New South Wales
Help for depression
This directory is designed for information purposes only. The BluePages team is not responsible for, and does not necessarily endorse or recommend the practitioners and services listed here (see Disclaimer). Although we strive to keep the directory up to date, no guarantee is given about the relevance and accuracy of the directory listings provided. Directory last reviewed: 13 September 2012.
- Emergency help
- Mental health services
- Psychologists & mental health practitioners
- Medications advice
- Telephone counselling & helplines
- University counselling services (for students)
- Public service providers
- Self help, resources, & consumer organisations
- Carer organisations & services
- Community courses
- Support groups
- Private service providers
Emergency help
If you are feeling suicidal or need urgent help call one of the following:
- Emergency: 000*
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Kids HelpLine: 1800 55 1800
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
* If you are using a mobile phone and 000 doesn't work, you can call 112 to access the Emergency Call Service. If you have a hearing or speech impairment and can access a TTY (teletypewriter), call 106 for the text-based Emergency Call Service.
24-hour Mental Health Help Line
- Tel: 1800 011 511
- This helpline provides telephone triage assessment and referral services, and is staffed by mental health clinicians.
Mental health services
General
The NSW Government provides public mental health services and programs through its Area Health Services.
Search the NSW Health Services directory at www.health.nsw.gov.au/services to locate your nearest mental health service. Click on "Service directory (archived)" and under "service type", select "mental health". Then use the name of the area health service where you live or the map to search for services in your area. Alternatively, you can search by entering the name of your suburb (or town).
The Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health service has also produced a support guide for carers, family and friends of people who have a mental illness: Uncharted Waters: A Guide to Mental Health Information and Services
Mental Health Association NSW Inc.
- Tel: 1300 794 991 (Mental Health Information Line)
- Tel: 1300 794 992 (Anxiety Disorders Information)
- Web: www.mentalhealth.asn.au
- Contact this association for information on mental health concerns, telephone support, and referral services.
Black Dog Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital and University of New South Wales
- Tel: 02 9382 4523 (Consumer enquiries)
- Email: blackdog@blackdog.org.au
- Web: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
- The Black Dog Institute is an educational, research, clinical and community-oriented facility offering specialist expertise in depression and bipolar disorder.
Lifeline Service Finder
- Web: www.justlook.org.au
- 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.
Living Is For Everyone
- Web: www.livingisforeveryone.com.au
- The Commonwealth government's Living Is For Everyone (LIFE) website is a world-class suicide and self-harm prevention resource. Dedicated to providing the best available evidence and resources to guide activities aimed at reducing the rate at which people take their lives in Australia, the LIFE website is designed for people across the community who are involved in suicide and self-harm prevention activities.
The Australian Clinical Psychology Association locator
- Web: www.findapsychologist.com.au/index.php
- The Australian Clinical Psychology Association offers an online search tool to help you find a local Clinical Psychologist who offers the services you want (e.g., cognitive behavioural therapy or interpersonal therapy for depression).
The Australian Psychological Society referral service
- Free call: 1800 333 497 (outside Melbourne)
- Email: referral@psychology.org.au
- Web: www.psychology.org.au/ReferralService/About
- The Australian Psychological Society offers a referral service. They will provide the names of private psychologists in the ACT who offer the services you want (eg, cognitive behavioural therapy or interpersonal therapy for depression). Alternatively, use the online search on the website to find a practitioner in your area.
beyondblue Directory of Mental Health Practitioners
- Tel: 1300 22 4636 (Info Line) | TTY: 133 677
- Web: www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=107.1007
- For the cost of a local call, the beyondblue info line provides callers with access to information and referral to relevant services for depression and anxiety related matters. Visit the above website to find the relevant Mental Health Practitioner in your area.
