Telehealth Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Women in Australia
Written by Natasha Kiemel-Incorvaia, Registered Psychologist (PSY0001977411) | Last updated: 29 April 2026
I offer CBT via secure telehealth to women and girls aged 15 and over across Australia. CBT can support difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, panic, OCD and stress-related presentations in a structured, skills-based way. Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) rebated appointments are available for CBT with a valid referral.
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely researched psychological treatments available. It is structured, collaborative and goal-oriented, and it works by helping you understand the relationships between your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviours.
CBT is built on a the idea that the way you think about a situation shapes how you feel and what you do, and the way you behave then that feeds back into how you think and feel. When this loop becomes unhelpful, you may notice patterns such as repetitive worry, low mood, avoidance of difficult situations, or behaviours that bring short-term relief but maintain the difficulty over time.
In CBT, you learn to identify these patterns, test the thoughts that drive them, and experiment with new responses that better match what you actually want for your life.
CBT as a Standalone Approach
CBT can be used as the primary modality for your therapy and at times is recommended as a first-line treatment for many presentations because of its strong research base.
CBT may suit you as a standalone approach if you:
Prefer a structured, focused approach with clear skills and practice between sessions
Want practical tools you can apply in daily life
Are looking for a treatment with a strong evidence base
Would like time-limited therapy with a defined focus and measurable progress
Are dealing with a specific presentation such as panic, OCD, social anxiety, phobias or low mood
CBT can also be combined with other approaches when that better suits your needs. The choice of approach is collaborative and based on what fits you, your symptoms and your preferences.
How CBT works
CBT works by helping you see the cycles between thoughts, feelings, body responses and behaviour, and then gradually changing those patterns so they are less distressing and more helpful.
Identifying patterns
Together, you and your psychologist map out the specific thoughts, emotions, body responses and behaviours that show up in difficult situations. This step alone often brings clarity and can reduce the sense of being overwhelmed.
Testing thoughts
Many distressing thoughts feel true in the moment but do not always hold up under closer examination. CBT teaches you to step back, notice the thought, and ask whether it is accurate, helpful, or based on the full picture, including spotting common unhelpful thinking patterns such as all‑or‑nothing thinking or jumping to conclusions.
Changing behaviour
Avoidance, reassurance-seeking, perfectionism and other behaviours often bring short-term relief while maintaining the longer-term problem. CBT supports you to gradually try new responses, often through structured behavioural experiments, so that your nervous system can learn that the feared outcome does not occur, or is manageable when it does.
When anxiety shows up in your body, for example with a racing heart, tight chest, dizziness or "butterflies," CBT can help you understand this as a natural fight‑or‑flight response and learn ways to respond to it more calmly.
Developing Skills You Can Use Beyond Therapy
CBT is designed to give you tools you can keep using after therapy ends. The aim is not to depend on therapy indefinitely, but to develop a clearer understanding of your own patterns and a set of practical skills you can keep using and building on between sessions and after therapy ends.
Is CBT Effective Via Telehealth?
Research suggests CBT can be delivered effectively via telehealth for many presentations. Its structured nature, use of worksheets, between-session practice and clear session goals all translate well to a video format. In sessions, Natasha often uses the whiteboard within Zoom to create an interactive, visual map of your thoughts, feelings, body responses and behaviours, and can provide you with a copy after the appointment for your own reference.
Research also shows that CBT delivered via telehealth can produce outcomes comparable to in‑person CBT for a range of presentations, including anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD and insomnia. For some clients, the convenience of telehealth supports better attendance and follow-through with between-session practice, both of which directly affect how well CBT works.
All sessions are delivered via secure video to clients across Australia.
Ready to talk about whether CBT via telehealth is right for you?
Book an initial appointment or call 0457 427 876.
What an Online CBT Session May Look Like
CBT sessions are typically structured, with a clear focus for each appointment. A standard session may include:
A brief check-in on how the week has been
Review of any practice or experiments from the previous session
A focused piece of work on the current goal (for example examining a thought pattern, planning a behavioural experiment, or building a coping skill)
Agreement on what to practise before the next session
The pace and intensity are adjusted to suit you. While CBT is structured, it is not rigid, and your psychologist will adapt the work to your energy and what is going on for you.
Who CBT may suit
CBT may be a good fit if you:
Prefer a structured, skills-based approach, with clear goals and practice between sessions
Are dealing with anxiety, panic, OCD, phobias, social anxiety or depression
Appreciate having a clear plan and tracking your progress over time
Are open to trying new ways of thinking and responding between sessions
Are looking for time-limited therapy with a defined focus
Who CBT May Not Suit as a Sole Approach
CBT is highly effective for many presentations, and there are circumstances where it works better in combination with other approaches, or where another approach may be a better starting point:
Complex or developmental trauma, where body-based approaches such as EMDR or Sensorimotor Psychotherapy may be needed alongside CBT
Clients who find cognitive work difficult to access due to dissociation or significant nervous system dysregulation
Clients for whom previous CBT has not produced lasting change despite engagement
Presentations driven primarily by unresolved trauma rather than current thinking patterns
In some situations, CBT is most effective as part of a broader treatment plan involving your GP or psychiatrist. Your psychologist will discuss with you whether CBT alone, CBT combined with other approaches, or a different approach altogether is the best fit for your needs.
