This is essential for any relationship that needs deeper intimacy, stronger communication, and greater trust.  Whether your relationship is struggling, or you are looking to take your bond to new heights this can help if you are stuck in a rut, with resolving conflicts and with meeting each other’s needs.  Couples counselling can help with rekindling spark and intimacy that you once had that can be diminished in the challenges and difficulties of this fast-paced and stressful world.  There is hope, you can overcome these obstacles and create a stronger, happier and healthier bond with your partner by taking on board the guidance, support, care and skills from our professional counselling.

At Harrys Helping Hands we can help your relationship get back on track by exploring what  is causing your relationship distress and help you and your partner to understand each other better, communicate more effectively, resolve conflicts constructively, enhance your intimacy and affection and restore your trust and commitment..

We can help couples who are experiencing:

• Divorce or separation
• Infidelity or loss of trust
• Affair recovery
• Frequent disagreements or arguments
• Loss of sexual satisfaction and emotional intimacy
• Blending families
• Cultural or religious differences
• Family grief and loss (e.g., death of a child or parent)
• and more

A strong relationship requires nurturing, just as your personal well-being does so when things get complicated you may benefit from support from Harrys Helping Hands to gain fresh perspectives on how to create positive energy within your relationship.  Our approaches include the Gottman Method, Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

At Harrys Helping Hands we know that family dynamics can become challenging and are impacted by the beliefs, behaviours and emotional wellness of each individual member of the family system.  In the same way an individuals health and happiness can be greatly affected by problematic interaction patterns of the family.

Your family often has a significant impact on who you are and how you feel, so bringing them into the counselling process can sometimes be the key to healing.  Together family members can work through emotional challenges, learn to communicate more effectively and gain insight into complex family dynamics in a safe and supportive environment.

At Harrys Helping Hands we provide a safe environment for each member of your family to explore the interactional patterns that may be preventing your family from thriving.  We will help each member to identify and understand how their beliefs and behaviours impact the other members of the family and help improve positive communication with your family, guide you through the process of healing from past struggles and help your family create positive interactional patterns that will nourish the ongoing growth of your family system.

Harrys Helping Hands is named in honour of Harrison, our CEO Jenelle Connors son who passed away in 2008, and aims to provide quality grief counselling, support, care and help to bereaved individuals/families struggling with a significant loss in their lives. 

We recognise and feel that everyone experiences and expresses grief in their own way.  It is not uncommon for people to withdraw from friends and family and suffer the feeling of helplessness or to feel anger and want to take action.

A wide range of emotions and behaviour can be expected in association with grief, and we believe that it can be of benefit to lean on the support of others.  Here at Harrys Helping Hands we want to be your supporters who from a place of understanding will listen and help in any way possible in order to provide an avenue for healthy resolution and some peace.

It is our belief and understanding from working with people in grief that therapy is a mutual project, not one of diagnoses.  It is a respectful process of listening to clients and a process of hearing and witnessing their personal stories as they tell the story of their lives and losses while questioning and caring in ways that allow you to open up to other perspectives, leaving you room to reject those possibilities.  Everyone is an individual and grieves in different ways and at a different pace so we work to encourage our clients to construct and reconstruct their own stories of meaning in order to enable them to move into their new lives despite their loss.   We will encourage you to work through your pain and assist in shining a new light on the possibilities of blind spots that may help in function-promoting ways. 

We know there is no time limit or correct length of time to work through grief due to its individual nature and that it is a normal human emotional response to loss.

Together we will explore loss and your grief journey and come to understand your unique grief triggers, mourning and how to manage these effectively.  Our focus will be self-awareness in order to determine if grief is becoming unhealthy and in providing tools to promote good health and facilitation of emotional outlets.

Having an eating disorder is likely to be negatively affecting your life in many ways.  People suffering from this disorder often have behaviours such as compulsively thinking about food and the look of their body and how much they weigh or what they eat.  Constant weighing of self and wanting the number the change is common.  Obsessing about dieting or always being on some kind of new diet or detox program is common and can also lead to behaviours such as bingeing and overeating in sessions with large quantities of food or of not eating at all.  This can also lead to excessive exercising or the use of laxatives with sufferers putting strict rules upon themselves in relation to being ‘allowed’ certain foods or not.  Negative thoughts tend to rule the mind in relation to body and weight and can lead to avoiding of mealtimes, not knowing the real signs of hunger and the intense fear of putting on weight.  Throwing up after meals and repetitive behaviours in preparation of food and finally the loss of or irregular periods can result.

