Revamp Psychology provides psychological therapy for tinnitus-related distress, including tinnitus that develops following workplace noise exposure, workplace injuries, and motor vehicle accidents. Services are available via telehealth to clients across New South Wales, with in-person appointments available in Strathfield. Where tinnitus arises in the context of a workplace or motor vehicle injury, treatment may be available within Workers Compensation (WorkCover) and CTP frameworks.
Tinnitus — the experience of sound in the ears or head without an external source — affects a significant proportion of the population. For many people, tinnitus is a mild background experience that does not substantially affect daily life. For others, it becomes a source of significant distress, disrupting sleep, concentration, emotional wellbeing, and the ability to engage in work and social activities. It is this latter group — people for whom tinnitus has become a meaningful source of suffering and functional impairment — that psychological therapy is most relevant to.
Tinnitus is an auditory phenomenon, but the distress it causes is not simply a function of how loud it is. Research consistently shows that the degree to which tinnitus disrupts a person's life is driven less by the characteristics of the sound itself and more by how the brain and nervous system respond to it — and by the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that develop in response to it over time.
When tinnitus is perceived as threatening, uncontrollable, or permanent, the nervous system responds accordingly — heightening attention toward the sound, generating anxiety, and triggering a cycle of monitoring, distress, and hypervigilance that makes tinnitus feel louder and more intrusive than it might otherwise be. This is not a choice or a sign of weakness; it is a predictable neurological response to a perceived threat. But it is also a response that can be changed.
Psychological therapy works by interrupting this cycle. By changing how the brain appraises and responds to tinnitus — reducing its threat value, shifting attentional patterns, and building tolerance and acceptance — therapy can significantly reduce distress and functional impairment, even when the tinnitus sound itself remains present.
Importantly, the goal of psychological therapy for tinnitus is not to make the sound disappear. It is to reduce the degree to which tinnitus controls how a person feels, functions, and engages with their life. For most people who complete a course of therapy, this is achievable.
Matt Semsar has clinical experience delivering psychological therapy for tinnitus, drawing on CBT, ACT, TRT-informed principles, and mindfulness-based approaches. He has a particular focus on tinnitus arising in the context of workplace injuries and motor vehicle accidents, including WorkCover and CTP claims.
Tinnitus is a recognised consequence of noise-induced hearing damage, acoustic trauma, and certain types of head and neck injuries — all of which can occur in workplace and motor vehicle accident contexts. For people navigating Workers Compensation or CTP claims, tinnitus can add a significant layer of distress to an already challenging recovery process.
Unlike pain or physical injury, tinnitus is an invisible condition. It is not visible on imaging, difficult to objectively measure, and frequently misunderstood by others — including, at times, within medical and insurance systems. This can leave people feeling dismissed, frustrated, and alone in managing a condition that is genuinely disabling in their day-to-day experience.
Tinnitus following injury also frequently co-occurs with other psychological difficulties, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress responses, sleep disturbance, and adjustment difficulties. Treatment at Revamp Psychology takes this broader clinical picture into account, addressing tinnitus distress within the context of the person's overall recovery and rehabilitation.
Where tinnitus arises from a workplace injury or motor vehicle accident, psychological therapy may be available under Workers Compensation or CTP insurance frameworks, subject to insurer approval. See the Workers Compensation and CTP page for more detail.
Psychological therapy for tinnitus at Revamp Psychology draws on a range of evidence-informed approaches, tailored to the individual's presentation, level of distress, and functional goals. Treatment is integrative — approaches are combined and adapted based on what is clinically appropriate for each person.
CBT for tinnitus is the most extensively researched psychological intervention for tinnitus distress and is recommended in clinical guidelines internationally. It addresses the thought patterns and behavioural responses that maintain and amplify tinnitus-related distress — including catastrophic thinking about tinnitus, safety behaviours such as excessive sound avoidance or constant monitoring, and the emotional reactivity that keeps tinnitus at the centre of attention. CBT helps people develop a more balanced and less threatening relationship with their tinnitus, reducing the emotional charge that drives distress.
ACT takes a different but complementary approach to tinnitus distress. Rather than primarily focusing on changing thoughts about tinnitus, ACT works on developing psychological flexibility — the ability to experience tinnitus without being dominated or controlled by it. ACT supports people to clarify what matters to them and to re-engage with valued activities and relationships despite the presence of tinnitus. It is particularly well-suited to people who have been in long-term struggle with tinnitus and for whom fighting or controlling the sound has itself become exhausting and counterproductive.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy is a structured approach that combines sound therapy with directive counselling aimed at promoting habituation to tinnitus. The psychological component of TRT — which focuses on changing the emotional and attentional responses to tinnitus through education and counselling — can be incorporated into broader psychological therapy. At Revamp Psychology, TRT principles are integrated into treatment where clinically appropriate, alongside CBT and ACT approaches.
Mindfulness practices support people to relate to tinnitus with greater awareness and equanimity, reducing the reactive struggle that amplifies distress. Rather than trying to block out or escape the sound, mindfulness cultivates a non-judgmental, observing relationship with tinnitus that reduces its perceived threat value and its intrusion into daily experience. Mindfulness strategies are typically integrated throughout therapy rather than delivered as a standalone program.
Understanding what tinnitus is — how it is generated, why it becomes distressing for some people and not others, and what drives changes in its perceived loudness and intrusiveness — is itself a meaningful part of treatment. Accurate psychoeducation reduces fear, challenges unhelpful beliefs, and provides a foundation for the behavioural and cognitive work that follows.
Psychological therapy for tinnitus at Revamp Psychology addresses not only the experience of tinnitus itself but the range of difficulties that commonly develop alongside it. These include:
The goal of psychological therapy is not to eliminate the sound — in most cases, tinnitus is a permanent neurological phenomenon that cannot be switched off. The goal is to reduce the distress, anxiety, and functional impairment that tinnitus causes, so that it has less control over how you feel and what you can do. Most people who complete a course of therapy find tinnitus becomes significantly less intrusive, even when the sound remains.
It is generally advisable to have had tinnitus assessed by an audiologist or ENT at some point, to rule out any underlying medical causes that may require treatment. However, a referral from a specialist is not required to access psychological therapy at Revamp Psychology. If you have not yet seen an audiologist, this can be discussed during the initial assessment.
Yes, where tinnitus arises from a workplace injury or motor vehicle accident, psychological therapy may be available under Workers Compensation (WorkCover) or CTP frameworks in NSW, subject to insurer approval. See the Workers Compensation and CTP page for more detail.
Yes. Psychological therapy for tinnitus is available via telehealth to clients anywhere in New South Wales. In-person appointments are also available in Strathfield for clients who prefer face-to-face sessions.
This depends on the individual's level of distress, history, and goals. CBT for tinnitus is typically delivered as a structured, time-limited intervention. The number of sessions is discussed openly during the initial assessment, with a focus on building practical skills that produce real change rather than ongoing symptom monitoring.
To discuss a referral or make an appointment, call or email us directly. All enquiries are handled personally.