Important
If you feel unsafe right now, call 000. Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, any time. InnerHub is not a crisis service.
Most people live through something frightening or overwhelming at some point: an accident, a loss, violence, a sudden change that turned life upside down. For many, the impact eases with time and support. For some, it stays close. The ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing found 5.6% of Australians aged 16 to 85 had post-traumatic stress disorder in the previous twelve months.
You do not need a diagnosis to deserve support. You also deserve to know when specialist care is the better fit.
How it can show up
- memories that arrive uninvited, or vivid dreams
- feeling on edge, jumpy or always on guard
- avoiding places, people or conversations that bring it back
- feeling numb, distant or not quite like yourself
- trouble sleeping or concentrating
- being more irritable or tearful than usual
These are understandable responses to something hard. They are not a sign of weakness, and they often ease with support.
When specialist care matters
If symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares or constant alertness have lasted more than a few weeks, or they are getting in the way of daily life, see your GP. They can assess what is happening and refer you to specialist trauma care, with Medicare support where eligible.
Counselling on InnerHub is support, not trauma treatment. Our practitioners do not diagnose, and they will tell you if what you need sits beyond counselling.
What counselling support can offer
- Steadiness first. Practical ways to calm your body and feel grounded when things flare up.
- Your pace, your choice. You decide what to talk about. There is no requirement to go over details.
- Understanding your reactions. Making sense of why your mind and body respond the way they do.
- Rebuilding everyday life. Sleep, routine, connection and the things that help you feel like you.
Talk to someone this week
Get matched with your therapist and book a session in minutes. $59.90 flat, no referral, no subscription.
Find a therapistWhat sessions can look like
Early sessions usually focus on the present rather than the past:
- What is hard right now. Sleep, work, relationships, the moments that set things off.
- What helps, even a little. People, places or habits that make you feel steadier.
- Grounding skills. Simple techniques for when your body reacts before your mind catches up, like slow breathing, noticing your surroundings or holding something cold.
- A plan for hard moments. Who you can contact, and what to do when a wave hits.
Talking about what happened, if and when you want to, comes later and at your pace.
Small things that can help day to day
- keeping a simple routine for meals, sleep and movement
- noticing early signs you are getting overwhelmed, and stepping away for a few minutes
- limiting news or content that brings it all back
- staying in touch with one or two people who feel safe
- going easy on alcohol and other substances, which tend to make sleep and mood worse
Feeling safe in sessions
Safety is the starting point. Choose a time and a private place where you will not be interrupted. You can pause, change the subject or end early at any time. Online sessions let you talk from somewhere familiar, which some people find easier.
How to tell it is helping
Signs counselling support is helping include sleeping a little better, recovering more quickly after reminders, feeling more able to be around people, and having a few tools you trust for hard moments. If things are not shifting, or symptoms are getting stronger, talk to your counsellor and your GP about specialist care.
Choosing someone
Look for experience with difficult life events in a practitioner's profile, and trust your sense of who feels calm and respectful. On InnerHub you can read each practitioner's qualifications, the country they trained in and their years of practice before booking, and change practitioner at no extra cost. Sessions are $59.90 AUD, with no referral and no subscription. Our practitioners are qualified in their own countries and are not AHPRA-registered, so sessions sit outside Medicare. If grief is part of what you are carrying, our page on grief counselling may also help.
Not sure where to start?
Take the two-minute quiz to see what kind of support fits, or read how matching works.
Take the quizSupport any time
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732, for sexual, domestic and family violence
- Open Arms: 1800 011 046, for veterans and their families
- Emergency: 000
General information, not clinical or medical advice. For adults 18 and over. InnerHub is not a crisis service: in an emergency call 000, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
