Mental health support to the local community
Wavecare Counselling Services has provided mental health care support to the local people in the City of Monash for over 40 years. In 2021, people’s mental wellbeing is as vital as ever, as individuals, couples, and families continue to grapple with stress caused by home, work, life, and COVID-related situations. That’s why we’re so committed to helping our community cope with and overcome these difficult times while understanding that mental health is a complex issue requiring a flexible, personal approach.
To continue operating as a grassroots counselling organisation, we appreciate the support we receive from our Corporate Sponsors, who help do the important work we do in the community possible and the City of Monash. Your support means we can continue providing local and affordable mental health support to those who need it the most.
A Community in Need
Right across Australia, mental health issues deeply affect a growing amount of people from all walks of life. People require assistance to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, illness, grief, disability, homelessness, and relationship issues. These are all complex issues that affect people differently, and the need for quality, personalised counselling has never been greater.
According to Beyond Blue, one in seven Australians will experience depression at some point in their lifetime. This number increases to one in four when it comes to experiencing anxiety issues. Mental health is an issue that affects people across all age groups, ethnicities, and employment status•
- Young People: Nearly 14% of all young people aged 4-17 were diagnosed with a mental illness in the past 12 months, while nearly three quarters of all mental health problems begin before we turn 25.
- Meanwhile, between 10-15% of older adults experience some form of depression or anxiety.
- Employees: Half of employees believe that their workplace is mentally unhealthy. 50% of workers have left their job as they were experiencing psychological distress within that employment.
- LGBTIQ: One in five LGBTIQ+ individuals is currently fighting depression and/or anxiety. There is evidence to suggest that transgender people have some of the highest levels of psychological distress out of any group in the community.
- Indigenous Australians: The suicide rates for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people is nearly twice as high as non-indigenous Australians. They are also three times more likely to experience psychological distress than non-indigenous Australians.
- COVID-19: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, there has been a universal rise in mental health disorders across all community groups. The pandemic has caused people to grapple with poor health, grief, loss, and isolation. All of these factors have had a dramatic effect on the mental wellbeing of Australians.
These stats paint an alarming picture, yet there is always help out there for those who need it. Finding help initially can feel like a challenge, but there are several places you can go to if you need to start looking for mental health support.
Some places you can go to as the first port of call are:
- Beyond Blue
- Kids Helpline
- Lifeline
These dedicated mental health services are a great option to turn to if you’re dealing with an immediate issue and can also help you look for a mental health practitioner. You can also approach your GP and ask for a Mental Health Care Plan, which allows you to see a psychologist and receive a medicare rebate.
Committed to Support
WavecareCounselling Services is committed to supporting people with mental health issues. Our practitioners are highly trained psychologists and counsellors dedicated to finding a solution with you to suit your needs. With affordable mental health care support becoming harder and harder to access, we see our services as essential. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, this need for counselling has increased dramatically.
Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, this need for accessible mental support has only increased. Victoria, and in particular Melbourne, experienced very harsh lockdown restrictions during 2020, and again currently in 2021. Counselling can help people cope with the stress of lockdown, when there is so much uncertainty, loss, and isolation.
How You Can Help Out
Wavecare’s quality and affordable counselling services are made possible by our Corporate Sponsors and the City of Monash, whose support allows us to continue providing the vital help we give in our community. We are incredibly grateful to our existing sponsors whose support ensures our services can continue to operate. We are also always welcoming new partnerships to emerge. To begin this journey together, give us a call on 9560 5722 to see how we can help each other make a difference in people’s lives in need.
