Simon's Story

"In high school I had regular counselling sessions with my school counsellor. They helped me deal with the stresses of VCE, navigating my first long term relationship, as well as family issues. I knew that when I finished Year 12, I wouldn’t be able to see my school counsellor again. I was worried because I still felt the need for counselling. Luckily, they knew about Hobsons Bay Youth Services and said they could refer me. I had my first session with a counsellor the week after my last exam.

"Counselling has helped me navigate lots of personal changes in my life. I’ve been able to explore issues with my counsellor, as well as learn healthy coping mechanisms to deal with difficult emotions. There were times when I shared some very personal things with my counsellor that I was embarrassed about, but they always reminded me that they were on my team and wanted to help me.

"I think that young people can often have misconceptions about what counselling is like. Counsellors don’t expect you to have a set plan about what you want to talk about - it’s completely up to you. It’s a safe environment free from judgement. All you really need is the desire to seek support for whatever you may be struggling with. 

"Counselling offers an opportunity to get anything of your chest and have conversations with someone you can trust. These sessions have been so valuable for me. I would always leave feeling empowered, like I had discovered so much about myself that I hadn’t realised before. I also felt a greater sense of control."

*Hobsons Bay Youth Services, as part of Hobsons Bay City Council, is a child-safe organisation. To protect the young person’s identity, their name has been changed and a stock image used. Their story has been shared with permission.

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