People are generally wrongly informed that eating disorders are about food and weight however from experience we know that the issues are a lot more complex and deeper than just a persons weight or what they are eating.  It is very serious problem that is used as a coping mechanism to deal with complex issues, painful problems and unpleasant feelings that we are faced with in life.

These questions may be used to explore the possibility of whether you, or someone might be experiencing an eating disorder. The tool is not intended for making a diagnosis, however highlights those who may require further investigation.

1. Do you ever make yourself sick (vomit) because you feel uncomfortably full?

2. Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?

3. Have you recently lost more than 6 Kg in a three month period?

4. Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?

5. Would you say that food dominates your life?

Each positive response (yes) is given 1 point.  A score of 2 or more indicates a possible eating disorder and warrants further exploration.

Luck, A.J., Morgan, J.F., Reid, F., O’Brien, A., Brunton, J., Price, C., Perry, L., Lacey, J.H. (2002), ‘The SCOFF questionnaire and clinical interview for eating disorders in general practice: comparative study’, British Medical Journal, 325,7367, 755 – 756.

Anxiety and depression are common in the society we live in.

Anxiety is a state of worrying about something and can have a psychological component and a physical component.  The anxiety cycle describes how we can ‘work ourselves into a panic’ and starts with you starting to worry about something which in turn begins to make you anxious which then results in you worrying more causing you to feel even more anxious.  If you are experiencing this problem, let us help you and provide you with the strategies that could help you break the cycle. 

Depression can show itself in different ways.  If you are experiencing behaviours such as social withdrawal or you find yourself less active with a lack of motivation and loss of interest in things and it is an effort to engage it could be an indication of depression.  The feeling of dread or that something bad is always on the horizon accompanies the feelings of depression and anxiety and can lead you to feeling lifeless, empty and apathetic.  It is a debilitating feeling that is hard to pull out of so it would be of benefit to seek some help.

Depression and anxiety can lead to a loss of happiness and joy for life with a difficulty concentrating, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness and a feeling of being unable to sleep or sleeping too much.  Having no energy and a constant feeling of fatigue is common along with being irritable and short-tempered as is a loss of appetite or the opposite of eating too much.  If constant self-criticism, self-loathing and guilt is causing you to isolate and avoid situations and resulting in you feeling like life it not worth living please contact us.  Irrational fears, constant worry accompanied by heart pounding and panic or compulsive rituals is debilitating and some intervention and help will be required.  Please reach out to Harrys Helping Hands for support if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.  Break down that barrier and make that first most difficult contact so that we can prevent these issues extending on for long periods of time and provide the support you need.

Having a problem with addiction whether it be alcohol, drugs or anything else that is adversely affecting your life by its use can negatively impact all aspects of your life including your health, work and relationships.  Having obsessive or compulsive relationships with something that you are unable to give up but know that you should is all-consuming and life ruining.  Addictive behaviours exhibit as the compulsive engagement in seemingly pleasurable or rewarding actions.  These actions that are being used as a relief or outlet can lead to relationship breakdown, financial losses, social life changes, work performance deterioration and mental and physical issues.

Many factors are involved in the disease of addiction and can be connected to factors such as past traumas, genetics, environment in which you were raised, social connections, emotional healthy and family history.

Symptoms and signs can present themselves in ways such as always thinking about when you will next use or participate in addictive behaviours and continuing to use despite experiencing negative consequences and life experiences.  Needing greater quantities of the substance of choice to achieve the desired feelings or effects is common with this disease as is the feeling of wanting to stop but being unable to despite promising and committing to ending the behaviours.  Addiction can lead to participating in risky behaviours and black outs and being unable to remember what you are doing whilst using.  Consequences can include feeling irritable, nauseous, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, depression and result in neglecting responsibility at home, work and relationships since you are unable to stop using once you start and experience a loss of control.  Problems with the law can arise due to incidents that occur during your confusion as addiction leads to you needing to use in order to function on a daily basis.  Secretive behaviours result and can lead to you not caring about personal hygiene or physical appearance and concerned questions in relation to using from family and friends can make you angry or have violent outbursts and then lead to isolation making the problem worse.  If you are stuck in any part of this cycle please contact us for help. 

