Online may suit you when
- You have a private place where you cannot be overheard.
- Your device and internet connection are reliable.
- You can safely participate from your current location.
- Your needs sit within Safe Refuge’s counselling scope.
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 online counselling is safe and suitable for your circumstances, 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 to check fit, prepare a private setting, and agree on a useful counselling focus.
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 held by video. Choose a place where you cannot be overheard or interrupted, use a suitable device, and check that your connection is reliable. A parked car may offer privacy for some people, but it must be safe, stationary, and comfortable.
03
Agree on the next step
Discuss the focus and frequency that suit your goals, circumstances, and budget. Fit is reviewed over time, including whether online work remains appropriate or another practitioner or service should be involved.
Why Safe Refuge
What Is Different About This Practice
You have options. Here is what distinguishes working with Safe Refuge Counselling.
01
Direct private booking
You do not need a GP referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan to contact or book Safe Refuge. Sessions are not Medicare-rebatable.
02
No travel to Mount Barker
Attend from a private place with a suitable device and reliable connection, without adding travel or a waiting room to your day.
03
A clear counselling focus
Use sessions to explore anxiety, low mood, grief, trauma-related concerns, motherhood, relationships, faith, identity, or a life transition.
04
Australia-wide access
Online appointments are available to women across Australia when telehealth is suitable for their privacy, safety, location, and support needs.
05
Transparent cost
A standard 50-minute session is $140. Prepaid blocks and a limited number of concession places are listed on the Fees page.
Is online counselling a fit?
Privacy, Safety & the Right Level of Care
Convenience matters, but it is not the only consideration. Online counselling needs to be private, technically workable, and appropriate for the support you need.
Another option may be safer when
- You need emergency, crisis, or immediate safety support.
- You cannot access a private or physically safe setting.
- You need in-person assessment, medication advice, or specialist treatment.
- Technology makes it hard to participate consistently.
For independent information about digital mental health options, see Healthdirect’s online therapy guide. You can also compare Safe Refuge’s focused counselling services for women.
For broader self-guided information, explore the Australian women’s loneliness report, the migrant women’s mental health guide, and the state-by-state services guide.
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 path to counselling grew from a desire to offer people time, attention, and a thoughtful place to speak. I wanted to meet people where they are and work at a pace that respects their choices and circumstances. That commitment continues to shape Safe Refuge.
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 offer counselling to women navigating anxiety, low mood, trauma-related concerns, grief and loss, and spiritual abuse — with attention to pace, consent, professional scope, and the other supports that may need to be involved.
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.
Aana Carpenter — ACA Registered Counsellor, Level 1
This registration is held by Aana Carpenter as the individual practitioner, not by Safe Refuge Counselling as a practice.
Clear pricing
Online Counselling Fees & Medicare
A standard 50-minute Safe Refuge session is $140. Safe Refuge sessions are not eligible for a Medicare rebate, and no GP referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan is needed to book.
Standard session
$140
One 50-minute online counselling session. The advertised Safe Refuge fee is the amount you pay.
Other options
From $110
Prepaid blocks reduce the per-session rate. A limited number of $110 concession places are available subject to the conditions on the Fees page.
Better Access is a separate Medicare program with its own eligibility, referral, practitioner, and billing rules. Read the complete fees, Medicare, and referral guide before booking.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online counselling confidential?
Privacy and confidentiality are central to online counselling, with limited legal and safety-related exceptions. Aana will explain those limits and the technology used. You are responsible for choosing a private location and preventing others from overhearing your session.
Can my faith be part of our work?
Yes, if you want it to be. Aana is a practising Catholic and offers faith-informed counselling, but faith is never introduced as an agenda. You may request a secular approach, and Christian counselling remains distinct from spiritual direction or pastoral care.
Do I need a GP referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan?
No. You can book Safe Refuge directly without either document. Safe Refuge sessions are not eligible for a Medicare rebate; Better Access is a separate Medicare program with its own eligibility, referral, provider, and claiming rules.
What happens in a discovery call?
It is a free conversation of around 15 minutes. You can briefly describe what has brought you here, ask about online counselling, and discuss whether Safe Refuge appears to fit. There is no obligation to book a full session afterwards.
How do I know whether online counselling is suitable?
Online counselling may suit you when you have a private setting, reliable technology, and needs that can be supported safely at a distance. It may not suit an emergency, acute crisis, some high-risk situations, or circumstances requiring in-person assessment or specialist care. Suitability is reviewed with you.
What should I do if I need urgent help?
Safe Refuge is not a crisis or emergency service. If life is in immediate danger call 000. Lifeline provides 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14. For domestic, family, or sexual violence support, contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
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