Counselling and Mental Health

Information to help you when addressing your mental health

“Even in recovery I’ve changed counsellors because that person didn’t work for me.

Like, she was good, but I just didn’t feel like I had a connection to disclose when I was struggling, so I would say everything was fine and my anxiety was fine, when in fact I was still really fearful of things. The counsellor I see now is really good. It was about finding the right person to work with me, who I felt comfortable talking to.”

Parent

Services to support you in managing difficulties with your mental health

A good place to start is with your GP. Your GP can help decide the right service for you and be part of taking care of you while you get the help you need.

You can also contact the Mental Health Access Line on 1800 011 511. This will put you through to the Hunter New England Mental Health Services – linked below.

Here are some links to mental health services operating in the Hunter.

Hunter New England Health Mental Health Services

Specialist mental health services

Visit Website

Hunter Partners in Recovery

Assist people with severe mental illness

Visit Website

National Psychosocial Support - NPS

Psychosocial support services

Visit Website

ORS Group Personal Helpers and Mentors Program (PHaM)

Provides support to people with disability

Visit Website

New Horizons Personal Helpers and Mentors Aboriginal Program (PHaM)

Advice, planning, inclusion, housing, clinical and medical services

Visit Website

Flourish Australia

Mental health, wellbeing and inclusion

Visit Website

Headspace

Mental health support for young people

Visit Website

One Door Mental Health Service

Specialised mental health services

Visit Website

Lifeline

Crisis support and suicide prevention

Visit Website

Beyond Blue

Provides information and support for mental health

Visit Website

Beyond Blue Youth

Specialised mental health services

Visit Website

Substance abuse is common among people who suffer from depression and many people with depressive disorder may self-medicate with drugs or alcohol to alleviate the symptoms of their illness. DrugRehab.com is a website that has extensive information on a multitude of issues such as substance abuse, addiction, and mental illness.

*please note that this is not an Australian site

DrugRehab.com

Substance abuse support

Visit DrugRehab.com

“I used drugs and alcohol to cope with the trauma of my childhood, experiencing violence, bullying, abandonment and domestic violence as I got older. It soon became a way of life.

It got so out of control to the point where I had to be scheduled into a mental health hospital. Once discharged, I had to straighten my life out. I needed to sort things out to get my child back. I couldn’t afford counselling, and I didn’t want to see a different counsellor every week. It took me 7 months to find a counsellor who would see me on a regular basis and who did not give up on me. I had counselling 5 hours a week for most of the first year. It then dropped back to once a week as I was learning to deal with childhood trauma and the issues from my past. I learned new coping skills. It’s been almost 5 years and I now see a counsellor every so often to maintain my emotional wellbeing”.

Parent