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AI Receptionist for Psychologists & Counsellors

Maggie handles initial enquiries, answers Medicare and health fund questions, and guides prospective clients toward their first appointment — sensitively and professionally, around the clock.

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When someone finally reaches out, the last thing they need is silence.

Reaching out to a psychologist or counsellor can be a significant step. When someone finally does, they often have practical questions first — about Medicare rebates, wait times, telehealth availability, or what your first session involves. If those questions go unanswered for hours, many people won't follow up. The moment passes, and they don't rebook the resolve.

For practices with busy caseloads, the gap between someone visiting your website and reaching a person who can answer those questions is often wider than it needs to be. Phone calls go to voicemail. Contact forms sit unread until the end of the day. The window for a warm conversion is short.

After-hours is when many people research psychology services — in the evenings, when the idea of addressing something has finally risen to the surface. A response the next morning often arrives after the moment has passed.

Hello Maggie answers every website enquiry immediately — answering practical questions, explaining your services and fees, and guiding people toward booking — so every person who reaches out is met with a professional, helpful response rather than a wait.

Questions Maggie handles for psychology practices

Clients ask these before they decide to book. Maggie answers them instantly.

Do you accept Mental Health Care Plans?
How much is a session after the Medicare rebate?
How long is the wait for an appointment?
What issues or areas do you specialise in?
Do you offer telehealth sessions?
What can I expect from my first appointment?
Do you see children, adolescents, or couples?
Are you taking new clients?

See it in action

An example conversation Maggie might have on your website.

Northside Psychology

● Online now

Hi, I've been referred by my GP and I have a Mental Health Care Plan. Are you taking new clients?
Yes, we're taking new clients and accept Mental Health Care Plans. With a MHCP, Medicare rebates a portion of the session fee — the out-of-pocket gap is listed on our fees page. Would you like to book your first appointment?
Yes please. Do you offer telehealth as well?
We do offer telehealth sessions via a secure video platform. I can send you to our booking page to choose a time that suits you — in person or online.
Type a message…

Works with the practice management tools psychologists already use

Add your booking link and Maggie sends clients directly there — no API access, no technical setup.

Cliniko

Practice management software widely used by Australian allied health and psychology clinics, with a patient booking portal.

Jane App

Health practice management and online booking platform used by psychologists and counsellors.

Halaxy

Practice management platform popular with Australian psychology and mental health practices.

Power Diary

Practice management software for allied health professionals with online booking.

Calendly

Simple online scheduling used by independent practitioners for booking initial consultations.

Any public booking link

If your practice management software has a public booking URL, Maggie can direct clients straight to it.

Using a different system? If it has a public booking URL, Maggie can use it.

How it plays out in practice

Example scenario

A two-psychologist practice and the after-hours enquiries that were going cold

A two-psychologist practice had a steady flow of website visitors — referrals and self-referrals researching their options. Most enquiries came in after hours or during sessions, when neither practitioner was available to respond. The contact form generated messages that sat overnight, and many prospective clients had moved on by the time a reply went out the next morning.

After adding Hello Maggie, those enquiries were handled immediately. Visitors asking about Medicare rebates were given the correct information. Those asking about wait times were given an honest current estimate. Prospective clients wanting to book were sent directly to the online booking portal. Those with more specific questions had their details captured for a follow-up from the practice.

New client bookings from the website increased noticeably, and the practice found that clients who had interacted with the widget were better informed and had fewer basic questions when their first session arrived.

Illustrative scenario. Individual results will vary based on traffic volume, knowledge base setup, and how quickly leads are followed up.

Common questions from psychology practices

Everything you need to know before getting started.

Can Maggie handle sensitive enquiries appropriately?

Yes — Maggie responds with the tone you configure: warm, professional, and non-clinical. It won't attempt to provide support or guidance of a therapeutic nature. Its role is to answer practical questions (fees, availability, Medicare rebates, what to expect) and guide people toward booking, which is exactly what a good reception experience should do.

Can it answer questions about Mental Health Care Plans?

Yes — add your Medicare registration details and session gap amounts to the knowledge base and Maggie will accurately answer questions about MHCPs, the number of rebated sessions available, and what the out-of-pocket cost is. It won't guess on specifics it doesn't know, but it will confirm the essentials.

What if someone is in distress when they reach out?

Maggie is a website chat widget and not a crisis service. For anyone indicating they are in distress or at risk, Maggie will direct them to appropriate emergency contacts (such as Lifeline on 13 11 14) and encourage them to seek immediate support. You can configure this response in your knowledge base.

Can it answer questions about your areas of specialisation?

Yes — add your clinical focus areas to the knowledge base and Maggie will answer clearly. Prospective clients often want to know whether a psychologist works with their specific concerns before they decide to book. Getting that answer quickly removes one of the most common barriers to making an appointment.

Can it handle telehealth enquiries?

Yes — if you offer telehealth sessions, add that to your knowledge base and Maggie will confirm availability and direct clients to book accordingly. This is particularly useful for practices that operate across different locations or offer telehealth as a primary option.

Is it appropriate for counsellors as well as registered psychologists?

Yes — the knowledge base is entirely custom to your practice. Whether you're a registered psychologist, clinical psychologist, or counsellor, you configure what Maggie says about your qualifications, services, and fees.

What happens to enquiries that come in outside business hours?

They're captured and waiting for you. For many people, reaching out to a psychologist requires a moment of resolve — and that moment often comes outside of business hours. An immediate, professional response in that moment is far more likely to lead to a booked appointment than a reply that comes the next day.

How long does setup take?

Most psychology practices are set up and live within 10 to 15 minutes. Add your areas of focus, fees, Medicare details, availability information, and any other relevant details to the knowledge base, copy the widget script onto your website, and Maggie starts handling enquiries immediately.

Meet every prospective client with an immediate response

Set up takes 10 minutes. Works with Cliniko, Jane App, Halaxy, and any booking system with a public link. 14-day free trial, no card needed.

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