Australia-wide · By telehealth
Online counselling for women
wherever you are in Australia
Safe Refuge Counselling is a private counselling practice for women, offered nationally by telehealth. It is not a domestic violence service. If you are looking for a calm, confidential space to work through what you are carrying, you can start with a free Discovery Call from anywhere in Australia.
Who this is for
You Don't Need a Crisis to Reach Out
Many of the women who come here are simply tired of holding everything on their own.
You are carrying something from the past
Old hurts, family patterns, or experiences you have never fully spoken about are showing up in the present, and you want space to work through them.
You are in the early years of motherhood
Postnatal anxiety, birth that did not go to plan, the quiet loneliness of matrescence, or a loss that others have not recognised.
You are grieving
A person, a pregnancy, a relationship, a version of your life you thought you would have. Grief that is recent, or grief that has been sitting with you for years.
Your anxiety or low mood is affecting how you live
You want support to understand what is going on for you and to feel more like yourself again.
You are at a turning point
Identity, purpose, relationships, career, or a sense that something has to change and you do not yet know what.
You are not sure what you need yet
That is fine. A Discovery Call is a conversation, not a commitment. You can arrive with no words and we will find them together.
If you recognise yourself in any of these, you are welcome here.
The process
How It Works
Three steps. No waiting rooms, no referrals, no paperwork.
01
Book a free Discovery Call
Choose a time that suits you from the online calendar. The call is free, around fifteen minutes, and there is no pressure to commit to anything afterwards. Use it to ask questions, describe what has been going on, or simply get a sense of fit.
02
Meet online
Your first full session is at a time that works for you. Sessions are held by secure video from wherever you feel most comfortable: at home, in the car before school pick-up, on a quiet lunch break. All you need is a private space and a reliable connection.
03
Begin weekly sessions
Most women settle into a weekly rhythm, though the pace can be adjusted to suit your life and your budget. There is no session cap, no discharge date, and no pressure to finish before you are ready.
Why Safe Refuge
What Is Different About This Practice
You have options. Here is what distinguishes working with Safe Refuge Counselling.
01
No GP referral needed
Book directly. No Mental Health Treatment Plan, no doctor visit, no paperwork. You can begin this week.
02
No long wait
Most women booking a Discovery Call are seen within the same week. Psychology waitlists in regional Australia can stretch for months.
03
No session cap
Medicare limits subsidised psychology sessions to ten per year. Counselling has no cap. Your work continues for as long as it is useful to you.
04
Available anywhere
Telehealth means your postcode does not decide your access. Women book in from cities, regional towns, remote properties, and everywhere between.
05
Transparent cost
Sessions are $140, or $125 prepaid. Lower than most psychologist gap fees, without the referral step. A small number of concession places are available.
About Aana
Aana Carpenter
I’m a trauma-informed counsellor based in the Adelaide Hills, and I’m so glad you’ve found your way here.
My journey into counselling began with a background in Biomedical Science and Medicine, trained at Sydney Medical School. But somewhere along the way, I realised that what I most wanted to offer wasn’t a prescription — it was presence. I wanted to sit with people, truly meet them where they are, and walk alongside them at a pace that felt safe and right for them. So I found my way to counselling, and I haven’t looked back.
I work primarily with women, because I know firsthand how much we carry. The weight of motherhood, the identity shifts that come with each new season of life — from birth and postpartum to the quiet earthquake of menopause. The grief. The anxiety. The way we can lose ourselves in giving so much to everyone around us. These experiences are real, they are valid, and they deserve more than a rushed appointment. You deserve a space where you can slow down, breathe, and be gently present with wherever you are right now.
I draw on evidence-based approaches to support women navigating depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, and spiritual abuse — always at your pace, always with your comfort leading the way. I’m a member of two professional bodies and am committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in my practice.
When I’m not in the counselling room, I’m a mum to two boys and a girl, and I’m grateful every day for my loving husband and the beautiful hills community we call home.
This is a safe refuge. I’d love to welcome you here.
ACA Level 1 Accredited
Safe Refuge holds ACA Level 1 accreditation, reflecting recognised professional training and a commitment to ethical counselling practice.
Honest pricing
On Cost and Medicare
Counselling sessions with an ACA-registered counsellor are not Medicare-rebatable. It is worth naming that directly rather than glossing over it.
Typical psychology cost
$173–$219
Out-of-pocket gap after a Medicare rebate on the APS-recommended fee of around $318. Capped at 10 sessions per year.
Safe Refuge Counselling
$140
Per session. Prepaid blocks from $125. No referral, no session cap, no diagnosis required. A small number of concession places are available for women in genuine financial hardship.
Fee figures as at April 2026. Verify against the current APS national fee survey and Medicare Benefits Schedule. Private health extras cover counselling with some funds.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this confidential?
Yes. What you share in sessions stays between us, within the standard legal and ethical limits that apply to all registered counsellors in Australia. Those limits are explained clearly at the start of your first session so you know exactly where the edges sit.
Can my faith be part of our work?
If you want it to be, yes. Aana is a practising Catholic, and a dedicated Christian counselling stream is available for women who want faith integrated into their work. If you would prefer a fully secular approach, simply say so. The choice sits with you.
Do I need a diagnosis to come here?
No. You do not need a diagnosis, a Mental Health Treatment Plan, or a GP referral to book. What matters is that something in your life is asking for attention.
What happens in a Discovery Call?
A free, low-pressure conversation of around fifteen minutes. You can describe what has brought you here in whatever words feel right, ask questions about the process, and get a sense of whether Aana feels like the right fit. No obligation to book a session afterwards.
Is online counselling as effective as in person?
Research over the last decade has consistently found that telehealth counselling produces outcomes comparable to in-person work for most presenting concerns, including anxiety, low mood, grief, and trauma-related difficulties. For many women, online sessions are easier to sustain because they remove travel, the waiting room, and the need to arrange childcare.
What if I am not sure I am "bad enough" to need counselling?
You do not need to be in crisis to deserve support. If something is sitting heavily with you, that is reason enough.
Ready when you are
A Quiet Place to Start
A Discovery Call is the simplest next step. Fifteen minutes, free, no commitment. You can ask anything you need to, and decide from there.
If you need support right now