At Harrys Helping Hands we engage with our clients to enable them to understand and recognise that their behaviour has moved beyond being a simple, enjoyable outlet to a more impacting compulsive behaviour.  We work with you to identify goals and strategies in consideration of your needs and desired outcomes based on the type and severity of the addiction.

Trauma occurs naturally as a result of witnessing or experiencing a situation that is distressing and life changing.

Here at Harrys Helping Hands we recognise that you have been through trauma and know that you are a survivor.  We will re-ignite that want in you and provide hope whether you have survived or witnessed an accident, an abusive relationship, a childhood of bullying, watching a loved one die or have survived any other type of trauma and need support.  We recognise that sometimes trauma happens in one big horrific event but can also occur through a lifetime of smaller (but no less awful) experiences slowly shaping your thoughts and feelings over time.  No matter what it is you have gone through we want to help.

Trauma is what you experience when your mind and/or body experience something unexpected, disturbing and/or otherwise overwhelming – too much for one person too soon.

• Domestic abuse
• Violence 
• Public humiliation
• Car accidents
• Bullying
• Getting fired at work
• Being the target of a hate crime
• Witnessing something awful happen to someone else
• Sexual assault and rape
• Being raised by a narcissist or emotionally immature parent
• and the list goes on

The way our body responds to trauma can be confusing and responses are varied.

At Harrys Helping Hands we are trained in evidence-based approaches that have been proven to be effective for trauma and PTSD and will work with you to find the best style of therapy for your needs and goals.  We understand how trauma manifests and our aim is to help people understand the effects of their trauma and how it fuels mental health and triggers.  We will help you develop the skills to manage your symptoms, cope with stress, improve your self-esteem and relationships.  Utilising Narrative Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy and Trauma Focused CBT can help us identify new patterns within our trauma and management techniques.

Dive into the world of professional supervision and elevate your practice to new heights. Embrace the journey of continuous growth and excellence today.

Clinical supervision is sometimes described as the most important component of professional practice as it provides time to stop and reflect and to run things by a more experienced practitioner to gain assurance, guidance, challenge and growth.

We all need supervision and as a result of this professional dialogue you will increase your knowledge and skills in a safe learning environment.  Your clients will benefit and have improved outcomes and the supervisor can take the role of coach, mentor or colleague depending on what is most helpful at the time.  Our supervision has an educative, supportive and administrative function to ensure accountability to your clients and to the professional of counselling.

Harrys Helping Hands clinical supervision provides essential oversight and reflection to support practising counsellors to:

• provide an evaluative function which we will address through self-review of your own strengths and areas for development
• Inclusion of confidentiality and informed consent to allow a release cognitively and emotionally in a safe way to ensure that working with client issues is based on professional codes of ethics
• Reflect and draw on shared professional knowledge and experiences
• Discussion and review of the clinical approaches being utilised with clients

Benefits:

• Promotion of Best Practices: emphasises the important of quality in client interactions and ensures consistent delivery of best service
• Problem-solving and Growth: identifying challenges in a space for continuous learning, understanding and addressing both professional and clinical issues.
• In-depth Evaluation: through discussions, reports and observations, we can critically assess methods and outcomes
• Boosting Confidence and Innovation: the supportive environment of supervision encourages new development of innovative ideas and practices and instils confidence

Your supervision is programmed around developing a progressive plan for you to achieve your practice and professional goals.

Supervision sessions conform to our client’s applicable Ongoing Professional Development (OPD) requirements.

We hold space for you, so that you can hold space for them.

Employee wellbeing is critical to workplace performance and productivity. 

Transform your team’s mental health, company culture and wellbeing by partnering with Harrys Helping Hands who will every step of the way offer your staff support, counselling and workplace training.