Medications advice
Psychotropic Drug Advisory Service
- Tel: 03 9388 1633 (STD charges may apply)
- Email: enquiries@mhri.edu.au
- Web: www.mhri.edu.au/psychotropic-drug-advice
- Provides advice to medical practitioners and the general public on choosing treatments, response, side effects of medications and interactions with other medications; as well as information on using medications by special groups such as children and adolescents, the elderly and women who are pregnant or breast feeding. The service can be contacted via email or by phoning the Mental Health Research Institute number given above and asking to be transferred to the Drug Advisory Service.
Telephone counselling & helplines
beyondblue Info Line
- Tel: 1300 22 4636 (24 hour service) | TTY: 133 677
- For the cost of a local call, the beyondblue info line provides callers with access to information and referral to relevant services for depression and anxiety related matters (not a counselling service).
CAN Mental Health Phone Connections
- Tel: 02 9114 8150 (Sydney Central Coast) or 1300 135 846 (outside Sydney Central Coast)
- Web: http://canmentalhealth.org.au/resources/forms/phone-connections.html
- Phone Connections is a national peer support and information referral line for four nights per week (Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday). Please visit the website for current phone hours.
Kids Helpline
- Tel: 1800 55 1800 (24 hour service)
- Web: www.kidshelp.com.au
- Provides specialised help for young people aged 5 to 25 years, and is staffed by professional counsellors. Daily web-counselling available (see website for current times) and email counselling (not for crisis).
Lifeline
- Tel: 13 11 14 (24 hour service)
- Web: www.lifeline.org.au
- Volunteers with professional support, trained in responding to callers concerned about suicide. Provides general counselling and referrals to services in caller's local community. Calls to Lifeline from a landline are usually the cost of a local call, and calls from mobile phones are free of charge.
MensLine
- Tel: 1300 789 978 (24 hour service)
- Web: www.menslineaus.org.au
- Provided by professional staff. The website also includes moderated forums with specific spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Vietnamese and Arabic men, rural men, partners/children.
Salvo Care Line
- Tel: 02 8736 3292 (Sydney) or 1300 363 622 (regional) (24 hour service)
- Web: http://salvos.org.au/salvocareline/
- Calls are answered by trained counsellors. Provides counselling, information, and referral.
SANE Mental Illness Helpline
- Tel: 1800 18 SANE (1800 18 7263)
- Web: www.sane.org/information/helpline
- Provides information and referral for callers concerned about mental illness anywhere in Australia (not a counselling service).
Suicide Call Back Service
- Tel: 1300 659 467 (24 hour service)
- Web: www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
- The Suicide Call Back Service provides crisis counselling to people at risk of suicide, carers for someone who is suicidal and those bereaved by suicide, 24 hours per day 7 days a week across Australia. People who are not linked in with current professional support can also access up to six sessions of ongoing counselling with the same counsellor at times scheduled to suit you.
Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service
- Tel: 1800 011 046
- Web: http://at-ease.dva.gov.au
- The VVCS provides counselling and group programs to Australian veterans and peacekeepers and their families and is run by qualified psychologists or social workers. Visit the website for more information about mental health and online resources.
University counselling services (for students)
The following NSW universities provide counselling services for their students. Some also provide counselling services to their staff.
