Counselling and mediation services
If you are struggling with family or relationship issues, or feelings of grief, sadness or anger associated with separation or divorce – help is available.
Many support organisations exist in Australia offering various services to help you cope with and overcome painful and difficult times in your life. There is no need to suffer in silence.
Sometimes, just talking through your issues with another person outside of the family is all that is needed. Other times, strategies and options may be needed to help you address issues and move on with renewed optimism and hope.
If you are having difficulty communicating with a partner or ex partner you may need the help of a third party or expert mediator to help you resolve the issues.
Available support services for people undergoing family or relationship issues
There are a number of counselling and mediation services available for people who are experiencing difficult times and are in need of extra support.
This is by no means a definitive list but will point you in the right direction.
Family Relationships Online Government initiative
Family Relationships Online offers families information about relationship issues, counselling, family dispute resolution, childrens support, managing relationship issues and agreeing on arrangements for children after separation.
A family relationship advice line is available as well as family relationship centres around Australia.
http://www.familyrelationships.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
Ballarat Legal – Mediation Services
Lifeline Australia
www.lifeline.org.au or 131144
Lifeline offers services and crisis support for a range of events and situations, such as:-
- Relationship breakdown or difficulties;
- Family problems;
- Loss and grief;
- Financial problems;
- Domestic and family violence or trauma;
- Panic attacks;
- Loneliness and isolation;
- Suicide.
NSW family and relationship services portal
NSW Family and Relationship Portal
A list of resources, support and counselling services for the following issues:-
- Child abuse;
- General support and counselling;
- Parenting; and
- Domestic violence.
Uniting Care Queensland Community
UnitingCare Community supports vulnerable people and communities that are disadvantaged in some way – supporting people with a disability to lead meaningful lives, working with children and families to keep them safe and supporting people who are in crisis.
http://unitingcareqld.com.au/services/unitingcare-community
Anglicare WA
Family, relationship and individual counselling.
https://www.anglicarewa.org.au/relationships/counselling/default.aspx
Mensline
Mensline offers telephone, online and video counselling and other tools and information to help men deal with relationship problems in a practical way.
http://www.mensline.org.au/Home.html
Dads in Distress
https://parentsbeyondbreakup.com/dids/
MacKillop Family Services
MacKillop Family Services offer Family Dispute Resolution (FDR). This is mediation for parents in dispute over children’s matters
Clinton Power + Associates
A private practice located in multiple locations in Sydney dedicated to helping singles and couples move out of relationship pain.
Relationships Australia
http://www.relationships.org.au
The home page above has links to all the state based arms of this organisation.
Counselling services – Relationships Australia have face-to-face, online or telephone services for counselling:-
- Family and relationship counselling;
- Separating or divorcing couples counselling;
- Specialist counselling services;
- Sexual concerns service;
- Pre-parenthood relationship check-up.
Dispute resolution (mediation) services – are also available to assist separated couples to reach agreement on parenting and property issues in dispute.
Violence and abuse prevention – Support and strategies are available to those experiencing violence or abuse. Peaceful strategies and alternatives are provided to help couples manage differences and avoid conflict.
Assisting with arrangements for care of children – Services to help establish children’s care and contact arrangements with minimum stress for the parents and their child/ren. Assistance is also available to help maintain the relationship between the child and both parents, as well as effective strategies for the parents to enable them to work together for the benefit of their children. Communications can be made via an independent third party if need be.
Rural and remote services
Gambling issues – Gambling support services for problem gamblers and their families.
1800 Respect
https://1800respect.org.au The national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling service for anyone in Australia who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence or sexual assault. 24 hours, 7 days a week
No to Violence
https://ntv.org.au Works with men who use family violence, and the sector that supports them to change their abusive and violent behaviour.
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