Terms and Conditions

Terms & Conditions for use of the Helm Services and this website

The Helm services are not suitable for a suicidal crisis.

Please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24 hour crisis support.

You can also text or chat online with Lifeline – see https://www.lifeline.org.au/.

If life is in danger, call 000.

Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully. They govern our relationship with you in relation to the Helm services and your use of this website.

In these Terms and Conditions, “us”, “we” or “our” means Caraniche Pty Ltd (ACN 059 959 456) the operator of the Helm counselling and associated services made available via the Helm website at www.taketheHelm.com (the “Helm services”).

1. Acceptance of these Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

By using or accessing any part of this website and/or using the Helm services, you will be deemed to have accepted these Terms and Conditions in full. If you do not accept any of these Terms and Conditions, you must discontinue your use of both the Helm services and this website.

Any additional person(s) join your Helm counselling sessions by agreement must also adhere to these Terms & Conditions.

Our Privacy Policy applies in relation to personal information that you provide in the course of using the Helm services and/or this website. You must accept the terms of our Privacy Policy before providing any personal information to us.

2. Overview of the Helm services

Helm is a counselling service providing behavioural health solutions. All Helm psychologists are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Key features of the Helm services may include:

a concierge service to help you identify the right Helm service type and navigate a treatment pathway;
recommended treatment plans that are personalised for you and mapped in collaboration with you.
a range of therapeutic services, including individual counselling, coaching, group, and digital programs.
service delivery options that include face-to-face, telephone and video conferences as well as interactive on-line options.
a range of health professionals, including clinical psychologists, psychologists, social workers, and general practitioners;
partnerships with specialist health professionals, such as psychiatrists and addiction specialists for the delivery of inpatient treatment services;
single sessions for users concerned about a family member or friend, providing psychoeducation and information about what a Helm treatment program might look like for your family member / friend and strategies that you can use to support your family member, along with options to further support you;
Helm also offers a suite of digital individual structured programs, called the ‘Power to Change’ programs. These programs are designed to equip you with skills and strategies to take control of your problem behaviour; and may include themes such as problem substance use, problem gambling.
a range of self-help information published on the Helm website.

You will be supported by the Helm digital platform which allows you to manage your Helm appointments, provides you with access to helpful resources between sessions, the completion of journals and surveys and progress tracking.

The above Helm service features are subject to change from time to time, in our discretion.

3. Booking – Helm

Session bookings can be made online via www.taketheHelm.com or facilitated by a Client Services Team member via phone. Our Client Services Team are available between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday and they will be able to guide you through the online process and answer any questions you have about the Helm services, counsellors, choice of counsellor, session availability, payment options or any other general information.

3a) Counselling sessions

You are able to book either a single counselling session or multiple sessions in bundles of 3 or 6 sessions. You are able to book sessions of a frequency of no more than once per week, unless more frequent appointments are recommended and arranged by your counsellor.

You can manage your Helm appointments via your Helm profile on the Helm website. You can request to change, reschedule or cancel a booked appointment up to 24 hours before your session without incurring a penalty. A request to change, reschedule or cancel will incur a fee if changes are made within 24 hours’ notice.

You can cancel a session and get a refund if you notify us at least 24 hours before your session. We cannot give refunds for no-shows or if you give us less than 24 hours’ notice of cancellation.

On booking, you will be sent a pre-session survey including psychometrics to complete prior to your session. This is voluntary. If you choose to complete it, your responses will allow the Helm counsellor to prepare your treatment plan and maximise the benefit of your first session.

3b) Power to Change program

The six-session Power to Change program is bought as a bundle where all six sessions are scheduled upon booking. You are able to book sessions of a frequency of no more than once per week.

This program is non-refundable. We cannot give refunds for no-shows or cancellations.

You will receive all content by planned session date whether you attend the sessions or not. Content will be available to access for four months from the completion date of the program. This may be extended if you engage in further Helm services.

4. Payment options

All sessions require booking along with prepayment via the Helm website. We offer Visa, Mastercard, Google and Apple Pay payment alternatives. We use a leading payment gateway provider called Stripe to manage payments. Stripe’s terms and conditions and privacy policy can be viewed here.

If you dispute any transaction over the Helm website, contact our Client Services Team on 1300 388 576.

Pricing may be subject to change.

5. Helm’s counselling sessions and the Power of Change programs

Your Helm counselling and/or Power to Change program sessions can occur online via Zoom or face to face at Helm’s offices located at Level 1, 260 Hoddle Street, Abbotsford, VIC 3067.

Usual operating hours for delivery of counselling and/or Power to Change program services are between 8am and 8pm on Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) and between 9am and 1pm on Saturdays.

A single Helm counselling session for clients is generally 50 minutes in duration and includes counselling targeted to your needs, insights from the psychological assessments and homework, information and self-assessments to support you after your session.

The Power to Change program consists of six 40-minute sessions and include evidence-based structured program content based on the program theme. Between session activities form part of this program.

You are responsible for using your Helm website profile to check into online sessions and access zoom or telephone appointments.

We may decline your use of the Helm services or suggest alternative support if we feel that we cannot support you. This could be due to the nature of your problem, lack of a clinician to suit your specific needs or if you are suicidal, self-harming or suffering a mental health crisis. Where possible we may suggest other alternative service providers.

