Cancer and its treatments can affect your everyday life and relationships. It can bring up a lot of emotions for everyone affected - patient, carers, family and friends.
Our Counsellors can offer free, short-term phone counselling to help you and those closest to you work through any cancer related concerns.
Counselling services are provided via phone at a time that is convenient to you.
Supports available
Our experienced Counsellors can assist with a range of concerns including:
- Adjusting to life with cancer
- Stress and difficulty coping
- Sleep difficulties
- Treatment side-effects
- Uncertainty about the future
- Cancer-related depression and anxiety
- Loss
- Family or relationship problems
- Sexual problems
- Survivorship
- Fear of recurrence
- Therapy related to end of life
- Bereavement support
Access this service
Call Cancer Council 13 11 20 to speak to one of the team who can assess your needs and eligibility and refer you to the Counselling service . You can call between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Counselling appointments are available Monday to Friday during business hours.
For urgent or crises support call 000 (triple zero) or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
How to access additional mental health support in Victoria
If you’d like to access ongoing mental health support, here are some tips to help you find a psychologist, counsellor or psychotherapist.
Step 1. Find a person or practice who sounds like a good fit for your needs
Here are some places you can search:
- The Australian Psychological Society's Find a Psychologist service, search under General Health (Cancer Support).
- The Australian Counselling Association’s directory
- The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation’s Find a Therapist tool
- Your GP may also know of local psychologists or counsellors
When researching, consider availability, cost and approach. This information may be on their website, or you can contact the person directly and ask the following:
- Are you accepting new clients?
- Do I need a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from my GP?
- How much will I be out of pocket for each appointment?
- Can I have face to face or telehealth appointments?
- What kind of therapeutic approaches do you use?
Step 2. See your GP for a Mental Health Care Plan
- Make an appointment with your GP to discuss your mental health needs. You may like to make a long appointment, so you don’t feel rushed.
A Mental Health Treatment Plan allows you to get a Medicare rebate for up to 10 individual sessions with a mental health professional (plus 10 group sessions) per year.
Please note: Medicare rebates are not available for sessions with psychotherapists and some counsellors.
Step 3. Book your appointment with your selected psychologist, counsellor or psychotherapist
- Provide a copy of your Mental Health Care Plan (if needed) to them.
A note on private health insurance: if you have extras cover, contact your insurer to see whether mental health services are covered under your policy, if waiting periods apply, and if there are specific preferred providers.