Young people and families in Yarra Ranges can access free counselling through Inspiro in a number of areas around the municipality.
Council funded Inspiro to offer free counselling for young people and families, alongside its general counselling and private psychology services from 2017.
Young people aged 12-25 years of age who live, work or study in Yarra Ranges can access the service, without needing a Mental Health Care Plan.
Inspiro CEO, Sue Sestan, said that young people and their families can access up to 12 free counselling sessions in Lilydale and at the Belgrave Health Hub, as well as through some schools and community venues in Yarra Ranges.
“Our counselling service is a form of therapy which can help to address the physical, mental and emotional issues, and problems that young adults, teenagers and their families face,” Ms Sestan said.
“There can still be a stigma for people seeking help with counselling, but it’s perfectly normal to want to chat to someone about what’s going on in your life.
“We get a lot of young people, right across the age range, coming to talk to our trained counsellors about moving to new schools, the stress of workloads, friendships, family dynamics and general uneasiness.
“Some people come along for a session just to talk about an issue, while others might find they want to keep chatting and use all 12 sessions we can offer them.
“What I would say to young people and their families is to give us a call and give it a try – there’s no cost, no pressure and no expectations on anyone coming in.”
Inspiro Youth Counsellors in front of their Lilydale office.
Council supports Inspiro to run youth and family counselling services. In its Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2017-21, Council identified a goal of ensuring that people enjoy good mental health throughout their lives.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Richard Higgins encouraged young people and their families to think of counselling as an unbiased ear and a chance to talk through issues with someone objective.
“Counselling can be a key part of mental health support for people in the community of all ages, and no two people will be experiencing the exact same level of mental health on any given day,” Cr Higgins said.
“But it’s important that people think of counselling as more than that – for many young people, they might just need someone to talk to about school, friendships or things happening at home.
“Good mental health isn’t just seeking help when the wheels fall off – it’s about talking through issues before they get worse, thinking about how to get through tough moments and learning about good self-care.