Charles Sturt University
- Tel: 1800 Ask CSU (1800 275 278)(Student Central)
- Web: http://www.csu.edu.au/distance-education/student-support/counselling-and-health
Macquarie University
- Tel: 02 9850 7497
- Email: counselling@mq.edu.au
- Web: www.campuslife.mq.edu.au/campus-wellbeing/counselling
University of New England
- Tel: 02 6773 2897
- Email: counselling.service@une.edu.au
- Web: www.une.edu.au/counselling
University of New South Wales
- Tel: 02 9385 5418 – Kensington (main) campus
- Tel: 02 9385 0733 – COFA campus
- Email: counselling@unsw.edu.au
- Web: www.counselling.unsw.edu.au
University of Newcastle
- Tel: 02 4921 5801 – Callaghan campus
- Tel: 02 4348 4060 – Central Coast campus
- Tel: 02 6581 6200 or 02 6581 6212 – Port Macquarie campus
- Web: www.newcastle.edu.au/service/counselling
University of Notre Dame
- Tel: 02 8204 4220 – Sydney campus
- Email: sydney.counselling@nd.edu.au
- Web: http://www.nd.edu.au/sydney/current-students/counselling.shtml
Southern Cross University
- Free call: 1800 111 890 (Student Support Centre)
- Tel: 02 6620 3943 – Lismore campus
- Tel: 02 6659 3263 – Coffs Harbour campus
- Tel: 07 5589 3001 – Tweed Gold Coast campus
- Email: counselling@scu.edu.au
- Web: www.scu.edu.au/services/supportservices/index.php/2
University of Sydney
- Tel: 02 8627 8433 or 02 8627 8437 – Camperdown campus
- Tel: 02 9351 9638 – Cumberland campus
- Web: www.usyd.edu.au/stuserv/counselling
University of Technology, Sydney
- Tel: 02 9514 1177 – City campus
- Tel: 02 9514 5342 – Kuring-gai campus
- Email: student.services@uts.edu.au
- Web: www.ssu.uts.edu.au/counselling
University of Western Sydney
- Tel: 02 9852 5199 (Central booking number)
- Web: www.uws.edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/getting_help/counselling_services
University of Wollongong
- Tel: 02 4221 3445
- Email: StudentServices@uow.edu.au
- Web: www.uow.edu.au/student/services/cs
Public service providers
Manly - Warringah Divison of General Practice
- Tel: 02 9979 7825
- Web: www.mwdgp.com.au
- Provides low cost group programs for people in the Manly Warringah area to assist with postnatal depression, anxiety and depression in pregnancy, and stress and anxiety management. Group programs involve psychoeducation, mindfulness based stress management and cognitive therapy, and generally run once per school term for six to eight weeks. A screening interview is held with each participant to assess the suitability of the group programs. Please contact the Division on the above number for more information.
The Rod Power Psychology Clinic, Macquarie University
- Tel: 02 9850 8000
- Email: Psychology.Clinic@psy.mq.edu.au
- Web: www.psy.mq.edu.au/clinic.htm
- The Rod Power Psychology Clinic at Macquarie University, offers specialised psychological services to the general community. The clinic is staffed by Interns who have completed their training in psychology and are undertaking post-graduate training in specialised areas to become Clinical Psychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists. All Interns in the Clinic are supervised by qualified and experienced specialist psychologists.
UNE Psychology Clinic
- Tel: 02 6773 2545
- Web: www.une.edu.au/bcss/psychology/psycclinic.php
- The clinic provides assessment and treatment for a range of psychological problems including depression and anxiety. The clinic is staffed by postgraduate clinical psychology students. The intern psychologists are supervised by experienced and clinically qualified academic staff from Psychology.
UNSW Clinical Psychology Unit
- Tel: 02 9385 3042
- Web: http://clinic.psy.unsw.edu.au
- The Psychology Clinic offers affordable psychological services of a high standard for the general public, and is also actively involved in clinical research treatment trials that the general public may become involved in. The Psychology Clinic is staffed by psychologists enrolled in the Master of Psychology (Clinical) post-graduate programme at the University of New South Wales. The programme has an emphasis on cognitive-behavioural approaches to the understanding and management of psychological problems. Qualified academic staff and clinical psychologists supervise the clinical work of the psychologists in the Clinic.
University of Newcastle Psychology Clinic
- Tel: 02 4921 5075
- Email: psychology-clinic@newcastle.edu.au Web: www.newcastle.edu.au/school/psychology/psychology-clinic/
- The Psychology Clinic offers assessments and a range of time-limited programs using specific cognitive-behavioural techniques targeted at particular client groups. The programs are carried out by staff and postgraduate students who are closely supervised.
