What’s changing in our provider eligibility criteria?

Modified on Tue, 17 Jun at 4:54 PM

We’ve updated our provider framework to ensure alignment with industry best practice, legal standards, and the needs of our clients. Below is a breakdown of the update and what it means for you.

Which professions are now accepted?

To be part of our EAP provider network, you now need to meet the following criteria:

Profession	NZ Requirements	AU Requirements	Experience
Psychologists	Registered	Registered	3+ years
Psychotherapists	Registered	Registered	3+ years
Counsellors	NZAC Full Member	ACA Level 3+	3+ years
Social Workers	Not accepted in NZ	AASW-recognised (Clinical or Mental Health SW)	3+ years
All of the above must also hold valid professional indemnity insurance.

What about specialist providers?

We support a few additional roles in specific contexts:

Specialist Role	Recognition
Drug & Alcohol Practitioners	Must be NZAC Full Members or APSAD in AU (can work in AOD services or co-qualified for EAP)
Indigenous Practitioners	Must be ACC approved in NZ or registered with ATSIHPB in Australia

Which professions are no longer accepted for new applications and existing providers?

We no longer accept new applications from these professions unless the provider is also qualified in one of the accepted professions above. These can still be listed as sub-specialties in your profile:

Art Therapists
NLP Practitioners
Hypnotherapists
Occupational Therapists
Social Workers (in NZ)
Mental Health Nurses
Health Coaches
Clinical Supervisors
Health Improvement Practitioners
Life Coaches
Counsellors who don’t meet the updated criteria

Frequently Asked Questions

What this means for you as a provider?

If your primary profession - or, in the case of counsellors, your specific qualification - is no longer eligible for EAP work, you will still remain a valued part of the Clearhead network, we still want to champion your services to the public subject to our remaining criteria check. Your profile will simply transition to being available for public bookings only.

This change is already in place for new provider applicants and will be implemented for existing providers from 14th July 2025.

If you're unsure where you sit under the new framework:

Submit your APC, insurance, and credentials as requested, if you didn't receive this email, please contact us at therapist-support@myclearhead.com.
We’ll review your qualifications and confirm your status on our EAP or public therapy network.
If you’re no longer eligible for EAP, you may still be included in our public therapist directory - provided your documents meet our baseline requirements.

What this means for your existing EAP clients?

If you are currently seeing any existing EAP clients, you may continue to support them until their remaining annual session entitlement is used up, including applying for session extensions for the same course of treatment (subject to approval).