Harrys Helping Hands is a proactive EAP Provider who understands that the most effective way to boost staff morale and performance is by providing your team with a way to reach out for assistance and guidance through potential issues that may be affecting their health, wellbeing or performance on the job.

Our personalised approach is designed to enhance the emotional and psychological wellbeing of your organisations employees and their immediate family members.

We aim to provide preventative and proactive interventions for early detection, identification and resolution of both work and personal problems that may adversely affect an employee’s performance and wellbeing.

We are available to have an active presence via Toolbox Talks to increase comfortability of reaching out for support and provide Lunch & Learn trainings to equip employees with the knowledge they need to stay up the positive end of the Mental Health Spectrum.

Harrys Helping hands respond quickly in-person to critical incidents at your worksite to provide face-to-face support and ongoing mental health recovery.

Responding appropriately to a critical incident in the workplace is essential for the health, wellbeing and resilience of your staff.  We are professionally established as a Critical Incident Response (CIR) provider giving your team access to comprehensive trauma response services.

In the first instance, it is important to be able to offer immediate support in the form of empathy and encouragement. A person who has been subjected to trauma may need simple acts of compassion from work colleagues, time off to recoup with family or friends, they might wish to talk about their experience, or they might need gentle assistance to help return to previous functioning.

While some occupations are more susceptible to traumatic experiences than others we recognise that it can take place in any workplace.  Harrys Helping Hands has the experience, empathetic care and training to support your staff after a critical incident such as:

• workplace injury or death
• suicide or suicide attempt
• assault or abuse or violence in the workplace
• robbery
• serious illness or diagnosis of a colleague
• serious near-miss or major safety incident
• violence, workplace conflict or fights
• bullying
• harassment

Our response plans will get your business back to work and improve the working relationship between management and your employees in the immediate aftermath of a Critical Incident.

We continue to stay in touch with affected workers after a Critical Incident has passed and continue providing proactive support because we know the risks and impacts of delayed Post Traumatic Stress. This helps employees return and stay at work and ensures a return to productivity for employers.

Our Critical Incident Response Services include:

• An immediate, prompt and thorough response and action plan (onsite & offsite)
• Information sessions for staff on dealing with the aftermath of a critical incident in the workplace
• Monitoring of affected staff for signs of stress related psychological injury
• Counselling and support for affected workers
• Individual or group support, as required
• Management support and coaching immediately after the incident and following the initial intervention plan
• Proactive care and support for employees to assist them in returning to work.
• Comprehensive critical incident reporting for your business’ management team.

The response to trauma varies greatly from person to person.  Personal history and personal disposition are important factors in adjusting to stress.  You won’t always be able to recognise how a person is coping based on their outward behaviours.  Even strong characters are vulnerable and hide this well leading to a greater risk of psychological injury and breakdown.  Recognising that traumatic stress injuries like PTSD can develop some time after the actual event and that we don’t wish to assume that everyone is okay because they seem to be coping okay.  Some people may be reluctant to reveal their distress for some time after the even and may try to minimise their symptoms to avoid shame and stigma in the workplace.  Unchecked and untreated traumatic stress response can reduce employee wellbeing and lead to lost productivity, higher long-term costs so it is important for any organisation to have the capacity to respond swiftly to workplace trauma.

Of course, everyone responds to trauma in different ways, and not everyone who experiences trauma will go on to suffer from traumatic stress. It is nonetheless important for managers to be aware of some of the signs of post-traumatic stress so they can know what to watch out for so please reach out to Harrys Helping Hands for advice and support.

Harrys Helping Hands helps organisations resolve workplace conflict, increase productivity and avoid legal proceedings through mediation.

We recognise that it can sometimes be a struggle to handle staff conflict and can make you confused and stressed with lack of time to sort it out.  If people are stressed and taking days off and morale is low the business is losing money and productivity is going down.  We can help through mediation and resolve workplace disputes face-to-face in the Newcastle and Sydney regions or online throughout Australia.

