The 5 Best Psychotherapists in Canberra for Deep Healing
Life can leave you scattered, stuck, or weighed down by old patterns that never quite loosen their grip.
That’s the moment the best psychotherapist in Canberra can make all the difference.
Some people start with local psychologists for assessments and structured therapy, and others turn to hypnotherapists for targeted behavioural goals.
A good psychotherapist gives you a safe space to work through trauma, relationship stress, or burnout and helps you find your feet again at a pace that feels manageable. So I looked across the city for practitioners who do exactly that.
How much does it cost to see a psychotherapist in Canberra?
Seeing a psychotherapist in Canberra typically costs $120 to $350+ per session, though your final out-of-pocket cost depends on the practitioner’s qualifications and your eligibility for Medicare rebates.
| Practitioner Type | Typical Fee Per Session |
| Registered Counsellors / Psychotherapists | $80 to $180 |
| General Psychologists | $150 to $250 |
| Clinical Psychologists | $250 to $350+ |
1. Empathic – Psychotherapy & Counselling
Website: empathic.com.au
Areas Served: Watson, North Canberra
Contact: [email protected]
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Empathic – Psychotherapy & Counselling gives teen girls and adult women a calm space to work through stress, trauma, fertility worries, or relationship changes.
Tracey Mansted, the psychotherapist behind the practice, brings more than 25 years of experience to her work.
She uses psychodynamic therapy, which looks at how the past shapes the present, and also offers gentle talk therapy with Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping.
I like that the practice welcomes neurodivergent clients and puts real focus on self-esteem, mindfulness, and getting to know yourself better.
A close friend of mine has shared her therapy journey with Tracey and often mentions how safe and deeply heard she feels during sessions.
Just keep in mind the client focus. Because this practice primarily supports female clients, it may not suit people looking for broader family therapy or a mixed-demographic clinic.
2. Mindscape Therapy
Website: mindscapetherapy.com.au
Address: Francis Chambers, Level 3, Suite 15/40 Corinna St
Contact: (02) 5110 3700
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Deep trauma, heavy stress, and strong emotional patterns often need more than general life coaching, and that’s what Mindscape Therapy is built for.
Based in Phillip, the clinic brings together a team of psychologists and social workers, so you get support from more than one angle.
What really won me over is how clearly they match each approach to a specific need. They offer Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) for trauma. They also run Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills groups for teens and young adults.
That makes the service handy if you want real tools to manage your emotions alongside deeper therapy work.
The trade-off is that this is a fairly clinical environment. It may feel too intensive for someone who only wants light support. Also, the services aren’t aimed at young children.
3. ACT Complete Therapy
Website: actcompletetherapy.com.au
Address: Rowland House, 5/10 Thesiger Court
Contact: 0461 517 785
Hours: Monday to Wednesday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Thursday to Saturday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Sunday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Blending strategic psychotherapy with clinical hypnotherapy, ACT Complete Therapy keeps treatment short and practical, with tools for anxiety, procrastination, stress, or bad habits.
The focus is on how your current patterns are kept in place and how they can be changed.
Based in Deakin, the practice is led by primary practitioner Mike van Diemen, who works with adults, teens, and children. The weekend availability also makes it more flexible than many small clinics.
When I spoke with a local client who used the service for stress management, they kept coming back to how quickly they learned coping tools they could actually use.
The catch is the model itself. Because the service leans heavily on short, hypnotherapy-based care, it may not suit someone who wants long-term, open-ended talk therapy with a choice of therapists.
4. Manuka Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Website: manukacounselling.com.au
Address: 1/27 Murray Crescent
Contact: Contact form via website
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Family rifts, relationship strain, and co-parenting after a split rarely sit with just one person. That’s where the team at Manuka Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy comes in, with mediation support too.
They bring together counsellors, family therapists, and social workers who all work in a trauma-aware way, so clients have more than one kind of support to lean on.
It’s reassuring that they help individuals, couples, and families, rather than treating relationship stress as a one-person issue.
They also use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help couples repair shaky bonds and communicate in healthier ways. Another plus is that you don’t need a general practitioner referral before booking.
One negative thing worth noting is consistency. Because this is a larger team, the experience can vary depending on which practitioner you see and which specialisations they bring.
5. The Em Collective
Website: theemcollective.co
Areas Served: Canberra, ACT
Contact: [email protected]
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, By Appointment
Sometimes, plain talk therapy isn’t enough on its own. The Em Collective takes a more holistic route for people going through big life changes, burnout, or relationship breakdowns.
Founded by Emma Manton, the practice mixes counselling with other wellness tools, including kinesiology (a hands-on, movement-based approach), mindfulness, and yoga therapy.
I’m a fan of the mind-body focus here. The sessions are built to help clients spot the beliefs holding them back while building up confidence, self-trust, and steadier ways to cope.
The free 30-minute introductory phone call is also helpful, because it lets you get a feel for Emma’s approach before committing financially.
One limitation is availability. Since this is a single-practitioner service with appointments limited to specific weekdays, it may take patience to find a session time that works.