Real strength starts when you stop carrying it alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach us at contact@mensonlinecounselling.com.au if you cannot find an answer to your question.
The areas listed on our website are some of the more common reasons men seek counselling, but they're not a complete list.
Sometimes there isn't one particular issue. You might just know that something doesn't feel right, have something you need to talk through, or find that several things have been building at the same time.
You don't need to fit into a particular category or know exactly what the problem is before getting in touch.
Sometimes the best place to start is simply with a conversation.
Mens Online Counselling Australia provides individual counselling for clients aged 16 and over.
For clients aged 16 or 17, the young person is the counselling client and will participate in sessions themselves.
Before counselling begins, the counsellor will explain how counselling works, telehealth, privacy and confidentiality, the limits of confidentiality, and the client's rights and responsibilities. The counsellor must also be satisfied that the young person has sufficient maturity and understanding to provide informed consent to counselling.
Where the young person is able to provide informed consent, they will provide that consent themselves.
A parent or guardian may be involved in practical matters such as arranging or paying for appointments, but this does not automatically give them access to counselling sessions or to information discussed during counselling.
Counselling is confidential, subject to applicable legal, privacy and safety requirements. If appropriate, a young person may be encouraged to involve a parent, guardian or another trusted person for support.
Mens Online Counselling Australia provides individual counselling only and does not provide family counselling.
If you are a parent or guardian and have questions about how counselling works for a 16 or 17-year-old, please contact us before booking.
A standard counselling session with Men’s Online Counselling Australia is $155 for 50 minutes.
Payment is required within 48 hours of making your booking to secure your appointment. If you book an urgent same-day appointment, payment is required before the session begins.
Further information about payment options, cancellations and rescheduling is provided below.
Payment can be made by credit or debit card, or by bank transfer.
When you book an appointment, you’ll receive a secure payment link by email for credit or debit card payments, along with our bank details if you prefer to pay by direct transfer.
If you prefer, credit card payments can also be processed over the phone when arranging your appointment.
Online card payments are securely processed through Stripe. Men’s Online Counselling Australia does not store or have direct access to your full credit or debit card details when payments are made through the online payment link.
All prices are in Australian dollars (AUD) and include GST where applicable.
Yes. We understand that sometimes plans change.
If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we ask that you provide at least 24 hours notice.
Cancellations or rescheduling requests made less than 24 hours before your scheduled appointment incur an $85 late cancellation fee. If you have already paid the standard $155 session fee, the remaining $70 will be refunded.
If you provide at least 24 hours’ notice, you can reschedule your appointment or cancel and receive a refund of any session fees already paid.
Further information about cancellations and rescheduling is provided in the documentation you receive when booking your appointment.
All online counselling sessions are conducted through Healthdirect Video Call, a secure video consultation platform purpose-built for healthcare services.
You don't need to create a Healthdirect account or download any special software. Video Call works through a compatible web browser on your computer, tablet or smartphone.
Before your appointment, you'll receive a secure link to our virtual waiting room. At your appointment time, simply open the link and follow the prompts to check your camera, microphone and internet connection. You'll then enter the virtual waiting room, where your counsellor will join you when your session begins.
Healthdirect Video Call is designed with privacy and security specifically for healthcare. According to Healthdirect Australia, the platform follows applicable Australian Government security guidelines and does not store patient or call data on the Video Call platform.
Information you share as part of your counselling is managed by Men’s Online Counselling Australia in accordance with our privacy, confidentiality and record-keeping obligations. Further information about how your personal and health information is handled is provided in the privacy and consent information you receive before your first appointment.
If you're unsure about anything before your first appointment, we'll provide instructions to help you get connected.
A standard counselling session at Men’s Online Counselling Australia is 50 minutes.
This gives you and your counsellor time to explore what has brought you to counselling, discuss what has been happening since your previous session and work through any concerns, strategies or goals that are relevant to you.