Telehealth CBT with Natasha
Natasha Kiemel-Incorvaia is a Registered Psychologist with over 10 years of experience supporting women and girls aged 15 and over across Australia. Natasha is trained in CBT and uses it as a primary approach with many clients, particularly for anxiety, depression, panic, OCD and stress-related presentations. CBT can also be combined with EMDR, ACT, DBT, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy or mindfulness-based approaches when that best suits your needs.
As a solo telehealth practice, you meet with Natasha for each session, supporting continuity throughout your CBT work so you are not retelling your story to different clinicians.
If you would like to know more about Natasha’s background and approach, you can visit the About page.
Appointment Length and Cost
Initial appointments are 60 minutes; all subsequent appointments are 50 minutes.
Initial 60-minute appointment: $230
Subsequent 50-minute appointments: $215
A Medicare rebate of $98.95 is available with a valid Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your GP. Visit our Appointments page for full pricing and our Medicare rebate information page for more information about MHCPs.
Ready to Explore CBT?
If you would like to start CBT, or discuss whether it suits your needs, you can:
Book an initial appointment online by visiting our Halaxy booking page
OR
Call our friendly admin team on 0457 427 876.
An initial appointment is a chance to talk through what you are experiencing, ask questions, and get a sense of whether CBT feels like a good fit for you. It is not a commitment to ongoing therapy if it does not feel right.
Frequently Asked Questions about Online CBT
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?
CBT is a structured, evidence-based psychological treatment that helps you understand the relationships between your thoughts, emotions, body responses and behaviours, and gradually change the patterns that keep difficulties going. It is one of the most widely researched psychological treatments and is recommended as a first-line treatment for many anxiety and depression-related presentations.
What can CBT help with?
CBT has the strongest evidence base for anxiety, panic, OCD, phobias, social anxiety, low mood and depression. It can also support stress-related presentations, sleep difficulties and some trauma-related difficulties.
Does CBT actually work?
CBT has one of the largest evidence bases of any psychological treatment, with hundreds of randomised controlled trials supporting its effectiveness for anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD and related presentations. Outcomes depend on factors such as the presentation being treated, engagement with between-session practice, and fit between client and therapist.
Is CBT available by telehealth in Australia?
Yes. CBT appointments with Natasha are available via secure telehealth for women and girls aged 15 and over across Australia. Research shows CBT delivered via telehealth produces outcomes comparable to in-person CBT for many presentations, including anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD and insomnia.
How many sessions of CBT do I need?
CBT is typically time-limited, with many presentations responding within 8 to 20 sessions. The number of sessions depends on the presentation, its severity and your goals, and is something Natasha will discuss with you during your initial appointment.
How much does CBT cost?
Initial 60-minute appointments are $230 and subsequent 50-minute appointments are $215. A Medicare rebate of $98.95 is available with a valid Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.
Can I get a Medicare rebate for CBT?
Yes, a Medicare rebate of $98.95 is available for each appointment if you have a valid Mental Health Care Plan from your GP. The Mental Health Care Plan provides access to up to 10 rebated sessions per calendar year.
What happens in an online CBT session?
Online CBT sessions are typically structured and usually include a brief check-in, review of any practice from the previous session, focused work on a current goal such as examining a thought pattern or planning a behavioural experiment, and agreement on what to practise before the next session. Sessions are delivered via secure video and Natasha often uses an interactive whiteboard to map thoughts, feelings and behaviours together.
Is CBT suitable for trauma?
CBT can be helpful for some trauma-related difficulties, particularly when symptoms are maintained by current thinking patterns. Complex or developmental trauma may require CBT to be combined with body-based approaches such as EMDR or Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, or for one of those approaches to be used as the primary modality.
Who is CBT not suitable for?
CBT may not be the best standalone approach for clients with complex or developmental trauma, those who find cognitive work difficult to access due to dissociation or significant nervous system dysregulation, or clients for whom previous CBT has not produced lasting change despite engagement. In these situations, CBT may work better in combination with other approaches.
How do I book a CBT appointment?
You can book an initial appointment online through the Halaxy booking page or call the admin team on 0457 427 876. The initial appointment is a chance to talk through what you are experiencing, ask questions, and decide whether CBT feels like a good fit, with no commitment to ongoing therapy.
References
Andrews, G., Basu, A., Cuijpers, P., Craske, M. G., McEvoy, P., English, C. L., & Newby, J. M. (2018). Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: An updated meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 55, 70–78.
Beck, J. S. (2020). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
Carlbring, P., Andersson, G., Cuijpers, P., Riper, H., & Hedman-Lagerlöf, E. (2018). Internet-based vs. face-to-face cognitive behavior therapy for psychiatric and somatic disorders: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 47(1), 1–18.
Carpenter, J. K., Andrews, L. A., Witcraft, S. M., Powers, M. B., Smits, J. A. J., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and related disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Depression and Anxiety, 35(6), 502–514.
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440.