SchemeWise Counselling

Have you or your carer or family thought about how a counsellor can help?

Counselling is a service focused on you.

SchemeWise provides counselling in Canberra and Queanbeyan with capacity currently available to support you.

Counselling can help you in the following ways:

  • Anxiety disorders such as phobias, panic attacks, social anxiety, PTSD (acute and chronic), and stress related problems (insomnia, tension headaches, financial problems, or trauma).
  • Stress and anger management through the use of: cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation, mindfulness, meditation, assertiveness and communication skills training).
  • Pain management using cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation, mindfulness and hypnotherapy among others.
  • Relationships, including couple communication, conflicts, mediation, sexual difficulties and relationship as well as carer capacity building.
  • Depression including post-natal depression, grief, loss and bereavement.
  • Habit control – such as smoking, gambling alcohol and drug abuse.
  • Life transitions – including goal-setting, goal development, transition planning and advocacy.
  • Career and life coaching for those feeling stuck or those needing assistance in achieving personal or family goals.

Counselling and the NDIS

The NDIS recognises counselling as a therapeutic service.

It is generally included under your plan under Improved Daily Living or Improved Relationships.

Did you know that you can use a SchemeWise counsellor if you are Agency-Managed, have a Plan Manager (like SchemeWise) or are Self-Managed.  No matter how your plan is implemented we can assist you to achieve your personal outcomes and goals.  Best of all enquiries are confidential and obligation free.  And if you have a preference – we have male and female counsellors available too!

When you utilise a SchemeWise Counsellor they will also provide progress and outcome reports to you or directly to the NDIS to support your plan reviews, etc.  For example, our counsellors may describe the type of counselling you have asked for, how it has benefited you (or your carer or family) AND if required, what further requirements to help you are still needed in the future (most likely under your next NDIS plan).

Goals are an important way the NDIS works – SMART goal-setting and similar services are also offered by SchemeWise Counsellors.  Under this service our counsellors can help you break big goals into more manageable parts, define better how a transition for living, independence or capacity building can be achieved and help you to work out your most important goals when you aren’t sure which way to go.

Other ways counselling can help under the NDIS can include supporting you to plan important changes like moving house, becoming independent, seeking welfare support via Centrelink (such as Disability Support Pension) and/or support you in obtaining a Health Card.  SchemeWise Counsellors can also support you by providing support letters for various services including housing, childcare or other services/supports important to you.

Advocacy is another way a SchemeWise Counsellor can help when you have a problem where you need a support person available to help you understand a situation or process and how it might impact you.  This could include understanding an agreement for a mobile phone, for utilities like personal care services, electricity, or any number of services you need in daily life.

How can you access a SchemeWise counsellor?

That easy!  You can self-refer, ask a carer or family member to call on your behalf, or talk to your support coordinator who can talk with SchemeWise on your behalf!  You DO NOT need a referral from a doctor/GP, psychologist, or other health professional – although these kinds of people may suggest counselling might benefit you.

We also want to ensure you are comfortable with our counsellors so we generally organise a meet and greet of between 20-30 minutes AT NO COST.  This is to get to know your counsellor and ensure you feel comfortable working with them.

Did you know SCHEMEWISE COUNSELLORS come to you?  Our counsellors can come to your home (if its safe to do so) or cna meet you out in your local community – coffee shops, parks or other quite places are common meeting places.  We think this is important to ensure that YOU ARE COMFORTABLE and meets the needs of people living with disability whom may find it hard to travel to a counsellor.

Counsellors do charge a small travel charge only occurs if our counsellors need to travel more than 10 kilometres to get to you.  Generally, they try to ensure that various appointments are around the same area (if possible) so there is no travel cost at all.

SchemeWise counsellors can see you virtually too?  Our counsellors can also provide email and phone-based support where required.  Alternatively, our counsellors use Skype for online counselling if that suits you better.   [Please note: Phone or online counselling is at the discretion of a SchemeWise Counsellor after a service relationship is put in place… this means your counsellor must meet with you first and agree to using alternative means of supporting you.]

 

You can contact us at our contact form (please click here) or… call us on 1300 785 567 and leave a message and a SchemeWise counsellor will get back to you usually within a day.

 

At SchemeWise we can help you get started… and keep going!

 

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