Carer Counselling

The Carer Gateway Counselling Service is a free service for carers available weekdays from 8am-6pm.

Professional counsellors can talk through the concerns you have and how you feel about your carer role.

To use this service:

• Fill in your details via this link and Carer Gateway will call you back within one business day.

• You can also call 1800 422 737 and select Option 2 to speak to a Carer Gateway team member.

Explore ideas to boost your wellbeing as a carer - browse the Carer Wellbeing Fact Sheets via this link.

Are you looking for a way to bring about positive change for yourself?

Alfred Health Carer Services can help support you in this journey through our free facilitated coaching services for carers.

This is a safe space for you to realise your own strengths and explore new goals with a dedicated coach over 6 sessions. Facilitated Coaching gives you an opportunity to take time out to think about what you want and how to achieve it.

Call us on 1800 51 21 21 or try out Carer Gateway’s free online self-coaching service via coaching.carergateway.gov.au/.

Carer Gateway has free online courses that provide information, insights, and practical tips on the following topics:

• Dealing with stress

• Effective communication techniques

• Recharge and reconnect

• Legal issues

• Social connections

• Sleep

Each module takes around 20-40 minutes to complete.

Click here to try the free courses today.

Tandem is a national advocacy group that supports families and carers of people experiencing mental illness and emotional distress.

If you are providing unpaid care or support for a friend or family member with mental health issues, you are eligible to use Tandem’s Support and Referral Service.

You can also become a Tandem member for free, which gives you access to individual advocacy, support and referral through an Advocate - this may include:

• Assisting family and friends to understand what their rights and responsibilities are under the relevant legislation, service policies and procedures;

• Empowering members to advocate effectively on their own behalf; and

• Providing family and friends with referrals based on their caring situation.

Call Tandem on 1800 314 325, Monday to Friday between 9am-5pm, and you can:

• Speak with someone who understands your situation

• Seek general advice, advocacy and information on services to meet your needs

• Seek support for NDIS access and plan issues

It can be comforting to talk with other carers who have shared similar experiences:

• Join Carer Gateway’s online forum here.

• Join our private Alfred Health Carer Services Facebook Community group here.

• Join a Peer Support Group in your local community. Groups are usually free and involve meeting in a variety of places. You can even join a Peer Support Group depending on your caring situation, such as:

  • Young carers

  • Parents or grandparents

  • Your language or cultural background

  • Particular conditions (eg. dementia or Alzheimer’s disease).

  We can help connect you with Peer Support Groups in your community, fill out this Expression of Interest form via the link here.

If you think that you are becoming anxious or depressed, you can use the Healthdirect Symptom checker or the MindSpot Clinic to check in and assess how you are feeling.

1. Take 7 Breaths

• For each breath you take in, exhale for longer than you inhale.

• Count ‘1’ as you inhale. Then as you exhale, count ‘2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7’.

2. Soften Your Body

• Notice how you are holding your body and concentrate on relaxing one part.

• For example, are your shoulders or jaw tense or stiff? Relax them. Feel your muscles easing.

3. One OK Thought

• Think of something that makes you feel happy, safe, fulfilled or appreciated.

• Let the thought stay in your mind, and take a moment to believe and enjoy it.

4. 5-4-3-2-1

Take a moment and find:

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can touch

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

5. Name It

• Find a pen and paper.

• Write down a word or two to describe the emotion you’re feeling right now.

If you find yourself feeling anxious or stressed and would like to explore a way to self-manage these feelings, try:

• Practising relaxation techniques such as meditation or breathing techniques to help with stress or poor sleep:

  • Download the free Smiling Mind app onto your phone.

  • Take a quiz on ReachOut.com to work out what apps and tools can help you to improve your health and wellbeing.

If you need support or guidance, request a callback from us.

Caring for someone can be physically and emotionally tiring. When you are a carer, it’s important to regularly take some time for yourself to rest and recharge.

Planning regular breaks from your caring role can help you to avoid stress.

It’s a good idea to plan ahead because respite services are often busy and can get booked out. Booking early gives you a better chance of finding the respite that suits you when you want it.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and cannot gauge how you’re feeling, try the symptom checkers above.

If you have a chronic medical condition that has been (or is likely to be) present for six months or longer, it may be helpful to speak with your GP about requesting an Extended Care Plan.