You Need Help.. Here’s Where To Start.
You realise you need some help.. Here’s where to start.
You’ve come to the realisation and bravely admitted that you need some help. We all endure challenges. Some people are taught at an early age to deal with their problems on their own. That you need to keep it to yourself. But I encourage you to ask yourself the question: Has this narrative served you? Is it helpful?
Maybe you’re worried about your independence being taken away. Humans are social creatures; We all depend on someone, or have in the past in some capacity; this is part of being human. We run stronger as a collective. Maybe you’ve been burnt in the past or perhaps you never learnt how to ask for help. You can still be independent whilst asking for support. At the end of the day, someone can help you but it is up to you to do the work. You just don’t have to do it alone.
So here is a step-by-step guide how to reach out for help, so you can start to adopt healthier ways of growing and healing:
1. Recognising that you need help
The first step to asking for help is admitting that you need it. This isn’t easy for some people; there are old narratives and beliefs built into some people from childhood.
The question needs to be: Am I suffering? Has there been a pattern of suffering?
This isn’t to say you can’t do it yourself. Its about saying, I want to grow and heal myself and I’m going to utilise the resources around me to help me do that.
If you have someone around you who you feel emotionally safe with, that won’t judge you, let them know you would like some support and ask if they can be by your side during the process.
Alternatively, we can go to the next step – reach out to your GP.
2. Make an appointment with your GP
The next best step is to make an appointment with your GP. Speak to them about what’s going on for you. They’ll ask you a few questions to understand a bit further about what your experiencing.
Next step is to ask for a Mental Health Care Plan.
3. Ask for a referral for a Mental Health Care Plan
In Australia, every citizen and permanent resident that has Medicare can access 10 rebated sessions per calendar year. This means that the sessions will be subsidised by the government.
When you first visit your GP and ask for a mental health care plan, they will first offer you 6 sessions to begin with. They may ask you which psychologist you’d like to see or you can ask them to help refer you to one. They will address the care plan to your new psychologist, and they can send it to them directly or you can take a copy and give it directly to the new psych.
After you have 6 sessions with your current psychologist, on the 6th session your psychologist will discuss with you whether you’d like to access 4 more and if they deem it necessary. If you decide that you’d like the extra 4, your psychologist is required to write a progress update to you GP, requesting 4 more sessions. At this point, you’ll have to go back to your GP to get the new referral for the extra sessions. Your GP can then send the reviews directly back to your psychologist.
In total, you can access up to 10 sessions per calendar year
4. Search for a psychologist or counsellor yourself/or be referred
Prior to going to the GP, you can have a search on the internet for a psychologist that you think may be well suited to you.
You can filter some websites to your needs including location.
These are some useful websites when searching:
Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au
APS Find a Psychologist
https://psychology.org.au/find-a-psychologist
Alternatively, you can ask your GP to support you in finding a psychologist.
5. After the Mental Health Care Plan is finished
Once your 10 sessions have been used up, you will have to pay for the sessions privately. This is something to consider when finding a psychologist that you’ll be able to afford it when your rebates run out. Keeping in mind that the 10 sessions refresh every calendar year.
Another option is to find a bulk billing psychologist where almost all – sometimes everything- is covered by Medicare.
Some websites include:
Someone. Health
The Talk Shop
https://www.thetalkshop.com.au/
If you have private health insurance with extras cover, you may be eligible for cover as well. Check with your provider.
6. Maintenance
Even if you feel better or your sessions are up, its important to maintain that level of mental health. Consider whether its suited to still check in with your psychologist at least once a month. This can help prevent a crisis and works as a preventative rather than being reactive.
7. Other forms of help
You don’t have to have a Mental Health Care Plan to seek help. You can also just reach out to a psychologist, psychotherapist, or counsellor. You’ll just be paying privately at the full fee rate. This option, you don’t have to visit the GP and you can reach out to therapists on your own accord.
If one on one sessions are too daunting, have a search on the web for support groups near you for what you are experiencing. You can call your local council, they may be able to support you. Not-for-profits also have some great support groups. Getting to know people who are going through what you are is a great way to start to break the barrier to reach out for help. You may find this even more daunting – but I gently encourage you to just show up, you don’t even have to speak. Just listen and see what happens.
Another option is a Help line. You can call for free, anytime, and talk to them about what’s going on for you. You can even ask them for advice in terms of where to start searching for more ongoing support. See below some resources.
There are also many free not-for-profit organizations supporting people with mental health concerns. These services are free, albeit long wait lists. Still, they are resourced and can support you with whatever you need. You can search the closest mental health community service near you and start there.
Hotlines:
Lifeline – 24/7 helpline (free)
13 11 14
Beyond Blue Phone Service – 24/7 (free)
1300 224 636
See below for some not-for-profit organisations in Australia:
Mental Health Foundation Australia
Beyond Blue
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/national-mental-health-helplines-support-groups
Cohealth
SANE
NEAMI (Victoria)
https://www.neaminational.org.au/
Author: Cody Tonkin