Carer counselling

Throughout the caring journey, many carers experience a range of emotions including anger, depression, anxiety, loneliness, loss and grief. Family and friends can provide an important informal support network, however by accessing professional support through counselling you will learn new strategies to help you:

• Deal with overwhelming and confusing feelings
• Better understand your experiences as a carer
• Work out your own needs and develop ways to solve problems
• Manage conflict, stress and other emotional factors 
• Learn and apply healthy communication boundaries
• Build resilience and cope with change
• Improve your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing
• Cope with grief and loss and learn how to re-build when your caring role ends
• Identify support systems and be connected to services 

National Carer Counselling Program

The National Carer Counselling Program (NCCP) is a short-term counselling program focusing on issues related to the caring role. Up to six counselling sessions are available to all eligible carers across NSW, including former carers whose caring role has recently ended or carers seeking additional support after a break in their caring role. Counselling can be delivered either in person, over the phone or online. Counsellors who speak languages other than English are available in some areas.

The NCCP is a confidential program, all personal details are managed in accordance with Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). Read our privacy policy for more information.

The NCCP is a carer specific program and does not address problems requiring long-term therapy or issues pre-dating the caring role. 

To ensure sustainability of the NCCP, Carers NSW requests a contribution for counselling sessions, however no carer will be refused if they are unable to make a contribution.

Accessing the National Carer Counselling Program

Carers can arrange counselling sessions for themselves or give consent for someone else to make a referral on their behalf.

Self-referrals

• Call Carers NSW Carer Line on 1800 242 636 and speak to a Carer Support Officer about your counselling needs
• A Carer Support Officer will assess your eligibility and collect some personal details
• An appropriate counsellor will be allocated to you, based on your location, counselling needs and availability
• Your counsellor will contact you directly to book your first appointment and you will receive written confirmation of the details, a consent form, an evaluation form and a statement of your rights and responsibilities.

Making a referral on behalf of someone else

• Discuss the program with the carer and obtain their consent to make a referral
• Call the Carers NSW Carer Line on 1800 242 636 to discuss the referral with a Carer Support Officer
• The Carer Support Officer will contact the carer directly to discuss eligibility for the program.