IMPORTANT NOTE RE URGENT HELP

Remember if someone’s life is in immediate danger you should call the emergency number 000
(in Australia – if you are overseas please dial appropriate number).

Otherwise, you can call:
Lifeline: on 13 11 14
Kids Help Line: 1800 55 1800
Suicide Callback Service: 1300 65 94 67
or other suicide support services to get help.

SUPPORT FOR TEENS:
Please see our separate page of support services specific to adolescents, particularly if you’re seeking urgent support or counselling.

Jump to:

Parent & Family Support & Counselling Relationships Gender & Sexuality Women's Support Men's Support Single Parenting Health, breastfeeding & premature infants Alcohol and other drugs and gambling support Domestic violence, sexual assault & child abuse support Eating disorders support Disability, learning challenges and special needs Death, loss, illness & grief support Bullying & Cyberbullying Support for adolescents

Parent & Family Support & Counselling

  • Australian Counselling Association a national association of counsellors and psychotherapists… you can find a counsellor in your area with various specialties including grief and loss, alcohol and other drugs support, family therapy and more.
  • Australian Psychological Society access thousands of psychologists across Australia, plus information on Medicare and psychological services.
  • Australian Kinesiology Association Maggie has often found that kinesiology can be a very gentle and helpful way of working with unconscious, core beliefs, and children and teens often respond well as it uses muscle testing rather than talking. You can find a kinesiologist near you via the AKA website.
  • Mission Australia nationwide help people find safe and affordable housing, and provide support and information to disadvantaged children, families and young people. Phone 1800 88 88 68 or visit https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/contact-us
  • Pregnancy Birth & Baby Australia guidance about developmental and behavioural concerns and emotional support. Phone 1800 882 436 or visit https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au
  • Tresilian Australia helps parents gain confidence in their new roles. Phone 1300 272 736 (1300 2 PARENT) or visit https://www.tresillian.org.au

Relationships

Please also see Maggie’s list of books on separation and divorce to help kids.

Gender & sexuality

Reachout has an excellent list of support services around sex, sexuality or gender. They also have a great list of Culturally diverse LGBTQI support services and groups 

  • SwitchBoard Vic Tas Service for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex people. Phone 1800 184 527 or visit http://www.switchboard.org.au/
  • Rainbow Families Vic support for ‘rainbow families’ who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, intersex, and their children.

Women’s support

Men’s support

MensLine Australia has a very comprehensive list of services and useful links and support for men, covering everything from Children & Fathering, Family and Relationships, Family Law, Family Violence, Men and Masculinity, Men’s Physical Health, Mental Health, Older Men and Wellbeing… we suggest you start there: https://mensline.org.au/about-us/useful-links-and-support/

Single parenting

Health, breastfeeding & premature infants

Depression, anxiety, trauma and other mental health support

  • Lifeline Australia crisis support, suicide prevention. Phone 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au/
  • Mental Health Access Line Australia. Phone 1800 011 511
  • Beyond Blue Australia anxiety and depression Phone 1300 22 4636 or visit https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
  • SANE Australia a national mental health charity working to support four million Australians affected by complex mental illness. SANE’s work includes mental health awareness, online peer support and information, stigma reduction, specialist helpline support, research and advocacy. Phone 1800 187 263 or visit https://www.sane.org
  • The Brave Program (from The University of Queensland) a free, interactive online program to help children and teens cope with worries and anxiety. They have programs for parents too. https://brave4you.psy.uq.edu.au/
  • Centre for Clinical Interventions (WA) has some fantastic resources to support people with a range of areas that impact their mental health (i.e anxiety, bipolar, depression, social anxiety, body dysmorphia, disordered eating, perfectionism and more). https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/looking-after-yourself
  • Karitane NSW pre and post-natal anxiety and depression. Phone 300 CARING or 9794 2350
  • ReachOut Australia mental health organisation for young people and their parents. Phone 02 8029 7777 or visit https://about.au.reachout.com/
  • PANDA Australia perinatal anxiety & depression support for women, men and families. Phone 1300 726 306 or visit https://www.panda.org.au/
  • KidsHelpline Australia private, confidential 24/7 counselling for young people. Phone 1800 55 1800 or visit https://kidshelpline.com.au/
  • Australian Child & Adolescent Trauma, Loss & Grief Network resources useful to practitioners and other professionals working in the area of child and adolescent trauma
  • Smiling Mind a not-for-profit web and app-based free meditation program whose goal is to have mindfulness on the Australian Curriculum by 2020. Maggie is an ambassador for Smiling Mind and encourages everyone to download their app to have access to their meditation tracks.
  • Hey Sigmund is an excellent blog that has useful evidence-based articles, strategies, videos and books to support children and teens with anxiety.
  • Anxious Toddlers and Teens is a US-based site that has excellent resources to support children and teens with anxiety and OCD.
  • A Dose of Awesomeness offers practical, evidence-based resources from clinical psychiatrist and mother of three Dr Kaylene Henderson

