Our story began way back in 1986, when a group of really committed Tablelanders got together to start a community organisation that would help give information and advice to anyone who needed it. Through the years, we’ve added more services like counselling and case management, but we remain committed to our core vision of strengthening community through our services.
People come to us for many reasons. You want to give back to the community and do meaningful work. When you're looking for advice and information on pretty much anything around the Tablelands. When life gets messy and you need emergency financial help or living support. When you're worried about yourself, or someone you care about. If you would like support with issues around mental health for yourself or if you are concerned about someone you know. Specialist home maintenance and modifications services for seniors.
We recognise, as a Tablelands community group, that out work cannot be accomplished alone. By collaborating with others, whether that’s other services, government departments or concerned individuals, we believe that we can create a better Atherton Tablelands.
We also recognise that as a community, no individual should be left behind and that by working together, hand-in-hand across the Tablelands, we can indeed all be......better together. Â
Better Together can help you if you’re going through emotionally difficult periods. We can: -Provide counselling to families and individuals, including young people and Seniors for a range of issues, including alcohol and other drugs misuse. -Provide you with a trained counsellor if you are looking to change your use of alcohol and other drugs. -Provide specialised family counselling, including child psychology and diagnostics; -Provide support and counselling to young people (up to 25 years old) for all issues, including alcohol and other drugs misuse.  All of our staff are degree-qualified and registered with appropriate professional bodies.
If you would like to gain control or insight over the use of alcohol and other drugs in your life, we have professionally trained and experienced psychologists who can provide education and therapy.
During counselling sessions, your counsellor can assess and evaluate where you are at and equip you with the knowledge to understand your triggers, how to work towards your goals, make the appropriate decisions and manage your emotions. We can also help families who are dealing with the impacts of substance misuse.
You can speak directly to Better Together if you would like to make an appointment or ask a trusted medical professional to refer you to us. This is a free service for anyone of any age, dealing with substance misuse.
We can bulk bill psychological services through referrals from GP practices.  We can also provide specialist counselling for families and children. A counsellor or psychologist will work to help improve you and your family’s emotional wellbeing through individual and family counselling.
You are welcome to speak directly to Better Together or ask another professional you trust to refer you to Better Together.
Fees and Payment
We can provide psychological support and therapy to most people in the community for free. This includes families with any children under the age of 18 (who may or may not be living with the parent), young people (under the age of 25), Senior citizens and individuals who have a Medicare referral.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono
Were You Able To Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.
