Cognitive‐Behaviour Therapy and Psychological Treatments in Australia

Abstract

In this article, we focus on the various recent healthcare reforms in Australia and their implication for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Specifically, we focus on three areas relevant to CBT in Australia. After discussing the background of mental healthcare in Australia, we highlight the impact that recent health reforms have had on the foregrounding of evidence‐based treatment, with CBT as a focus. Second, we consider the limitations to therapy in this country, in particular the 10‐session limit within the Medicare system acting as a limitation on therapy. Finally, we discuss the impact of the acceptance of psychological treatment, and mental illness more generally in Australia.

Key words:

• Australia
• CBT
• cognitive behaviour therapy
• education
• healthcare
• training

Acknowledgement

At the time of drafting the first two versions of this document, Dr. Richard Moulding was an Associate Editor of Australian Psychologist. A/Prof. Ross King was and remains on the Editorial Review Panel of Australian Psychologist. At the time of the third draft, Dr. Richard Moulding is the Editor‐in‐Chief of Clinical Psychologist, and Dr. Maja Nedeljkovic is an Associate Editor of Clinical Psychologist. This article reflects the personal views of the authors and should not in any way be taken to be representative of the views of their associated institutions or journals nor the Australian Psychological Society (APS). The authors would like to thank Dr. Brendan Meagher and Dr. Tamara Cavenett for comments on an earlier draft of this article, along with the anonymous reviewers.