If you are waiting for an appointment or want to access alternative supports now, please check out the services below:

Counselling Services

eheadspace - Free, confidential, over the phone or online counselling service provided by headspace. Available 9am-1am (Melbourne time) 7 days a week for a 1-on-1 chat with a trained clinician. 1800 650 890 or eheadspace

Mental Health Access Line - A confidential mental health telephone triage service that provides the first point of contact to public mental health services to Queenslanders. 1300 MH CALL is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will link to the caller’s nearest Queensland Public Mental Health service. Call 1300 642 255

Lifeline - 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services via phone, text or online services. Call 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14 or visit Lifeline Crisis Online Chat Service | Lifeline Australia

13YARN - Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders crisis support line. Available 24/7. No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn. Call 13 92 76.

Kids Helpline - Free, private, and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5-25 years. 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au

Beyond Blue - If you’re going through a hard time right now, the Beyond Blue Support Service is available 24/7 for brief counselling. Most calls last around 20 minutes. Get free, confidential counselling over the phone or online support. 1300 224 636 or Get mental health support - Beyond Blue

Suicide Callback Service - Free counselling for suicide prevention & mental health via telephone, online & video for anyone affected by suicidal thoughts, 24/7. Call 1300 659 467 or visit Phone and Online Counselling | Suicide Call Back Service

1800 Respect - 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Call 1800 737 732

QLife - provides Australia-wide anonymous, LGBTI peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships. Via phone or webchat, 3pm - midnight daily. Call 1800 184 527 or visit Chat (qlife.org.au)

Canteen - Free and confidential counselling services for young people aged 12-25 affected by cancer. Counsellors are available for webchat via canteenconnect.org.au or parentingthroughcancer.org.au, 10am-8pm Monday- Thursday, 10am-6pm Friday and 11am-5pm Saturday (AEST). Call 1800 835 932 or visit Counselling and Individual Support Services | Canteen Australia

Open Arms Veterans & Families Counselling Service - national, free and confidential counselling service that specialises in helping veterans and their families 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Call 1800 011 046 or visit Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling

Counselling Online - Alcohol and other drug support and chat counselling. Confidential, free and available 24/7. Visit Counselling Online - free drug and alcohol counselling in Australia

The Butterfly Foundation - Telephone and web-based counselling, information and support for people experiencing eating disorders https://butterfly.org.au/

Websites and Resources

ReachOut - Online resources and support for young people under 25 going through a tough time. au.reachout.com

Head to Health - Wherever you are on your mental health journey, Head to Health is here to help you find the information, resources, and services that most suit your needs. headtohealth.gov.au

Hello Sunday Morning - Website and app that support young people cutting back or taking a break from alcohol. hellosundaymorning.org

The Brave Program - Online program to support young people aged 8-17 with anxiety. brave4you.psy.uq.edu.au/

Clear Your Vision - Online program to support young people to reduce their cannabis use. cannabissupport.com.au/treatment/tools-to-quit/clear-your-vision

Mood Gym - A free self-help program that teaches cognitive behavioural skills to help prevent and manage symptoms related to anxiety and depression https://moodgym.com.au/

Apps

Act, Belong, Commit - An online campaign and app encouraging people to promote their own mental wellbeing by being active, connecting with others and creating purpose in their life. https://www.actbelongcommit.org.au/ 

Breakup Shakeup - App that supports young people going through a relationship break up. iTunes.apple.com/au/app/breakup-shakeup/id1017200579?mt=8

BeyondNow App - This is a safely planning app that you can work through if you're having thoughts of suicide. beyondblue.org.au/get-support/beyondnow-suicide-safety-planning

Calm Harm - App to provide tasks that help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm. Home - Calm Harm App

Headgear - Free, easy-to-use app that guides you through a 30-day mental fitness challenge designed to build resilience and wellbeing. HeadGear - Black Dog Institute

iBobbly - A social and emotional wellbeing self-help app for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 15 and over. iBobbly app for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders - Black Dog Institute

Mindshift CBT - Free - Free self-help anxiety relief app to reduce worry, stress and panic by following evidence-based strategies. MindShift CBT - Anxiety Relief on the App Store (apple.com)

Smiling Minds - A website and app teaching Mindfulness Meditation to young people (7-22 years), and adults https://smilingmind.com.au/

How do I refer a young person to headspace?

Self-referral

Referral Form Here!

