Emotional support

If you have been affected by the bushfires it is important to take care of your emotional wellbeing. Sometimes, in emergencies we can overlook the day to day basics of looking after ourselves. The following pages provide practical advice about coping with the emotional issues resulting from the impact of the bushfires.

If you are affected by bushfire you are encouraged to make use of GPs, clergy, 24 hour telephone help lines, or specialist counselling and support services available.

The NURSE-ON-CALL Bushfire Health and Counselling Line (1300 60 60 24) is available those affected either directly or indirectly by the bushfire activity. You can speak to a qualified nurse and then be put through to a specialist counsellor. This line is available now and is in addition to other 24-hour telephone counselling services.

Information is also available about coping with loss and grief.

Telephone counselling services

• Lifeline (external link) on 131 114
• NURSE-ON-CALL Bushfire Health and Counselling Line (pdf 103kb) on 1300 60 60 24
• Parentline (external link) on 13 22 89
• Kids Helpline (external link) on 1800 55 1800

Coping with loss and grief 

The Better Health Channel has a range of fact sheets (external links) available to help people coping with loss and grief.

• Grief - support services
• Grief - everyone's response is different
• Grief - how to help the bereaved 
• Grief and children
• Death in hospital
• Post mortem
• Funerals - some issues explained

A range of personal support fact sheets is also available below.

Details of the Compassion and Bereavement Payment are available from the Bushfire Appeal website (external link) 

Support group program

Bushfire Discussion and Support Groups have been developed for people who have lost someone close to them in the Victorian bushfires.

The groups currently meeting are:

• Eltham – group meetings monthly on a Monday evening.
• Healesville (Marysville and Triangle) – group to meet monthly on a Monday evening.
• North Melbourne (Australian Red Cross) – group meetings monthly on a Tuesday evening.
• Kinglake – group meeting monthly on a Thursday evening. 
• Strathewen (men's group) - group meeting fortnightly on a Friday evening.

For further information or to discuss new groups being set up, contact the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement on 03 9265 2111 or e-mail: support@grief.org.au

Counselling voucher program

The Bushfire Psychological Counselling Voucher Program has been developed through a $3.5 million gift from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund. It aims to assist people directly affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires to access additional psychological counselling support.

Further information available from Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund website (external link) or by calling 1800 180 213

Personal support fact sheets

These fact sheets may help you better prepare for stressful situations. 

• Stress after emergencies
• When someone you know has had a traumatic experience
• The stress of being under threat
• Family and crisis
• Teenagers and crisis
• Children and crisis
• A guide to responding to the media for those affected by trauma (pdf 29 kb) 

A selection of these fact sheets are available in languages other than English.

Resources for children

The Australian Red Cross have prepared two booklets to help children prepare for emergencies and help them cope with their feelings after an emergency. These resources can be downloaded from the Australian Red Cross website (external link).