The Multicultural Counselling Service is currently accepting only urgent counselling referrals. Please contact our office at info@mhub.org.au to discuss if we can accept your referral.
What is the Multicultural Counselling Service?
Multicultural Hub Canberra’s Counselling service is a safe, culturally responsive, confidential and non-judgmental space for all multicultural community members.
Counselling is a form of ‘talk therapy’. It is a process where an individual meets with a trained professional counsellor to talk about issues and problems that they are facing in their lives to promote mental health and wellbeing, enhance self-understanding, and resolve identified concerns.
For counselling to be effective, clients need to be ready and active participants in the counselling process at every stage.
Eligibility:
Counselling sessions are specifically for people who identify as being from CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) backgrounds. There are no visa restrictions to accessing our counselling services, this means that people on temporary visas may also be able to access our counselling service.
There are no costs associated with our counselling service.
Counselling Service Workflow:
Receiving Referral
Initial Contact & Appointment with the Counsellor
(within 2-3 business days)
Identifying key challenges and underlying issues
Establishing rapport between the counsellor and client
Discussing limits to confidentiality, concerns, and goals
Goal Setting
Defining clear, achievable objectives for counselling sessions
Collaboratively deciding on the desired outcomes
Setting realistic expectations about progress
Interventions and Counselling
Implementing techniques based on counselling theories
Exploring thoughts, emotions, and behaviours
Adjusting strategies as needed for effectiveness
Assessing improvements and obstacles
Gathering feedback on the counselling process
Modifying approaches if necessary
Reviewing progress and achievements
Discussing future coping mechanisms
Discussing future re-engagement
Providing recommendations for further support if needed
FAQs of Counselling
Effective counselling requires a trusting relationship between counsellor and client where you can feel comfortable to share your thoughts and feelings. Some good questions to ask yourself when you meet with a counsellor are, “did I feel listened to and understood?”, “did I feel comfortable in sharing my story?”, “did I feel judged or was I able to talk about anything?”
The first session is focused on you and the counsellor getting to know each other and clarifying your goals for therapy.
There are no checklists or script, this is your story and our work and you will be supported to explore what’s meaningful and relevant for you. It is important to remember that these counselling sessions are especially for you.
Counsellors always try to create a non-judgmental environment that allows you to identify and talk about the issues that you need to work through and strive to work with you to reach your desired goals for counselling.
Approximately 60 minutes.
That really depends on what you want to work on. For some clients, a couple of sessions is all they need, for others we might need more sessions. We will talk about this in our first session and together agree on a plan that works for you.
That’s fine, stuff happens and changing an appointment time or day can usually be accommodated. To help manage availability, we ask client to provide at least 24 hour’s notice.
Multicultural Counselling sessions are free of charge for eligible clients.
Mental health care plans under the Better Access Scheme are written by a GP for a client to access rebates in seeing a psychologist, unfortunately not counsellors or our service.
Great, send them through to info@mhub.org.au
Common issues and challenges raised in Counselling:
- Adjusting to being new in Australia
- Experiences of grief and loss
- The impact of past experiences, childhood trauma or family violence
- Family challenges
- Feeling isolated from family, friends or the community
- Connecting with other support services
- Stress management
- Low self-esteem
- Career challenges
- Life transitions
- Personal anxiety, depression, loneliness
- Fear for personal safety
- Mental health concerns
- Domestic or Family Violence
Please note we are not an emergency or crisis service.
If you or somebody you know is in immediate risk of harm, call 000 (if located in Australia)
Here’s some other support services.
Lifeline
For 24/7 immediate support. Lifeline provides compassionate support for people in crisis. No judgement. No conditions. No agenda. Just a human connection to help people get through their darkest moments.
Call: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue is focused on supporting people affected by anxiety, depression and suicide. They provide a 24/7 free confidential phone service and online chat 1pm-12am 7 days per week.
Call 1300 22 4636
Make an appointment with a Counsellor
You can contact Multicultural Hub Counselling Service info@mhub.org.au for a confidential appointment.
What is Confidentiality?
Confidentiality ensures our Service can be trusted and that we will not share your personal information with anyone without your permission.
Multicultural
Hub Canberra
Multicultural Hub Canberra is a leading provider of services to the Canberra community and is part of a network of Multicultural Centres across regional SE NSW.
Contact Us
Mon – Frid: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
