Counselling
What is Counselling?
Counselling gives you an opportunity to talk to someone who is trained to help you explore your experiences, thoughts and feelings. People go to counselling for many reasons- a life crisis, problems in relationships, an issue from the past. It is a safe space to explore what is happening in your life.
We provide a counselling service where women can discuss the issues that are affecting their well being, and work towards making positive changes for themselves. These changes may include emotional, financial, psychological, physical and social matters.
Seeing a counsellor at a Women’s Health Centre means that you are working with a female counsellor who believes that you are your own expert and that you can be and deserve to be happy, powerful and fulfilled in all aspects of your life.
The counselling relationship offers support where you are encouraged to explore and challenge the way you think, feel, believe and respond.
Counselling is a relationship in which you do the work with appropriate support from the counsellor, to make improvements. When you decide to have counselling you are making a commitment to look after yourself.
Counselling Is Not….
- About providing advice
- Our service does not aim to fix all your problems and expectations
- Counselling is not always easy as you may be feeling and expressing painful or personal things. However the counsellors at this Centre believe in supporting you through changes.
- Counselling is not a bandaid.
- Counselling is not a set of rules.
Comments from Clients
“Counselling offered me a space just for myself not for someone else, me as a mum, partner, worker… where I could be there as me…for me”
“Looking back at what counselling gave me…it was great. I’ve changed a lot and I’m living my life very differently. I wouldn’t say it was easy at times it felt harder to look at me than just leave things the way they were… I’m glad I didn’t”
“Coming to counselling has helped me to understand what’s important for me”
Payment Fees and Eligibility
We do not charge a fee for counselling services. We welcome donations. We aim to provide services for all women especially those who are disadvantaged in some way. Eligibility includes emotional, immediacy, your readiness for counselling and availability. This is discussed and assessed during your first interview with a counsellor.
How to get an Appointment
Contact the Centre and ask for a counselling appointment. Usually your name will be placed on a counselling request list. From time to time the list is closed due to high demand and you will be given other phone numbers to ring or invited to call back in a few weeks time.
A counsellor will usually contact you within 3 weeks and make arrangements for an assessment session. This session is to find out if this is the appropriate Centre for you and gives you the opportunity to discuss your expectations about counselling with a counsellor.
Making a Commitment to Counselling
The counselling team requires that you:
- Attend your counselling sessions as agreed by you and your counsellor.
- Give 24 hours notice of any cancellation and make arrangements for further sessions
- If you do not attend 3 sessions in a row and without reasonable explanation counselling services may be withdrawn. Please advise your counsellor of any changes to your schedule as your session times may be able to be adjusted.