Let us help your staff to move beyond their differences and prevent external complaints and legal action through mediation for issues such as: 

– bullying allegations

-discrimination allegations

-harassment allegations

-conflict involving staff

-return to work conditions after long-term leave

-terms and conditions of employment

Mediation is a confidential process that helps people see their problems from different angles and think creatively about solutions.  Let Harrys Helping Hands guide your staff in finding solutions to the conflicts at work so that they can move forward and your business can get back to normal.  We are NMAS Nationally Accredited mediators experienced in helping those in conflict move through the mediation process.

We are skilled at asking the right questions to help parties move beyond entrenched positions and from the beginning of the mediation process we help them get into the right mindset for resolving their conflict in order to work through the differences respectfully and productively.

Relationship breakdowns and family disputes are often emotional and difficult, and it is normal and natural to feel overwhelmed.  Harrys Helping Hands can help you through this with mediation and support services in assisting separated or separating couples to come to those difficult agreements about how to divide up shared property, finances, and assets and particularly the emotional area of children and their future parenting care arrangements and also in managing family dynamics throughout this challenging time.

Harrys Helping Hands provides trusted, experienced, qualified and NMAS nationally accredited mediators who remain neutral and treat all parties involved with respect.  We will offer a safe and impartial space and ongoing support to assist and help in these important decisions that are needed moving forward and the aim is to assist in resolving any disputes as quickly and easily as possible.  We are committed to finding resolutions which work for both sides and pave the way for the communication between two who have a broken relationship to be facilitated in a way that can work for all in a healthy way for the future and any interactions that are needed.

Our mediation services provide an independent facilitator who can manage conflicts, negotiate compromises and build more effective working relationships between individuals who need to interact moving forward.  We are committed to supporting all in finding resolutions which work for both sides and providing a healthy way of jointly working through decisions in relation to children, finances and property after a relationship has ended.

The mediation process also aims to help parents reach agreements on matters relating to their children such as living arrangements, effective communication, child support, education, healthcare, holiday arrangements and more. 

We will facilitate conversations around matters that can be sensitive and emotional, helping people develop their own agreements. This method helps clients sort out issues, and develop mutually satisfactory, workable agreements. 

The mediation process involves:

• Identifying issues that need to be resolved
• People listening to each other without interruption
• Sharing relevant information
• Exploring ideas and options
• Testing possible solutions
• Putting decisions and workable agreements in writing

During mediation, both parties will be given the support and guidance required to make important decisions – that will impact their lives and long-term future – together. This improves the likelihood that the agreements will be followed, which will avoid further conflict and disruption for themselves and any children.

Other benefits of mediation include:

• Saving money and time
• Promotion of cooperation and communication to enhance the ongoing parenting relationship
• Providing parents with a structure and the skills to help resolve future disputes more readily
• Maintaining the individuals’ control in the decision-making process, as there are no imposed decisions
• Lessening stress and trauma through the process as much as possible

Everyone can benefit from learning new skills to better manage daily life and relationships.  Harrys Helping Hands training sessions focus on skills-building or education around specific mental health topics.  Workshops can be held in person or virtually and if needed can be done alongside individual counselling.

All training is tailored to your organization or needs personally to cover off on your specific needs and can be at the duration and location of your choice.

Discussion of the difference between mental health and mental illness and ways of recognizing signs and methods of moving up the mental health spectrum.  How to boost mental wellbeing, managing stress and developing self-help techniques to build resilience.

Recognising the signs in self and others in order to connect and support colleagues and others who are facing difficulties at home or in the workplace and how to provide a safe space for a caring and open conversation.  Provides strategies and techniques for employees and managers to support others, help guide them towards appropriate supports in a time of distress or difficulty.

It is important to talk about mental health as much as possible in order to remove the stigma surrounding reaching out for support.   Discussion of the importance of emotional self-awareness and effective methods of dealing with strong emotional reactions in the workplace, strategies to handle work/life balance, stress management, anxiety reduction techniques and methods of building on mental health resilience.

Learn the tools and resources to help yourself and others through difficult or overwhelming times in your life that are causing anxiety and stress to excessive levels.  Whether it is originating from a personal or workplace situation learn how to navigate the situation healthily to remain productive and healthy.

