Almost six in 10 people waiting for counselling at a Gosnells community organisation need financial assistance to access mental health support.
Women’s Health & Wellbeing Services (WHWS) has 76 people on its waiting list, including 44 seeking free or subsidised counselling.
The organisation says more people are struggling to afford appointments, with some cancelling sessions because they cannot pay the fee that week.
WHWS Community Partnerships and Business Development Manager Rebecca McCready said rising living costs were forcing some families to put their mental health needs aside.
“Rent, groceries, medications, clothing and fuel come first, so counselling gets dropped or is delayed until things reach crisis point,” she said.
A standard counselling session at WHWS costs $171.55, or $151.55 for concession card holders.
Eligible clients receiving $101.55 in government or Medicare funding are still left with a gap payment of $50 to $70.
“It is easy to say ‘how much is your mental health worth?’ but the reality is that for many of our clients $50 is out of their reach,” Ms McCready said.
The organisation said many people seeking financial assistance were single parents and low-income families dealing with domestic violence, trauma, grief, anxiety and depression.
Some families also face long waits for affordable counselling elsewhere, with WHWS reporting that clients have experienced waiting periods of up to 12 months across Perth’s south-east.
Ms McCready said the organisation had received more referrals from other services, including those that had lost funding, reduced their services or closed.
She said greater awareness of WHWS through schools, GPs and community organisations had also contributed to the growing demand.
Since March 2024, the organisation’s Financial Hardship Pool has supported 378 clients through 2,554 free or subsidised counselling sessions.
The pool is supported through a partnership with Community Bank Canning Vale, which has contributed $141,500 since 2024, with a further $57,000 confirmed for 2026.
However, the current waiting list shows that financial assistance remains a significant need among people seeking counselling through the service.
WHWS said some families were delaying support until their circumstances became more difficult, while others continued searching for affordable appointments.
The organisation also provides free family therapy for families with children aged 25 and under, alongside its counselling services.