USYD Psychology Clinic
- Tel: 02 9351 2629
- Web: www.psych.usyd.edu.au/clinic/index.shtml
- The Clinic offers a broad range of clinical psychology services to the general community at low cost. Treatment and assessments are undertaken by Intern Clinical Psychologists under the supervision of highly experienced Clinical Psychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists who are specialists in their area.
UWS Psychology Clinic
- Tel: 02 9772 6686
- Email: psychclinic@uws.edu.au
- Web: www.uws.edu.au/psychology/sop/psychology_clinics
- The University of Western Sydney offers four clinics – the Psychology clinic, the OCD and Anxiety Disorder Clinic, the Child Assessment Clinic, and the Behavioural Medicine Clinic. These clinics offer specialised psychological services, which are provided by postgraduate interns enrolled in Masters Degrees of Clinical and Forensic Psychology. Interns operate in pairs and all services are provided under the supervision of the staff of the School of Psychology.
The University of Wollongong Psychology Clinic
- Tel: 02 4221 3747
- Email: northfields_clinic@uow.edu.au
- Web: www.uow.edu.au/health/psyc/northfields/index.html
- The University of Wollongong Psychology Clinic is part of the University's professional training program in Psychology. Postgraduate students working towards higher degrees (Masters, Doctorate and PhD) conduct these sessions under the supervision of experienced senior clinicians who are both registered clinical psychologists and academic staff of the University.
Self help, resource centres, & consumer organisations
Call the Mental Health Information Line on 1300 794 991 for support and referral to mental health services in NSW.
Beacon
- Web: www.beacon.anu.edu.au
- Provides consumers and professionals with information about e-health online applications for mental health and physical health disorders. Websites throughout the world are reviewed and ranked by a panel of health experts. Consumers can also submit rankings and comments. Beacon is developed and delivered by the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research.
CARE for Families
- Tel: 02 9745 1529
- Brochure (PDF): http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/CareforFamiliesbrochure.pdf
- CARE for Families provides counselling, advocacy, referrals, and support groups for people with a mental illness and their families, carers and friends. This free program is located at Enfield and Rockdale.
e-couch Personal Self Help
- Web: www.ecouch.anu.edu.au
- An interactive, evidence-based, self help program that includes modules for depression, social anxiety and generalised anxiety, divorce and relationship breakdown, and bereavement and loss. It provides self help interventions drawn from cognitive, behavioural and interpersonal therapies as well as relaxation and physical activity. e-couch is developed and delivered by the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research.
Headspace
- Web: www.headspace.org.au
- Provides information and assistance for young people experiencing mental health and/or substance issues and their families. Headspace sites are available in the Central Coast, Sydney CBD, Campbelltown, Mt Druitt, Central West, the Hunter, Riverina, Mid North Coast, and Illawarra.
JobAccess
- Tel: 1800 464 800
- Web: www.jobaccess.gov.au
- Provides advice on matters relating to the employment of people with a disability, including those with mental health conditions. The website includes information on practical workplace solutions to overcome barriers in the workplace as well as access to the Australian Government funding via the Workplace Modification Scheme.
Mental Health Coordinating Council
- Tel: 02 9555 8388
- Email: info@mhcc.org.au
- Web: www.mhcc.org.au
- A non-government organisation representing the mental health sector in NSW.
MoodGYM Training Program
- Web: www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
- An interactive, evidence-based program for depression which incorporates cognitive behavioural therapy. Research has found MoodGYM to be helpful in reducing symptoms of depression in users (See Online Prevention). MoodGYM is developed and delivered by the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research.
Suicide Prevention Australia
- Web: http://suicidepreventionaust.org
- SPA is a non-profit, non-government organisation working as a public health advocate in suicide prevention. The website provides information and resources for people who are feeling suicidal, helping someone at risk of suicide, people moving forward after a suicide attempt, and bereavement support for people who have lost a loved one to suicide. SPA has also produced a DVD to help men living in rural Australia.
