Counsellors

Counsellors can help you change things

Counsellors are people who can help you change the things that cause you distress. A good counsellor will work with you to find a solution to your problem. Counsellors often work at schools, community health centres, youth health centres, TAFEs, universities or family planning clinics. Some may also work privately. Your doctor can tell you about counsellors in your area.

Going to see a counsellor may be a big step and you may feel scared, embarrassed or nervous. People of all ages and backgrounds see counsellors.

Finding a counsellor

Not all counsellors are the same; each counsellor has their own personality and different styles of counselling. Finding someone to suit you is important. It may be helpful to remember that this can take time and the first counsellor you see may not be the right one for you. Try not to give up.

If you do not feel comfortable with the first person you see, or if you think they are not listening to you, it is a good idea to go and see someone different. Talk to your current counsellor about it first and see what they can suggest to you.

For more information about finding a counsellor that is right for you, check out the Who can help you section.

Usually you will need to make an appointment to see a counsellor.

Doctor or mental health professional

To find a doctor or mental health professional see the beyondblue Directory of Medical and Allied Health Practitioners in Mental Health.

Or, you can also find a psychologist through the Australian Psychological Society Find a Psychologist Service

Other

You may also want to ask friends or your local doctor if they can recommend anyone.

Community health

Look up 'Community Health Services' in the White Pages or the Lifeline service finder to find out what groups are being run.

Look up 'Family counselling' in the White Pages or the Lifeline service finder to find out where family counselling might be available. You may also want to ask your local GP if they can recommend anyone.

If you have made an appointment but you want to talk to someone now, you can call Lifeline on 131 114 (cost of a local call from a landline) or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (free call from a landline, for people 25 and under).

Getting free sessions with your counselling psychologist under Medicare

If your counsellor is a psychologist registered with the Psychologists Registration Board in your State or a clinical psychologist, you may be able to get free sessions with them.

The mental health psychology Medicare items involve two categories - 'general' psychology services and 'specialist' clinical psychology services.

Both general and specialist psychology services can only be provided to people with 'an assessed mental disorder' that is being managed by a GP under a GP Mental Health Care Plan or a psychiatrist assessment and management plan, or on direct referral from a psychiatrist or a paediatrician (for treatment of a child).

All psychology Medicare services are limited to a maximum of 12 individual sessions per client per calendar year, with a review by the doctor who referred you required after the initial six sessions. In addition, you will also be eligible for 12 group session services, where appropriate, in a calendar year.

For more info, check out the The Australian Psychology Society or the Department of Health and Ageing's website at www.health.gov.au/mbsonline.

Ask about your privacy

It is a good idea to talk to the person you see about keeping your information private. In most situations, unless you say so, counsellors have to keep what you tell them confidential. For more information about confidentiality you may want to check out the Confidentiality fact sheet.

After speaking to a counsellor

After speaking with a counsellor you may have mixed reactions. It may be that you feel calmer and clearer about your concerns.

It is also not uncommon to feel confused, stressed, or sad after you have spoken to your counsellor. This may be because the session has brought up some scary stuff for you.

It may take a number of visits to your counsellor to deal with this stuff. If this is the case it is a good idea to talk to your counsellor about your reactions and the best way to manage them.

There are other people to talk to

Lifeline (13 11 14 - cost of local call from a landline) or Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800 - freecall from landline) should be able to give you some numbers in your local area. You can also read about other services on this site and your counsellor can tell you about other people you could talk to.