FAQs

Helm is a behavioural health service that helps men with problems such as difficulty handling emotion, excessive use of drugs and alcohol or gambling. Helm offers counselling and other support services that can be accessed quickly, confidentially and without judgement.

Helm is a specialist service developed by Caraniche – a psychology organisation that’s been in operation for over 25 years delivering mental health, drug and alcohol treatment to men, women, youth and workplaces. Helm is our latest service offering and is delivered by our extensive team of counsellors and backed by our research and program development team.

Yes, all conversations and sessions are confidential. We’ll only use your information, with your permission, to help improve our service.

Yes, if you’re happy to have your sessions over the phone or online, you can access Helm from anywhere in Australia.

No, not at this time. Clients need to be 18 years or older to access Helm.

No, you don’t need a Mental Health Care Plan to access the service. However, if you want to receive the Medicare rebate you will need one to be eligible. You can get a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP. Alternatively, you can get one via InstantScripts noting there are associated costs through that website. If you’d like to know more about Mental Health Care Plans, click here.

Usually you’ll be able to make a booking to see a counsellor within 7 days, often sooner.

Yes, you can speak with our Client Services Team between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday on 1300 388 576

Every Helm client who has confirmed their booking has a Helm account and can update their account at anytime with a referral. Alternatively, if you’re sending a referral to Helm to support a client to access one of our counsellors, please address it to Helm, 1/260 Hoddle Street, Abbotsford, 3067 and send it via h[email protected] to our team.

If you would like to provide feedback, please access our contact page. Or send us an email at [email protected]

Please acess the WISE portal via the Agenct Referral menu option on the home page.

Click on the book now button on any page and you’ll be taken through to the booking page, where you can choose a counsellor, time and day that suits you.

Counselling sessions run for 50 minutes.

A Power to Change session runs for 40 minutes.

The number of sessions will depend on the program your counsellor designs for you and will take into account the goals you want to achieve with the support of Helm. If you’ve elected to do the Power to Change program, this is a 6-session service.

Yes, how you do your program is entirely up to you. Although, please note that our in-person sessions are only available in Abbotsford, Victoria.

Yes, sessions are available 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday. We also offer sessions with one of our counsellors on Saturday morning.

Our Client Service team is available 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.

At this stage, we don’t offer sessions for couples or family groups

Yes, all Helm counsellors are qualified and registered. Our team includes a mix of counsellors, coaches, psychologists and social workers who are all licenced to work in Australia and have experience helping men with problem behaviour.

The team is currently based in Victoria, but we will be expanding interstate in the near future. Through telehealth we can support people across Australia.

Yes, you can. For 50-minute individual counselling sessions visit this page to find out more about that team.  For the counsellors who deliver the 40-minute Power to Change program you can learn more about them here.

For the 50 minute individual counselling sessions, you can change your counsellor at any time.  For the Power to Change program, due to the nature of that service, you will need to stay with the same counselling throughout.

We would love to hear from you. Please visit the careers page through this link https://caraniche.com.au/candidates/

A neuropsychological assessment is a detailed evaluation of thinking skills such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and reasoning. It helps to identify strengths, difficulties, and the impact of medical, neurological, or mental health conditions on day-to-day functioning.

We provide assessments for people 16 years and older. Younger children usually require a paediatric neuropsychologist or educational psychologist.

People seek assessments for many reasons, including suspected ADHD or autism, learning difficulties, changes in memory or thinking, brain injury, neurological illness, or to understand how mental health is affecting cognition.

Prior to the assessment appointment:

• Complete online questionnaires and personal history survey

• Provide documents for your assessor to review (e.g.: school reports, medical reports, and other relevant documents).

During the assessment appointment:

• Clinical Interview (approximately 60 minutes) – people under 18 may require a parent or guardian who can provide information about their developmental history to attend the interview.

• Neuropsychological Assessment (approximately 2-3 hours) – includes tests of general intellectual functioning, academic skills, memory, executive functioning, attention, and language.

Following the assessment appointment:

• Interview with a person who knew you as a child:  completed (via phone or telehealth) with someone who can speak to your developmental history and current functioning (e.g. a family member, partner, teacher).   

• Online questionnaires completed someone who knows you (e.g. family member, teacher, support worker) and client for an assessment of adaptive functioning.

