Guide
Finding the right fit
The relationship with your professional matters. Here is how to choose someone you feel safe with.
Think about what matters most to you
For some people it is language. For others it is faith, gender, cost, being able to meet by video, or someone who knows their community. Choose two or three things that matter most, and use them as filters on HeartChat.
Check registration
Psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses and occupational therapists must be registered with Ahpra. You can check any of them on the Ahpra public register. Counsellors and psychotherapists should belong to ACA or PACFA. On HeartChat, the “Registration checked” badge means our team checked the registration.
What the research says
Many people prefer a professional who shares their background. Studies have found that people matched by ethnicity or language tend to stay in care longer, and that therapy in a person’s own language can work better. The most important thing is still a warm, respectful relationship where you feel understood.
It is okay to change
If it does not feel right after a few sessions, you can try someone else. You do not need to explain why.
Sources, checked 29 September 2026
- Cabral and Smith (2011), Racial/ethnic matching of clients and therapists in mental health services, Journal of Counseling Psychology
- Griner and Smith (2006), Culturally adapted mental health interventions: a meta-analytic review, Psychotherapy
- Sue and others (1991), Community mental health services for ethnic minority groups, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
- Ahpra: registers of practitioners