MENTAL health professionals in Warwick fear for their clients' wellbeing now that changes to Medicare rebates have taken effect.

Those changes, which were introduced in October, include reducing the number of Medicare-subsidised sessions with a psychologist from a maximum of 18 to a maximum of 10 each year.

Centre for Healthy Living counselling psychologist Jan Dugan said the reduced number of sessions puts a strain on clients.

"You have to build trust with a client, which doesn't happen straight away," she said.

"I've had a person who I had seen three times and just before the end of the fourth session, near the end of our session, he said he had to tell me something important.

"They have to trust you and feel you'll treat this very sensitive piece of information correctly, which takes time."

Mrs Dugan said with the reduced number of sessions, counsellors and psychologists felt they had to get to the issues immediately to help the client.

"It means you have to be very tight and very mindful of not wasting time, but then it's quite difficult because it's often determined by the person," she said.

Previously, six sessions were granted to a client by a doctor, after which the mental health professional could contact the doctor to extend those sessions to 12 if it was needed.

In exceptional circumstances, the psychologist or counsellor could write to the doctor asking for a further six sessions - totalling 18 altogether - if it was thought to be warranted.

Sadly, for those who have reached their limit of 10 sessions this year and need to continue their sessions with Mrs Dugan or her colleagues at the centre, there aren't many options.

The professionals at the Centre for Healthy Living have reduced their rates for many clients, but say that needs to balance with their income.

"For us, you feel very committed to supporting someone, but when they have no money, you either have to see clients at a reduced rate or pro bono," Mrs Dugan said.

"I have a number of clients who've run out of sessions that I'm seeing for $10-$20, because they still need support.

"You have to think of the bank balance - you weigh professional responsibility against the money you earn."

Along with many other mental health professionals, the staff at Centre for Healthy Living have spoken out against the changes to bring the maximum down to 10.

One Toowoomba-based psychologist has cited concerns about the number of people seeking help, especially following the summer floods.

The Centre for Healthy Living wrote a submission when a Senate inquiry was being held, outlining its concerns of how it would compromise counselling for those in need.

"We would most definitely support (a reversal) to the changes," Mrs Dugan said.

Changes

Medicare to subsidise only 10 visits to psychologists, down from 18. In effect since October.