This training is tailored for those facing a work from home situation or a Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO) arrangement for the first time and experiencing the unique challenges that arise.  Remote workers, separation from family for long periods of time can cause distress and experiencing working in these unique industries allow us to understand and provide you with support and ways of handling the distress in a healthy way.

Drug and Alcohol Awareness Training provides people with understand ing of their responsibilities and obligations when it comes to the risk of drugs and alcohol in the workplace and difficulties that can arise personally.

This training helps everyone to build an understanding about the impact of drugs and alcohol on yourself, your family, your workplace and the safety and productivity of all.  The potential consequences that can arise from addictive behaviours is one to proactively address early.

Harrys Helping Hands Effective Communication in the Workplace will help in the development of constructive and cooperative communications skillsets that helps not only in your personal environment but your workplace and culture.  The course will teach skills, techniques and strategies that encourage positivity in all engagements and help with productivity, team cohesion, verbal and non-verbal communication and dealing with the challenges of differing interpersonal or conflict styles. Avoid or deal with instances of bullying and harassment in an effective way with the practical skills for taking responsibility for better communication.

Harrys Helping Hands specialised grief and loss training is designed to identify signs and symptoms of struggle in relation to a significant loss in someone’s life and the subsequent feelings of grief.  Grief can be an isolating experience so lets learn the ways of all being in this together and supporting someone when it is becoming all-consuming.

Harrys Helping Hands Resilience Training discusses the concepts of resilience development, skills and techniques in better coping with setbacks and adversities and recognising our agility in the face of change.  Resilience is our bounce back ability from the challenges that we are thrown in life and providing hope that there is a way to improve our resilience at our own pace and readiness and with support.

When too many demands are placed upon us and we feel that we don’t have the resources to deal with them we can feel stress.  We need to find ways to effectively deal with this stress in our personal and work life so that we don’t experience the adverse physical and emotional problems that can arise.  This training will cover effective strategies to manage stress, to recognise and prevent any physical symptoms, deal with life events healthily, manage internal demands and cope with environment factors to take care of yourself.

Negativity can begin to overwhelm us when leaders find they are not managing their stress and struggling to maintain a positive attitude.  This can have a stress impact upon not only the workplace but themselves and their family and friends.

Their employees are more likely to see those leaders as harmful or irrelevant to employee and organisational performance. Their employees are also less likely to see their teams as effective, be highly engaged, and recommend working for the leader and the organisation to others.

Managing stress in a leadership role requires new approaches to dealing with work, people and stress.  Supporting your leaders and managers through Harrys Helping Hands Stress Management program can make a positive difference for your organisation. Our training helps leaders prioritise, share responsibility and set boundaries, increasing motivation, performance and productivity for the workplace and the organisation as a whole.

Change is something that most people don’t like and baulk up against.  The ability to embrace change with agility and speed while engaging with others effectively is a challenge.  Harrys Helping Hands Change Management training explores successful approaches to managing a constantly changing world which can be contextualised to business or individual change.  Learn to plan and prepare for and implement change with the mindset and tools to lead the human side of change.

Emotional Intelligence is so valuable and involves the capability of understanding and managing your emotions positively to relieve stress, to empathise with others, overcome challenges, effectively communicate, and resolve conflicts.  It helps you in building strong relationships and to succeed in the workplace.  Harrys Helping Hands Emotional Intelligence training is specially tailored to include strategies and tips for handling emotions effectively and in avoiding conflicts within the workplace.  You will become more self-aware of your emotional reactions and be able to control your own and understand others’ emotions more effectively and also become more confident in resolving issues that arise.

This accredited 2-day course equips adults with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to recognise, understand and respond to a friend, family member, co-worker or another adult experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis.

The Standard Mental Health First Aid course teaches participants how to provide initial support to another adult who may be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis, until professional help is received, or the crisis resolves.

Course participants learn about the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems in adults, how to recognise and respond to an emerging or worsening mental health problem and the treatments and supports available.

Using a practical, evidence-based action plan, course participants learn how to approach someone they are concerned about and initiate a conversation about those concerns. Participants also learn how to offer initial support and information and how to encourage the person to seek professional help or other supports.

Adults who complete the course become Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAiders), equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to provide someone with mental health information and support when it matters most.