Man sat receiving phone counselling

Useful links and support

Welcome to our useful links, support and referral page. Please use the links below to navigate to your chosen area of help:

 

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander services

13YARN

13YARN is the first national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. They offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Better Health – Aboriginal Health Services in Victoria

The Better Health Channel provides health information to improve the health, mental health and wellbeing of Victorian communities. They have a detailed list of services that provide specialised healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria.

 

Mental health services

Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue is a mental health organisation focused on supporting people affected by anxiety and depression. Support and help are available via a free 24-hour telephone and online counselling service, and you can access factsheets and toolkits on their website.

Eating Disorders Victoria
Eating Disorders Victoria offers guidance and support for Victorians impacted by eating disorders. Free support services include telehealth counselling, telehealth nurse guidance, support groups, and carer coaching.

Healthdirect
Healthdirect provides health information and advice. Healthdirect also has registered nurses available 24 hours a day via their free helpline.

QLife

QLife provides LGBTI peer support and referrals for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships. Services include telephone and web chat support available 3pm to midnight every day.

SANE Australia
SANE Australia is for people with recurring, persistent or complex mental health issues and trauma, and for their families, friends and communities. Their website provides information, factsheets and guides.

 

Self-help programs

Mental Health Online
Mental Health Online provides comprehensive online services and programs free of charge. For people experiencing mental distress, the services can help through a combination of self-assessment, self-help and online professional support.

e-couch
e-couch is a free an online, self-directed training program which provides interactive self-help and evidence-based information to help users to understand and manage symptoms associated with common mental issues.

MindSpot

MindSpot provides free support to adults experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and chronic pain. The service offers online treatment courses, and you can also speak to a MindSpot therapist each week to help guide you through the course.

MoodGYM 
Moodgym training program is like an interactive self-help book which helps you to learn and practise skills which can help to prevent and manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.

 

Service finders and directories

Australian Psychological Society – Find A Psychologist
Find an APS-accredited psychologist in your area using this online database tool. Access over 2,300 psychologists Australia wide, who are in private practice and provide services for a fee.

Health Direct Service Finder

The Health Direct service finder is the national health service directory. Search for GPs, hospitals, psychology services, mental health services, nursing services and much more.

Head to Health

Head to Health is a free telephone service that can connect Victorians to suitable mental health services, specialist care, or acute services. They also offer in-person care at Head to Health hubs.

Lifeline Service Finder
The Lifeline Service Finder is a directory of free or low cost health and community services available in Australia. It includes accommodation, domestic violence, family and children’s services, financial assistance and mental health services.

 

Suicide prevention services

GriefLine
GriefLine is a national free telephone counselling service for people affected by grief. Available 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday or book a time that suits you.

Lifeline
Lifeline provides free access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. The service offers short-term support for people who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping or staying safe. You can speak to a crisis supporter on the phone or via online chat or text.

Open Arms

Open Arms is a free national veterans and family counselling service that is available 24 hours a day. They offer support for anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF, and their families.

Roses in the Ocean

Roses in the Ocean runs the Peer CARE Companion Warmline, a suicide prevention call-back service providing a safe place for people with a lived experience of suicide to connect with others with a similar lived experience for a chat, in a shared space of compassion, understanding and respect.

StandBy Support After Suicide

The StandBy program is focused on supporting anyone who has been bereaved or impacted by suicide at any stage in their life. StandBy is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing free face-to face and/or telephone support.

Suicide Call Back Service

Suicide Call Back Service is a free national telephone and online suicide prevention counselling service. The service has counsellors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They offer one-off counselling sessions or multi-session (call back) counselling.

Switchboard – Rainbow Door

Switchboard provides peer-driven support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people, their families, allies and communities. Through Rainbow Door, Switchboard provides specialist suicide prevention telephone support available 10am to 5pm, seven days a week.

 

Youth mental health services

Headspace
Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. They help young people (12-25 years) who are going through a tough time and are looking for health advice, support and information. With centres all around Australia, headspace can help you with general health, mental health and counselling, education, employment and other services, and alcohol and other drug services.

Kids Helpline
The Kids Helpline service geared towards young people between the ages of 5 and 25 years and provides a free helpline available 24 hours. Young people can also access web-based counselling or email counselling via their website.

Reach Out 
Reach Out is a national online youth mental health service that inspires young people to help themselves through tough times and find ways to boost their own mental health and wellbeing. The website includes an active discussion forum.