Work With Us
We have just completed a recruitment round and have paused recruitment while we process applications.
New Expressions of Interest are very welcome, but you can expect a wait of up to 8 weeks before your application is reviewed.
In the meantime, we encourage you to watch the Information Video and read the Information Pack.
Thank you for your interest in Rough Patch.
About Rough Patch
Rough Patch Affordable Counselling is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to making quality mental health care more affordable and accessible. We offer reduced-fee counselling on a sliding scale to people who may otherwise be unable to afford it. In addition to our mission of making mental healthcare more affordable and accessible for clients, we are equally invested in offering robust support to counsellors in private practice and promoting excellence in counselling by fostering a collaborative Community of Practice where therapists learn, grow and thrive.
At Rough Patch we have built a supportive, warm and collegial community for our counsellors. We understand that therapists can feel isolated or miss out on learning and support opportunities in solo private practice. We’ve cultivated a nurturing environment where counsellors can feel genuinely supported and “held” by their colleagues and Rough Patch management.
Our community also gives counsellors the opportunity to learn from clinicians across a diverse range of specialties and backgrounds. Through case consultations, training and conversation, counsellors expand their clinical skills by being exposed to new perspectives and areas of expertise by their colleagues.
Join Our Team
We’re always looking for skilled, compassionate therapists who believe in the importance of accessible mental healthcare. Working with Rough Patch allows you to develop as a private practitioner within a like-minded, supportive community while offering affordable counselling to those in need.
As a Rough Patch therapist, you’ll:
- Set your own hours
- Receive enquiries from Rough Patch clients seeking reduced-fee counselling
- Be part of a professional, collaborative network with access to peer support, clinical supervision, peer supervision and training.
- Enjoy the independence of running your own business with the robust support of our Community of Practice, without the isolation that often comes with private practice.
Who We’re Looking For
We welcome applications from registered counsellors, psychotherapists, social workers and psychologists who:
- Hold a Bachelor degree or postgraduate degree in counselling, psychology or social work
- Hold a professional registration (PACFA, ACA, AASW, AHPRA or equivalent).
- Are passionate about accessible, affordable counselling and agree to work within our sliding-scale structure
- Work from a trauma-literate, anti-oppressive and liberatory framework consistent with our mission and values
- Value collaboration, community and collegiality, and actively participate in the Community of Practice
We are continuously seeking applications from people who hold marginalised identities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people of colour and culturally diverse people, people with disabilities, people with diverse bodies, LGBTQIA+ people, gender-expansive people and neurodivergent people. If you hold a marginalised identity and you require support completing the application, please contact us.
How to Apply
Before applying, it is crucial that you read the Counsellor Info Pack (click here) and watch a recording of a Counsellor Info Session (click here). This ensures that you have all the information you need before you apply.
In place of the traditional recruitment process, we use an Expression of Interest. This replaces a cover letter and resume, giving us a more detailed sense of your training, experience and approaches and how these align with Rough Patch’s mission and values. The Expression of Interest is lengthy, and we encourage you to write your answers in a separate document before copy/pasting your answers into the web form.
Please note: recruitment is very costly and time-consuming for grassroots organisations like Rough Patch. We receive a large volume of applicants every week, especially during recruitment drives. For this reason, we ask you to ensure you’ve read and watched the information provided before applying, so we can use your interview time for getting to know you better.
