Services / Men's and women's counselling
Men's counselling
Practical, private, and nothing to perform. You do not need to know what to call it before you book.
What men's counselling is
Most men book this years after they first thought about it, and usually because something forced the issue: a partner who has had enough, a blow-up they cannot explain away, a stretch of drinking more than they meant to, or the quiet realisation that they have not felt much of anything for a long time.
The sessions are practical rather than abstract. What happened, what you did, what it is costing, and what could go differently. Nobody is going to ask how that makes you feel every four minutes, and nobody is going to be surprised by anything you say.
It is delivered by two male counsellors and you book with either directly. You do not have to have a diagnosis, a plan or a tidy account of your childhood. Turning up with "I do not really know why I am here" is a completely ordinary start.
What it helps with
- Anger, and a short fuse with the people at home
- Stress and work that will not switch off
- Drinking or using more than you intend to
- Separation, and losing regular time with the kids
- Feeling flat, numb or permanently irritated
- Grief that never had anywhere to go
- Pressure as a provider, and money worry
- Isolation, and having no one to say any of it to
Common questions
I do not really know what I would say. Is that a problem?
No, and it is how most men start. You do not have to arrive with a prepared account of your childhood. Starting with what is going on this week, or with the fact that you have been angry or flat and cannot say why, is enough for a first session to be useful.
Will I see a man?
Yes. Both Ethan and Shuv deliver this work and you book with either of them directly rather than being allocated. It is a common preference and not one anybody needs to explain.
Is it just talking?
There is talking, but the sessions are practical. What set it off, what you did, what it cost, and what could be different next time. Most men who stay find the useful part is not being listened to sympathetically, it is finally working out the mechanics of something that has been running unexamined for fifteen years.
What do men actually come in with?
Anger and a short fuse at home. Stress and work that has stopped switching off. Drinking more than they intend to. A separation, or losing regular time with the kids. Grief that never got dealt with because there was no room for it. Feeling flat, and being told they have changed. Not one of those requires a diagnosis to be worth an hour.
Is it confidential from my employer and my partner?
Yes. What you say is not shared with your employer, your partner or your family unless you authorise it. There are limits set by law where somebody is at risk of serious harm, and those apply to every client rather than to this service in particular. They will be explained at the start.
I am drinking or using to manage it. Where should that go?
Bring it here rather than treating it as a separate problem to deal with later. It is extremely common and it is usually doing a job: sleep, stress, or the only reliable stop in the day. If it turns out to be the bigger issue, the drug and alcohol page covers that work and it is the same practice, so you are not starting again.
Things are worse than I have told anyone. Where do I go tonight?
MensLine Australia is free, staffed 24 hours and set up for exactly this call, on 1300 78 99 78. Lifeline is on 13 11 14. If you are thinking about acting on it, call 000. Counselling here is worth booking as well, but it is not an emergency service and a Tuesday appointment is no use on a Friday night.
Can sessions be online?
Yes, by secure video anywhere in Australia, which for shift workers, tradespeople and anyone working away is often what makes it possible at all. In-person sessions are available in Bankstown.
Who you'd be working with
Ethan Carter
Men's Mental Health & Anger Management
Ethan supports men through emotional difficulty, stress and anger, in an environment where there is nothing to perform. He works with fathers, partners and professionals, and specialises in anger management and emotional regulation.
Shuv Homsi
Lead Therapist · ACA-Registered Clinical Supervisor
Shuv works across mental health, relationships and substance use. His own journey through addiction and recovery shapes how he works, which tends to matter to men who expect to be lectured and find they are not.
You will be allocated to the therapist who best meets your needs once you have booked. You do not have to work out who you need to see before you have spoken to anybody.
Related
Not sure if this is the right place to start?
Book an appointment and say what has been going on. You do not have to work out what you need, or who you need to see, before you book.
Before you book: the form asks for a few details, including an emergency contact. If you do not have a diagnosis, writing "none" is a perfectly good answer. And if you are booking for someone else, say so in the "relationship to client" field and we will work it out from there. If there is a particular therapist you would like to see, put their name in the "Additional Information" box and we will take it into account.
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Are you in crisis?
- In an emergency, call 000
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
- 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732
- Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467