FOR residents of this beautiful part of Australia, one of the downsides is the lack of essential health services that city dwellers take for granted.

So it’s welcome news that Lifeline has now established a face to face counselling service in Karuah.

‘’We have established a service to meet a need for those who wish to access it,” Lifeline’s Amir Salem told News Of The Area.

“It can assist people in crisis or help prevent a person from reaching that level,” Amir said.

The counselling service is not only for residents in Karuah but anyone from surrounding areas such as Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest.

The Lifeline service is there to help people who may need general, personal or relationship counselling.

“Sometimes people just need someone to talk to,” Amir said.

“The confidential service is free and there is no limit to the number of one hour sessions people can access thanks to funding from the local Primary Health Network,” Lifeline Hunter’s Manager Robyn Lawrence said.

“Our counselling means people who may not be able to afford to see a psychologist or wait for an appointment in the public health systems get the support they need,” she added.

The Lifeline Counsellor in Karuah is tertiary trained and able to offer appropriate support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other minorities.

It’s a sobering statistic that suicide rates in Australia are at 10 year highs and are double the number of people who die on our roads.

The counselling sessions are available between 9am and 3pm every Tuesday at the Karuah Medical Centre at 406 Tarean Road.

Please note, bookings are essential, Phone 4940 2000.

And as always for 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp.

 

By Margie TIERNEY