FREE Emotional Wellbeing Program offered by Anglicare

Life hasn’t exactly been easy for many of us over the past few years. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought on isolation, financial hardship, loss of jobs and so much more and your mental health might have taken a hit. Anglicare’s Emotional Wellbeing programs focus on managing your mental health to guide you towards positive outcomes. It’s funded by the Sydney North Primary Health Network, and it’s FREE.

Have you been feeling anxious over the past few months or years?
Has depression crept its way into your life?
Are you dealing with extra stressors that are having an impact on your mental health?

As women, we wear so many different hats daily. We may be a mother caring for young children, a daughter supporting aged parents, or a full-time professional who has to juggle between work and household duties. Juggling all these different responsibilities and trying to live up to everyone’s expectations of us can be exhausting and take a toll on our well-being.

There is FREE support out there through two programs providing you or your family member with effective stress management techniques and a routine that prioritises self-care:

Emotional Wellbeing Space (EWS) (anglicare.org.au) – provides emotional support for people over the age of 18 living, working or studying in the Sydney North area. The program is offered online or face-to-face, through individual and group sessions (according to your preference).
Emotional Wellbeing for Older Persons (EWOP) (anglicare.org.au) – provides emotional support for people living in aged care facilities. This program offers face-to-face visits.

EWS and EWOP provide person centred care as they address issues important to you, such as family matters, work-life balance, childhood experiences, self-awareness, and more! One-on-one support is available or join a group and share your experiences with others who understand similar challenges in life.

CONTACT ANGLICARE

Emotional Wellbeing Space (EWS)

EWS is available in these local government areas: Northern Beaches, Ku-ring-gai, Willoughby, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, and Ryde.

EWS can guide you toward positive outcomes through six-week coaching sessions, in group or individual. This flexible service is offered via phone, online, or face to face, depending on your needs. It offers direct access to counsellors and coaches, so you can work through your mental health, and develop coping strategies.

The program will help you learn and develop strategies to:

Deal with feelings of stress and worry
Recognise and make the best use of your inner strengths
Pay attention to your emotions and increase your emotional resilience
Find solutions to your life challenges

Emotional Wellbeing for Older Persons (EWOP)

Are you concerned about your parents’ emotional well-being who live in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs)? This FREE program has been designed to support residents and staff in RACFs in the Sydney North region.

Professional counselling and staff training are provided during visits to the facility. EWOP recognises more than ever, at this difficult time, that residents and staff alike require emotional support. The program is currently supporting 85 aged care facilities.

What their clients are saying…

In early sessions clients get comfortable with opening up. As sessions progress and rapport is built clients experience the relief that comes from sharing their experiences and emotions. As a practitioner, it’s one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

Clients noticed the positive changes that have come from the techniques provided in these sessions, stating they could see significant changes in their lifestyle, noticing an improvement in their mental health and sleeping patterns. In their own words:

The experience with the group emotional wellbeing session has been amazing. For the first time in my life I put my needs in front of the needs of others and allowed myself to think about myself, my feelings, my emotions and acknowledge them. At the beginning, I felt guilty and selfish but the more I allow myself to ponder my feelings I realise that it has nothing to do with being selfish. I realised that there is no right or wrong there is THE FEELING and it is wonderful to let it come out – Women’s Group Client

It can be difficult for residents in Aged Care to access free mental health and counselling services, especially during extended COVID lockdown periods and the EWOP funded program provides access to a vulnerable population that we have the privilege to support. Through both onsite and telehealth options, residents most at risk were provided with an experienced mental health practitioner who supported not only the resident, but subsequently provided reassurance to concerned relatives and friends as well as staff providing care. – Steve (Regional Manager, Residential Aged Care Facility)

Why choose Emotional Wellbeing Space

Wondering whether Emotional Wellbeing Space can help you? Here’s some of the benefits of joining:

It’s completely FREE
Professional counselling support
No GP referral needed
No mental-health care plan needed
Easy self-referral
They address the issues that you tell us are important now
Sessions can be provided easily online or over the phone
No need to leave home or wait in reception
Face-to-face option available
Access up to 6 sessions, or stop earlier if you are satisfied and have new strategies to address life’s challenges
Low-intensity support with a focus on effective outcomes