6. Your obligations when using the Helm services and this website

As a condition of using the Helm services or using this website, you agree to the following:

the Helm services are not designed for crisis situations or emergencies and we cannot be held responsible for dealing with crisis situations or emergencies – please see the top of these Terms and Conditions for contact details of the appropriate services for crisis situations or emergencies;
whilst our goal is to provide a positive counselling outcome, we cannot guarantee that in all cases;
threatening or abusive behaviour towards Helm counsellors and other staff is unacceptable and may result in your session(s) being discontinued;
it is your responsibility to acknowledge the appropriateness of the information contained in self-help material;
you are responsible for obtaining a referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan and uploading it via your Helm profile before your session, only if you intend to access Medicare or private health insurance rebates;
you will be solely responsible for your Helm profile login details and password. You must keep your login details and password confidential. It is your responsibility to take appropriate actions immediately if your password has been stolen, leaked, compromised or otherwise used without proper consent;
the Helm services are for your personal use only and/or to seek advice on behalf of a family member or friend – and you agree that you are not using any of our services or material to undertake research for private, professional or academic use; and
you are not permitted to attempt to damage our website in any way through the introduction of viruses or any form of malicious technology.

7. Third party services and website links

Helm uses the ‘Tacklit’ technology platform to support the operational delivery of Helm and is the system where all personal information is collected and stored. The Tacklit platform is owned and managed by Tacklit Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 642 101 139). You should read and understand the Tacklit’s terms and conditions that apply to their collection and storage of your personal information – see:

Tacklit’s Privacy Policy; and
Tacklit’s Data & Security Information.

From time to time this website may contain information and links to other sites which are external to us. Whilst we take careful consideration when adding links to this website, it is your responsibility to acknowledge the necessary appropriateness of the information contained in other external sites.

8. Limitation and exclusion of liability

We do not make any warranties or representations as to the accuracy or completeness of our website content, including self-help materials published on the website. We may periodically make changes, improvements and/or updates to the website and the information published on it. Under no circumstances shall we be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered which is claimed to have resulted from the use of the website, use of products, materials, website content or any of our services, including without limitation, any fault, error, omission, interruption or delay with respect thereto.

In no event whatsoever shall we be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, punitive or consequential damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, lost time or goodwill, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability or otherwise. We shall not be liable for any claims against you by third parties.

To the greatest extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall our maximum cumulative liability in connection with this website or the Helm services, regardless of the form of action, exceed $100. No action, regardless of form, arising from or pertaining to the site may be brought by you more than one (1) year after such action has accrued.

9. Release of claims

You agree to release and discharge us, including our directors, officers, employees and affiliates, in relation to all suits, lawsuits, claims and actions originating from the Helm services any part of and any other support provided through the Helm services.

The release and discharge above are also made by you on behalf of your executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin, successors, and assigns and the release is to be construed broadly to provide a release and waiver to the maximum extent permissible under applicable law.

10. Term and Termination

These Terms and Conditions apply to you from earlier of the first time you use this website or use any of the Helm services.

These Terms and Conditions continue in effect for so long as you use this website and/or the Helm services. We may terminate your Helm profile and terminate or restrict your use of the Helm services if you breach or otherwise fail to comply with any of these Terms and Conditions.

11. Confidentiality and Privacy

We will keep your personal information and other confidential information strictly in confidence, subject to the permitted uses of information described in our Privacy Policy.

We comply with:

the Privacy Act 1988(Cth) (Privacy Act) (which includes the Australian Privacy Principles set out in Schedule 1 to the Privacy Act), and
the Health Records Act 2001(Vic) (Health Records Act);
as further described in our Privacy Policy.

12. Intellectual property

You acknowledge that information on this website and documentation used in provision of the Helm services is subject to copyright and may constitute our valuable trade secrets and confidential information. The look-and-feel and functionality of this website and associated software are also our copyright. You may not modify, publish, transmit, adapt, create derivative works from, or in any way exploit any of the foregoing, in whole or in part.

The Caraniche and Helm names and logos are our trademarks and may not be used, copied or imitated, in whole or in part, without our express prior written permission.

13. Enforceability

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, then such provisions shall be construed, as nearly as possible, to reflect the intentions of the invalid or unenforceable provisions, with all other provisions remaining in full.

14. Changes to these Terms and Conditions

We may amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time at our discretion. All changes are effective immediately when published and apply to all access to and use of this website from the time of publication. Your continued use of the website following the publication of the amended Terms and Conditions Agreement means that you accept and agree to the changes. You are expected to check this webpage from time to time so you are aware of any changes, as they are binding on you.

15. Governing law

This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia and any disputes, actions, claims or causes of action arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions or otherwise in relation to the Helm services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria.

16. Complaints, Feedback, Questions or Additional Information

We have an ongoing commitment to quality improvement for the Helm services and your feedback is one of the many ways we seek to understand your needs and continually improve our services. If you have feedback on the Helm services or wish to make a complaint, we invite you to contact our Client Services Team between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

If you have questions regarding these terms and Conditions or the Helm services or wish to obtain additional information, please contact the Client Services Team on 1300 388 576.

Terms and Conditions last updated on 20 January 2023