We help you improve your social and emotional wellbeing
We provide professional counselling and support services to Griffith students, staff and the wider community at free or low cost. Our services are provided by final year counselling intern students, under direct supervision from experienced professional practitioners.
Our clinic is open to the public and offers both individual and group-based sessions, with no referrals required.
* In the wake of the ongoing Coronavirus situation, patient and practitioner safety and support remain our highest priority. If you have been feeling unwell or have been diagnosed with Coronavirus, we encourage you to re-book your appointment after clearance from a medical professional.
Our counselling service continues to support our community and is open for face-to-face appointments as well as appointments via telehealth.
Contact us
Gold Coast: Level 4, Ian O'Connor building (G40), Gold Coast campus, Cnr Parklands Drive and Olsen Avenue, Southport QLD 4215
Mt Gravatt: Level 1, Building M24, Mt Gravatt campus, 176 Messines Ridge Road, QLD, 4122
Depression and anxiety
Grief and bereavement
Work or study-related stress
Conflict and crisis situations
Mental health concerns
If you’re considering therapy, you may have wondered whether a psychologist or a counsellor would be best for you. Psychologists and counsellors are both licensed professionals who offer mental health support, however, they differ in their approach to work. Knowing the difference between the two will help you identify the right support pathway for your needs and preferences.
Psychologists
Psychologists tend to begin with a comprehensive intake process that often includes several diagnostic and clinical assessments. Psychologists work with individuals who are seeking to make changes, or to resolve difficult issues in their lives. They are specifically trained to treat individuals who have mental health disorders, and are most appropriate for individuals who have significant mental health concerns or have an existing diagnosis.
Counsellors
Counsellors take a highly person-centred approach and begin with building a strong therapeutic relationship, listening deeply to the individual, and exploring their personal goals for seeking support. Counsellors also offer support to people with mild to moderate symptoms of mental illness, and those who may already have a diagnosis but want additional support. Counsellors work by guiding and empowering individuals to develop self-understanding and be self-determining in their lives. Whatever struggles you may be facing, counsellors work with you to clarify the changes you want to make, so you can improve your mental health, wellness, relationships, education or work life.
Whether you need a counsellor or psychologist, both professionals have a responsibility to recognise when another approach would be better suited to you, or if an issue is outside their area of expertise. If this is the case, the counsellor or psychologist will make an appropriate recommendation that’s best for you.
We aim to provide a client-centred, inclusive, culturally informed and evidence-based service, that supports individuals to improve their mental health and wellbeing. We provide this service primarily as a resource to our local communities, but also to provide quality training opportunities for counselling interns, within a supportive and positive team environment.
In order to work effectively with individuals and the community, we are committed to providing a service that is:
- client-centred: respectful, non-judgemental and accepting, with a belief in the individual’s own capacity for healing and change
- inclusive: openness to all people, including culturally-informed practices with an awareness of own cultural legacies and how these impact the therapeutic relationship
- strengths-based: facilitating the identification and enhancement of an individual’s unique strengths and capacity for resilience, whilst acknowledging the impact of their life challenges
- ethical and evidence-based: utilising approaches that are based on sound evidence and aligned with the ethics and scope of practice documented by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) Code of Ethics.
Our counselling service can help with a range of concerns or problems, such as anxiety, depression, grief or relationship difficulties. We aim to help you find resolutions in a positive way by helping you clarify the issues, explore options, develop strategies and increase self-awareness.
We can help with:
- depression and anxiety
- work or study-related worries
- career change or uncertainty
- feeling overwhelmed or not coping with difficulties in life
- grief and loss
- stress management
- sexuality and gender identity issues
- family and relationship issues
- coping with life changes such as illness, career and family
- pre-existing mental health concerns.
Stressful personal, study or health-related problems can make it hard to manage the demands of daily life and study for many students. Our First Steps counselling service provides Griffith students with helpful tools, resources and strategies to better manage your social and emotional wellbeing.
We provide short-term counselling support, where trained intern counsellors listen to your concerns, help you clarify key issues and assist you in identifying and accessing the right services to support you now and into the future. Our services are confidential and free for Griffith University students.
We can help with:
- depression, panic attacks and anxiety
- study and exam worries, including procrastination and motivation issues
- course-related decision making (including deferment and withdrawal)
- feeling overwhelmed or not coping
- stresses due to balancing the demands of family, study and employment
- settling into a new place after moving away from home
- conflict or crisis situations
- stress management
- grief and bereavement
- sexuality and gender identity issues
- family and relationship issues
- pre-existing mental health concerns.
Walk and Talk for Wellness is an initiative developed by staff and students in our Bachelor of Counselling program and is based on current research which shows the importance of nature to human wellbeing. Our service offers walk and talk sessions for individuals and small groups with trained facilitators, who have specialised skills in counselling.
Benefits include:
- helping to release emotion, calm the nervous system, energise and motivate
- boosting mood and reducing stress chemicals in the body
- better circulation and sleep
- improved concentration and problem-solving.
Walk and Talk for Wellness is not clinical therapy—it is a non-clinical opportunity for social connection and emotional support within a natural outdoor environment. Sessions are just $5 and are available on the Gold Coast and in the Logan region.
Getting there: Gold Coast
Level 4, Ian O'Connor building (G40), Gold Coast campus, Cnr Parklands Drive and Olsen Avenue, Southport QLD 4215
Public transport
The Griffith Health Clinics are located within a short walking distance from the Gold Coast University Hospital G:Link stop. The service runs from Helensvale to Broadbeach South and is a reliable and convenient transport option.
Please visit G-Link for all stop locations, tickets and timetables.
Parking
There is limited casual parking available on campus—please allow plenty of time before your appointment to find parking. Where possible, we encourage you to consider alternative transport options or park in the Gold Coast Hospital Parking (see below). If you have any special parking requirements, please discuss this when you make your booking.
Paid parking at the Gold Coast University Hospital
The Gold Coast University Hospital is located directly across from the Griffith Health Clinics and has ample paid parking available. The 24-hour commercial multi-storey parking facility is a convenient option for those travelling to our Clinics.
Please visit Gold Coast University Hospital Secure parking.
Getting there: Mt Gravatt
Level 1, Building M24, Mt Gravatt campus, 176 Messines Ridge Road, QLD, 4122
Parking
Once on campus, pass through the first roundabout and follow the road to the left and keep an eye out for signs labelled 'Psychology clinic'. Parking is available out the front of the clinic or alternatively in one of the paid parking options around the campus.
Transport options
View our transport and parking pages for all available travel options.