Mental Wellbeing
Here you will find resources and information regarding mental wellbeing.
What is Mental Wellbeing?
Mental health/ mental wellbeing is not just the absence of mental disorder. It is defined as a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. – WHO
Mental wellbeing encompasses our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing and is affected by all of the small and big things in our lives.
Just as maintaining your physical fitness requires training, practice and care, so does building and maintaining our mental “fitness.”
Springmount recognises the importance of mental wellbeing and its impact on daily life, and we aim to support the mental wellbeing of our staff by providing supportive services and educational resources.
Check out the resources below to learn more about mental wellbeing and the services springmount offers as part of the We Care: Wellbeing program.
Employee Assistance Program
Springmount Services has engaged EAP Assist to provide counselling assistance to all Springmount Services employee’s free of charge for up to three visits of one hour each over a 12 month period.
The aim of counselling with EAP Assist is to help resolve both workplace and personal issues before they adversely impact your personal wellbeing and work performance.
To request up to three hours of telephone counselling you can use Springmount Services dedicated Helpline number: 0407 086 000.
Alternatively, you can go to the EAP Assist website eapassist.com.au/booking-form/ to request an appointment.
EAP Assist counsellors are all highly experienced and will initially ask for your name as well as that of your employer in order to confirm eligibility for services. Information obtained during counselling is confidential and will not generally be released to a third party without prior consent.
The EAP Assist website also contains an extensive range of self-help resources which all employees are encouraged to use. Please go to: https://eapassist.com.au/
How to Find a Psychologist and Access Subsidised Care via a Mental Health Treatment Plan from Medicare
Finding a Psychologist
Finding the right psychologist for you can be a challenge, but there are tools to make the process easier and less confusing.
The Australian Psychological Society has an excellent website that can help you find a mental healthcare provider near you, that specialises in the areas you are interested in seeking support for such as depression, anxiety, relationship issues and so much more.
Go to https://psychology.org.au/find-a-psychologist, and search by location, issue, name, or area of practice to assist you in finding the right mental health professional for you.
Subsidised Care via a Medicare Mental Health Treatment Plan
You can make an appointment at any psychology clinic and pay privately, but if you are interested in receiving up to 10 subsidised sessions per calendar year, you will need to see your GP first and discuss your concerns.
Your GP will ask you questions about your mental health and will likely ask you to take a short questionnaire designed to assess your mental health. Based on your discussion with your doctor you will decide together on the best course of action and create a mental health treatment plan which will include goals you have agreed upon.
A Medicare mental health treatment plan lets you claim up to 10 sessions with a mental health professional per calendar year. Your GP will likely have a few mental health professionals they can recommend you to, but you are free to take your mental health treatment plan to any practice as long as they accept Medicare. You will initially have access to 6 sessions via your mental health treatment plan. Once you have attended 6 sessions, you will return to your GP to obtain a rereferral for the remaining sessions in your mental health treatment plan. For more information, please visit servicesaustralia.gov.au.
When making an appointment with a psychology clinic, be sure to ask about the fees of each clinic and psychologist when you call to book in, as fees and Medicare rebates can differ for clinic and mental health professional types.
Apps & Websites
Moodgym – A website with a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Interpersonal Therapy program.
Moodgym is an interactive program designed to help you:
– Identify whether you are having problems with emotions like anxiety and depression.
– Learn skills that can help you cope with these emotions.
What’s Up? – A Mental Health App – IOS & Android
What’s up is a free app that uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to help you cope with Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and more.
Smiling Mind – Meditation and Mindfulness App
Free daily meditation and mindfulness exercises from any device. Smiling Mind is a unique tool developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to your life.
Available on Apple app store and GooglePlay, Moodfit is a free mental health app whose tools and insight are meant to “shape up” your mood. Similar to the way you might decide to get into physical shape, this app is meant to help you get into mental shape.
Whether you’re looking to better understand your feelings, or you’re experiencing anxiety, depression, or high levels of stress, Moodfit is designed to help you feel better.
Reading & Resources
Beyond Blue – Resources on wellbeing and taking care of yourself, and supporting others.
Black Dog Institute – Mental health resources and support tools.
Embrace Multicultural Mental Health – Mental health resources and community tools in many languages.
Heads Up – Resources for better mental health in the workspace.
Helplines
Beyond Blue aims to increase awareness of depression and anxiety and reduce stigma. Call 1300 22 4636, 24 hours/7 days a week, chat online or email.
Butterfly Foundation’s National Helpline is a free, confidential service that provides information, counselling and treatment referral for people with eating disorders, and body image and related issues. Call 1800 33 4673, 8am-midnight AEST / 7 days a week, chat online or email.
FriendLine supports anyone who’s feeling lonely, needs to reconnect or just wants a chat. You can call them 7 days a week on 1800 424 287, or chat online with one of their trained volunteers. All conversations with FriendLine are anonymous.
Lifeline provides 24-hour crisis counselling, support groups and suicide prevention services. Call 13 11 14, text on 0477 13 11 14 (12pm to midnight AEST) or chat online.
MensLine Australia is a professional telephone and online counselling service offering support to Australian men. Call 1300 78 99 78, 24 hours/7 days a week, chat online or organise a video chat.
MindSpot is a free telephone and online service for people with anxiety, stress, low mood or depression. It provides online assessment and treatment for anxiety and depression. MindSpot is not an emergency or instant response service. Call 1800 61 44 34.
QLife provides nationwide telephone and web-based services for lesbian peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships. Call 1800 184 527, 3pm – 12am (midnight) AEST/7 days a week.
PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia) supports women, men and families across Australia affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and in the first year of parenthood. Call 1300 726 306, 9am – 7:30pm AEST (Mon-Fri).
SANE Australia provides support to anyone in Australia affected by complex mental health issues, as well as their friends, family members and health professionals. Call 1800 18 7263, 10am – 10pm AEST (Mon – Fri), or chat online.
Suicide Call Back Service provides 24/7 support if you or someone you know is feeling suicidal. Call 1300 659 467.
