Social and Emotional Wellbeing

With funding from the Federal Government through the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, we have been able to establish a specialist counselling and support service which aims to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people.

While there is an emphasis on those that have been affected by removal policies of past Governments, the Unit provides counselling and support to assist Indigenous people deal with the distress associated with domestic violence, sexual abuse, depression, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, grief and loss, and so on, many of which are intergenerational consequences of these removal policies.

Staff of the unit work closely with other services and organisations to ensure clients receive the most appropriate care and treatment.

Educative and mutual support groups are conducted regularly, and activities such as Play and Learn, focusing on interaction between parents and their children, are held weekly.

Another function of the Unit relates to advocacy – using the knowledge and experience gained from working within the Unit, staff are active participants in regional committees and public forums, contributing to discussions pertaining to social issues such as excessive alcohol consumption and domestic violence, and highlighting the need for increased specialist referral and support services within the region.

The Unit is situated in a house next door to the main Wurli building, allowing for easy referral to and from the clinical area, and is staffed by four qualified counsellors, three of which are Indigenous.

The service is accessible Monday to Friday between the hours 8.00am and 4.30pm. Clients are able to make appointments, and arrangements can be made to conduct consultations as a home visit, or at a location which is comfortable for the client. Transport services are available to collect clients as necessary.