• Feedback session approximately 4-6 weeks after your assessment, you’ll meet with the neuropsychologist for a feedback session(30-45 minutes). In this appointment, we will:

• Explain the results of your assessment in clear, understandable language
• Discuss your strengths as well as any areas of difficulty
• Provide a formal diagnosis, if applicable
• Offer personalised recommendations for support, strategies, or further services if needed
• Give you the opportunity to ask questions and talk through what the results mean for you in everyday life

• Comprehensive Written Report with results of the assessment, any diagnoses made, and a list of tailored support and recommendations. The report is provided to directly to you and/or your referring doctor (GP or other health professional) if required.

Assessment length varies depending on your needs, but most will take 3–4 hours, usually across one or two sessions, plus a separate feedback appointment.

No special preparation is needed. Just bring or provide any relevant medical or educational records and wear comfortable clothing. A good night’s sleep and taking regular medication as prescribed can help you perform at your best.

Yes. Neuropsychological assessment can help diagnose ADHD, as well as other conditions such as autism, learning disorders, intellectual disability, dementia, and other brain-based conditions.

Assessment can still be valuable. It can clarify your cognitive profile, explain ongoing challenges, and provide practical strategies for work, study, or daily life.

Yes. We offer secure online assessments for most referral questions. For some types of testing, in-person assessment may be recommended.

Most people are able to complete their assessment via secure telehealth, but there are some situations where in-person assessment is recommended or required.

Telehealth may not be suitable if:

• You have significant sensory difficulties (e.g. severe vision or hearing impairment) that make screen-based tasks hard
• You experience significant anxiety or safety concerns about attending online
• You require motor-based or hands-on tasks that cannot be adapted to telehealth
• You do not have access to a quiet, private space and a reliable internet connection
• You are not proficient in English — in these cases, we recommend an in-person assessment with an accredited interpreter
• The assessment is for certain legal or high-stakes purposes where in-person testing is preferred

If you’re unsure, we’ll discuss your circumstances during the intake process and guide you to the best option.

Yes. The comprehensive written report summarising results, conclusions, and personalised recommendations can be sent to your referring health professional if this is required. You will receive a feedback letter written directly to you in plain, accessible language, covering the same information so you can easily understand and use the results.

The cost for assessments are as follows:

• Full neuropsychological Assessment: $1,970
• Autism (ASD) Assessment: $1,970
• ADHS Assessments: $1,485
• Learning Disorder Assessments: $1,485

In some instances, where further information, extended testing, or additional sessions are required, the fee may be higher. We will always discuss this with you in advance, so you know what to expect.

Currently, Medicare and most private health funds do not cover neuropsychological assessments. However, some clients may be eligible for rebates or funding through TAC, WorkCover, or other schemes depending on circumstances.

Contact our client services team on 1300 388 576, or via email: [email protected]

Prices for our services vary and are listed on the pricing page.

Payment can be made via Visa, Mastercard, Google and Apple Pay.

All sessions are paid for in full upon booking.

For individual counselling sessions you can choose to book and pay for all your required sessions at the start of your program or you can choose to pay as you go.

For the Power to Change program you will need to book and pay for all 6 sessions at the start, however you can re-schedule a booking with 24 hours notice.

For 50 minute individual counselling sessions and 20 minute advisory sessions, if you need to change or cancel your booking just give us 24 hours notice and no charges will apply. If you change or cancel within 24 hours, the full-service fee will apply. You can change your booking any time via your profile which makes it quick and easy. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more details.

For Power to Change you can change your appointment time free of charge as long as you provide us more than 24 hours notice. We’re not able to give refunds for no-shows or cancellations, however you will still receive all program content by the planned session date whether you attend the session or not. Clients who elect to withdraw from the program before completion are not eligible for a refund for any remaining sessions.

When you pay for services, you will receive a description in your bank statement stating ‘Caraniche-Helm’

You may be eligible for a Medicare rebate if you have a valid GP referral. Medicare rebate approximately $88 back each session for up to 10 sessions each calendar year.

We do not require a referral for you to access Helm services, but if you wish you can obtain a referral at any time.

If you have private health insurance, depending on your level of cover – rebates may also be available. We would recommend getting in touch with your insurer.

Please view our Counsellor page to check which Counsellors have rebates available: https://takethehelm.com.au/counsellors

For the Power to Change program, there are no Medicare rebates available.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact our Client Services team.

Yes, we offer specialised counselling services and can support all NDIS participants regardless of how their funding is managed.