Carer organisations & services
ARAFMI (NSW)
- Information & Support line: 1800 655 198 (free call) or 02 9332 0700
- Tel: 02 4961 6717 – Hunter (Support Line)
- Tel: 02 4369 4233 – Central Coast
- Tel: 02 4254 1699 – Illawarra
- Web: www.arafmi.org
- This is an association for carers of people with a mental illness.
Carers NSW
- Free call: 1800 242 636 (National Carer Advisory & Counselling Service)
- Email: contact@carersnsw.asn.au
- Web: www.carersnsw.asn.au
- Offers carer information, support, and counselling.
Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre
- Free call: 1800 022 022 (National)
- Emergency respite: 1800 059 059
- Web: www9.health.gov.au/ccsd
- Provides free and confidential information on community aged care, disability and other support services available anywhere within Australia.
Mental health community education courses
LivingWorks Suicide Intervention Training
- Web: www.lifeline.org.au/learn_more/livingworks
- LivingWorks is a Lifeline national service. It provides community training to equip people to help persons at risk of suicide keep safe and access further support.
Mental Health First Aid
- Web: www.mhfa.com.au
- Provides first aid courses focussing on mental health issues, including depression and suicide intervention training. Visit the website for first aid strategies for helping someone going through a mental health crisis.
Support groups
The Black Dog Institute maintains a list of organisations that run or coordinate mental health support groups in NSW, available at: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/gettinghelp/supportgroups.cfm#NEW.
Alcoholics Anonymous Australia
- Web: www.aa.org.au
- A fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
Australian College of Applied Psychology Psychology Clinic (ACAP) support groups
- Web: www.acap.edu.au/carers-support-group.html
- The ACAP runs tailored support groups for carers and for people coping with binge eating, social anxiety, or hear distressing voices.
BabyBumps
- Tel: 0417 674 405 (Sacha Parker, President)
- Web: www.babybumps.com.au
- BabyBumps is a support group based in the Hornsby area, for mothers and families experiencing perinatal mood disorders. BabyBumps run twice weekly support group sessions, a weekly supported playgroup session, as well as other services, all of which are free of charge.
BlueBoard Bulletin Board
- Web: www.blueboard.anu.edu.au
- An online support group for people aged 18 years or over and who are affected by depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders. It aims to reduce stigma, and to provide support, hope and opportunities for sharing successful coping strategies. The group is run as a moderated bulletin board with strict protocols to enhance safety and privacy. Forums for carers are also available. BlueBoard is developed and delivered by the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research.
GROW
- Tel: 02 9633 1800 | Free call: 1800 558 268
- Email: 1grownsw@grow.net.au
- Web: www.grow.net.au
- A self help organisation for people who suffer from depression and other mental illnesses. GROW is based on a 12 step self-help program. Members meet weekly.
Partners in Depression (PiD)
- Web: www.partnersindepression.com.au
- A six-session education and support group program for people who love, live with or care for someone experiencing depression. PiD is an initiative of the Hunter Institute of Mental Health and was developed in conjuction with beyondblue: the national depression initiative.
Private service providers
The Lawson Clinic
- Tel: 02 9418 4488
- Web: www.lawsonclinic.com.au
- The Lawson Clinic is a psychiatric clinic (located in Gordon, Sydney) specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of depression and bipolar disorder based on the Black Dog Institute's Clinical Model. A referral from a GP or other medical practitioner is required prior to making an appointment.
The Hills Clinic
- Tel: 1300 122 144
- Web: www.thehillsclinic.com.au
- The Hills Clinic is a mental health clinic based in Castle Hill that services Baulkham Hills, Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, Blacktown and Penrith local government areas as well as south and Central Coast regions. The team comprises of psychiatrists, psychologists, a dietician, social work, relationship therapist and a speech pathologist.