Check out Maggie’s parental help page on ANXIETY AND FEAR/CALMING CHILDREN and also this helpful list of the best books and resources for supporting kids with anxiety.

Alcohol and other drugs and gambling support

Domestic violence, sexual assault & child abuse support

Please also check out Maggie’s list of Resource to teach children body safety & protective behaviours.

Eating disorders support

Disability, learning challenges and additional needs

Death, loss, illness & grief support

  • Good Grief evidence-based loss and grief education programs that help children, young people and adults to understand their experience and attend well to their grief following major loss experiences (including death, separation or divorce, natural disasters, forced migration and other loss experiences).
  • Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement support for professional and people who have experienced bereavement.
  • Grieflink information on death-related grief for the community and professionals (SA based but much information is relevant to people all around Australia).
  • Lionheart Camp for Kids (WA) a children’s bereavement program supporting grieving children between the ages of 5 and 12.
  • Griefline phone counselling and online counselling for people experiencing grief.
  • SANDS Australia for miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn death Phone 1300 072 637 or visit https://www.sands.org.au/
  • Bears of Hope grief support and care for families who experience the loss of their baby. Phone 1300 11 HOPE or visit http://www.bearsofhope.org.au/
  • Redkite Providing essential support to children and young people with cancer, and their families.
  • Canteen support for young people dealing with the impacts of cancer in their family or with a diagnosis of their own.
  • Karen Ferry (Cortxion and Brain Smart Educationis a neuropsychotherapist, counsellor and educator who has also written Benson the Boxer: A Story of Loss and Life, and Benson the Boxer Program for Loss and Grief: A Manual for Therapists, Educators and Parents Working with Children. Both the storybook, the manual with accompanying worksheets, assist children and young people who find themselves in a ‘stuck’ place, feeling they are unable to move forward after they experience loss.
  • The Quest for Life Foundation founded by Petrea King provides practical skills and strategies for people to create peace and resilience in their lives, particularly if they or someone they love have cancer or other chronic illness and/or are experiencing loss and grief. The site has a useful toolkit for children and a toolkit for adults as well as a toolkit for carers.

Bullying and cyberbullying

  • Office of the eSafety Commissioner resources and support to help all Australians have safe, positive experiences online. The Office will also work to get cyberbullying materials removed.
  • Dr Kristy Goodwin has resources on her website to support kids, teens, parents, teachers and other professionals to use technology in healthy and helpful ways (NB Dr Kristy does not provide one-on-one advice or consultations) but her site has some very useful resources.
  • The Alannah & Madeline Foundation’s e-Smart initiative helps schools and communities to better teach smart, safe and responsible use of online technology.
  • Bullying. No Way! An Australian government website providing information for students, parents and teachers on all aspects of bullying (online and offline)
  • The Australian Student Wellbeing Hub has resources for students, parents and schools to help create learning communities that promote student wellbeing and development of respectful relationships.
  • Best Programs 4 Kids has resources and training to support development of social and emotional skills – for kids, parents and schools.
  • Bully Stoppers (Victoria) works to support teachers, principals, parents and students in working together to put a stop to bullying.
  • Stymie enables students to make anonymous notifications about themselves or their peers if they are being bullied. The connected school receives the information via email, and responds according to their wellbeing framework.
  • Safe On Social education and support for people to use social media safely and positively.