. 

Even if your practice is mostly in-person, having a professional website and active social media profiles can significantly increase your visibility and credibility.

🔶 Building a Professional Website

Your website should be:

🔶 Social Media and Content Marketing

Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram can help you connect with potential clients and share useful mental health tips. 

A blog on your website is another powerful way to establish yourself as an authority. 

You can publish articles about coping strategies, stress management, or insights into your specialty area.

Over time, consistent, quality content can drive organic traffic to your site and foster trust.

7. Comply with Legal and Ethical Requirements

Counsellors in Australia are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) to protect client information. So, you must have policies and procedures in place to securely store and manage client records, whether they’re physical or digital. 

Breaches of confidentiality can have serious legal and ethical repercussions, so investing in robust data protection measures is non-negotiable.

🔶 Ethical Guidelines

Professional bodies like the ACA and PACFA each have codes of ethics that outline standards for professional conduct. These guidelines cover topics such as:

🔶 Contracts and Informed Consent

Before you begin sessions, it’s wise to have clients sign a service agreement or contract. This document should outline:

8. Develop a Business Plan

Key elements to include in your business plan are:

This document is valuable for clarifying your vision for external stakeholders (e.g., banks, investors, or business partners) but also serves as a personal guide. 

Revisit your business plan periodically can help you track progress, adapt to changes, and stay aligned with your core objectives.

9. Set Up Financial Systems

Proper financial management is vital for the stability and longevity of your counselling business. Even if you’re operating as a sole trader, separate your personal and business finances by opening a dedicated bank account for the business.

This makes it easier to track expenses, income, and profit margins.

🔶 Tax Obligations

10. Secure Necessary Licences and Checks

Depending on your speciality area, you may need specific licences or checks. 

For instance, if you plan to counsel children, you’ll need a Working with Children Check (WWCC), which is mandatory in every Australian state or territory, although the process and name of the check may vary (e.g., Blue Card in Queensland).

🔶 National Police Certificate

Some clients or workplaces, especially if you work with government agencies or certain community organisations, might require you to hold a National Police Certificate. 

This check verifies whether you have any criminal history that could impede your ability to work with vulnerable populations.

🔶 Other Professional Requirements

When you join associations such as ACA or PACFA, they may have additional guidelines or specific training requirements (e.g., first aid certification) that you must maintain. Always review the membership criteria thoroughly to ensure you remain compliant.

Common Challenges (and How to Overcome Them)

Starting a new counselling business in Australia isn’t without its hurdles. 

Below are some frequent obstacles and quick tips for overcoming them:

1. Financial Uncertainty: Create a realistic budget. Factor in rent or mortgage for an office, utilities, insurance, marketing costs, and software subscriptions. Aim to have at least 3–6 months of operating costs in reserve.

2. Building a Client Base: Develop a well-rounded marketing strategy that combines word-of-mouth referrals, social media outreach, local partnerships, and search engine optimisation (SEO) for your website.

3. Managing Work-Life Balance: Set clear working hours. Use scheduling software to organise appointments, and learn to say no when you’re at capacity to prevent burnout.

4. Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome: Join peer supervision groups or seek a professional mentor. Regularly attending workshops and conferences can also boost your confidence and professional competence.

4, Competitive Pricing: Research what other counsellors with similar qualifications charge in your area. You can choose to offer a sliding scale for clients in financial hardship while still setting a rate that reflects the value of your services.

Final Thoughts

Starting a counselling business in Australia offers the opportunity to create a meaningful career centered on helping people improve their mental well-being. 

However, success in this field requires more than just empathy and listening skills. 

You’ll need to invest time in acquiring robust qualifications, adhere to legal and ethical guidelines, develop a strong marketing presence, and carefully manage your finances.

This is where ANNA Money can help. 

From seamless ABN registration to company setup, invoicing, and tax management, ANNA simplifies the administrative side of your business.

With automated bookkeeping, tax reporting, and financial insights, you can focus on your clients while ensuring your business remains compliant and financially stable. 

Additionally, ANNA provides a virtual office address for privacy, document storage for easy record-keeping, and invoice tracking to help you get paid faster. 

By handling the operational challenges, ANNA allows you to concentrate on what matters most – providing quality counselling services and growing your practice with confidence.

Sign up today and discover how easy managing a business can be!