Your counsellor also allows time outside of your 50-minute appointment to review relevant information before the session and complete appropriate clinical notes and records afterwards.
Keeping appointments to 50 minutes also allows sessions to finish in a considered way, with time to check in before you return to the rest of your day.
There is no set schedule that is right for everyone.
Many people begin counselling with weekly or fortnightly sessions, as regular appointments can provide continuity while you and your counsellor begin working through what has brought you to counselling.
How often you meet will depend on your individual circumstances, what you're working through, your goals and what feels manageable for you.
During your first session, your counsellor will discuss a recommended starting frequency with you. This isn't a fixed commitment. As counselling progresses, you and your counsellor can review how things are going and adjust the frequency of your sessions when appropriate.
The aim is to find a schedule that gives you the support and continuity you need without making counselling feel like another pressure in your life.
What you discuss with your counsellor is confidential, and protecting your privacy is an important part of the counselling relationship.
There are, however, some limits to confidentiality. Your counsellor may need to take appropriate action if there is a serious concern about your safety or the safety of another person, or where information is required or authorised to be disclosed by law.
This forms part of your counsellor's duty of care.
The limits of confidentiality will be explained to you before counselling begins and discussed again during your first session. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions so you understand when information may need to be shared and why.
Further information about confidentiality, privacy and duty of care is provided in the documentation you receive before your first appointment.
It’s completely normal to feel a little nervous before your first counselling session, particularly if you’re not sure what to expect. Your counsellor understands this and will take the time to help you feel comfortable and explain how everything works before you begin.
The session will start with some important information about confidentiality and its limitations, your rights as a client, telehealth, and the counselling process. You will have already received this information when you booked your appointment, but your counsellor will go through the key points with you and give you the opportunity to ask any questions.
Once everything has been explained and you’re comfortable proceeding, your counsellor will share the Initial Informed Consent Record and Telehealth Agreement Form with you on screen. You’ll be able to sign and date the form electronically, and it will be securely saved to your client file. This usually only takes a few minutes.
From there, the focus turns to you.
Your counsellor will talk through the intake form you completed before your appointment and spend some time understanding what has brought you to counselling, what has been happening in your life and what you would like to get from your sessions.
Together, you can begin exploring what might be helpful. This may include different counselling approaches, practical strategies and how often you might initially meet. There is no expectation that everything needs to be worked out in the first session. Your counselling plan can change as things become clearer and your needs change along the way.
Before finishing, your counsellor will check in with you about how the session has felt and whether there is anything else you would like to discuss or ask. If you would like to continue, a follow-up appointment can then be arranged.
Within approximately 24 hours, you’ll receive your personalised Counselling Plan by email. This reflects what you and your counsellor discussed, including the areas you would like to work on and the approach you have agreed to take together. You’ll be asked to review, sign and return the plan before your next appointment.
You may also receive a workbook related to what you’re working through. The workbook is there as an extra resource between sessions, not something you need to complete from beginning to end. It includes practical activities, questions and space for notes that may help you make sense of things as they come up.
Have a look through it and use whatever feels relevant or useful to you. You might complete an activity, write down a thought you want to bring to your next session, or simply keep it there for a time when you need it.
There’s no right way to use it. It’s simply another tool available to support the work you’re doing in counselling.
Counselling isn't about someone telling you what to do or making decisions for you.
Your counsellor's role is to help you explore what's happening, consider different perspectives and understand the thoughts, feelings or patterns that may be influencing your decisions.
At times, your counsellor may offer information, practical strategies, observations or suggestions that could be helpful. You can talk these through together and decide what feels relevant to you and your situation.
There may also be times when your counsellor challenges you to look at something differently or asks questions that aren't necessarily easy to answer. This isn't about pushing you in a particular direction, but helping you explore things that may be important to the work you're doing together.
Ultimately, the decisions you make about your life remain yours.
Counselling is a collaborative process. Your counsellor brings professional knowledge and support, while you bring the knowledge and experience of your own life.