If you are aged 12 - 25 years, you can make a referral by contacting us on 07 4842 6760 or email us to request a referral form on Whitsundaysheadspace@nwrh.com.au

Download Welcome Pack Here!

Family, Carers & Friends

Family, carers, and friends are welcome to refer on behalf of a young person with their consent. You can do this by contacting us on 07 4842 6760. 

Download Welcome Pack Here!

General Practitioners, Service Providers & Schools

Referral Form Here!

With the young person's consent, please complete our referral form (located in the "about" section) and email to Whitsundaysheadspace@nwrh.com.au.
If the young person is eligible for a mental health care plan, please attach this to the referral form however please note this is not a requirement to access our services.

Please also see our registration pack here

If you are aged 12 - 25 there is no wrong way to access headspace Whitsundays. You can call the Centre, drop in during open hours or talk to your doctor about a referral. 

If you're not able to phone us, or if you don't feel comfortable, you can email Whitsundaysheadspace@nwrh.com.au with your contact details and a headspace Whitsundays team member will get back to you either by phone or email. You can also contact eheadspace, a free online and phone support service for young people, on 1800 650 890 or visit eheadspace to have a confidential chat online.

If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services:

24hr Mental Health Access Line (Qld health) - 1300 642 255

Suicide Support Service - 1800 859 585

Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467

Kids Help Line - 1800 55 1800

Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14

headspace Services:

eheadspace

Information sheets:

Alcohol
Alcohol and other drugs
Anger
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Bullying
Dealing with relationship breakups
Depression
Eating Disorders
Getting help from a GP
Grief
Healthy gaming
Healthy romantic relationships
Loneliness
Psychosis
Sex and sexual health
Sexual consent

Supporting Family or Friends:

Create connections
Helping a friend going through a tough time
Overview of mental health for family and friends
Starting a conversation with a young person about mental health
What are mental health difficulties and when to seek help

LGBTQIA+:

Understanding gender identity
Understanding your sexuality and diverse sexual identity

Translated Resources:

headspace flyer - multi language
Anxiety - Chinese
Depression - Chinese
Parents and Carers - Chinese
Tips for a healthy headspace - Chinese

Pause. Reflect. Reconnect.

Each year, a quarter of young Australians, more than 1 million young people, experience mental health issues. It is important that everyone plays a part in raising awareness of this and that young people know where they can access support.

On Wednesday 8th October, headspace encourages young people and their families to take time in their week to Pause. Reflect. Reconnect.

The theme of headspace day 2022 is Pause. Reflect. Reconnect. This theme aims to remind young people and their families that it can be helpful to slow down and take time to do something positive for their mental health and wellbeing.

This headspace day, headspace Whitsundays and the youth reference group (YRG) set up a stall at the Airlie beach Lions Park market, gifting young people and their family and friend's headspace cupcakes and cookies. The YRG prioritized conversations with young people around this year's theme Pause. Reflect. Reconnect.

A special thanks to -Whitsundays Cookie Co and East Coast Cake Co- For providing beautifully made headspace cookies and cupcakes for this event!

Tips for a healthy headspace

Good mental health and wellbeing allows young people to live their lives in positive and meaningful ways and cope with changes and challenges. It helps with managing work and study, to feel connected to others, be involved in activities and bounce back during difficult times.

There are a number of things everybody can do to look after and maintain their mental health and wellbeing.

- Develop your personal coping strategies to handle tough times
- Achieve small tasks and do things you enjoy
- -Connect with family and friends
- -Stay active
- Get enough sleep
- Eat well
- Cut back on alcohol and other drugs

For more information on how to pause, reflect and reconnect, head to www.headspace.org.au/reconnect

young people sharing how they reconnect if going through a tough time

We are so grateful to be supported by such an amazing community.

Fundraisers and donations assist us to raise awareness and educate the community on mental health and wellbeing. They also help us to improve our centre helping to make sure young people have a positive experience when they visit us.

Fundraising

If you would like to organise a fundraiser for headspace Mackay, please contact our Youth and Community Team at youthandcommunitymackay@nwrh.com.au or on (07) 4898 2200

Donations

Donate to headspace Mackay 

If you would like to make a donation to headspace Whitsundays, please contact our centre on (07) 4842 6760 or send an email to youthandcommunitymackay@nwrh.com.au 

All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Please let us know if you require a receipt for your donation.