Free and confidential
Support for work, home and everything in between.
Your employer provides the BetterWorkLife EAP so you can talk to a qualified counsellor or psychologist about whatever is on your mind. Your conversations stay private.
What people talk to us about
You don't need a crisis or a diagnosis to reach out. If it's affecting you, it's worth talking about.
Wellbeing check-in
How are you going today?
Nothing you enter here is saved or sent anywhere. It disappears when you close the page.
Overall, I'm feeling…
What's weighing on you? Pick any
Self-help toolkit
Tools you can use right now
Slow breathing with a longer out-breath signals your nervous system to settle. If you feel light-headed, stop and breathe normally.
When your mind is racing, bring it back to the room you're in. Type or just say each one to yourself.
A short worksheet based on cognitive behavioural therapy. It helps you step back from a thought that's hitting hard.
Give it a try now
Think of a thought that has been bothering you and work through the questions below. You don't need to come up with the “perfect” answer — the aim is to step back and look at the thought from a different perspective.
Thought Check
Your reframed thought from step 5 will appear here.
Your answers aren't saved or sent anywhere, and they clear when you close the app. Copy them if you'd like to bring them to a session.
Noticed a mate or colleague seems different lately? Quieter, snappier, more tired, withdrawn, or not themselves? You don't need to be an expert to help. A genuine conversation can make a real difference.
TALK – Checking in with a mate or colleague
T — Take the time
Choose a private, relaxed moment. Mention what you've noticed and ask how they're going.
Try saying
You've seemed a bit quiet lately. How are you going?
A — Ask and listen
Give them space to talk. Listen without jumping in to fix, advise or solve.
Try saying
That sounds really tough. What's been the hardest part?
L — Link to support
Ask what would help and connect them with appropriate support. Make the first step easier where you can.
Try saying
Have you thought about talking to someone? Our EAP is free and confidential.
K — Keep checking in
Follow up. A simple check-in a few days later shows the conversation wasn't a one-off.
Try saying
Just checking in after our chat. How have things been?
- Take the time
- Ask & listen
- Link to support
- Keep checking in
Helpful
- Being patient and non-judgemental
- Asking open questions
- Letting them lead
- Keeping it private
- Offering practical help
Less helpful
- "Cheer up" or "It could be worse"
- Jumping to advice or your own story
- Pushing for details
- Talking about it with others
- Promising to keep a safety risk secret
It's OK to ask directly: "Are you thinking about suicide?" Asking won't put the idea in their head, and it can bring relief. If they say yes, stay with them, remove anything they could use to hurt themselves if it's safe to, and call Lifeline on 13 11 14 together. If there's immediate danger, call 000.
Supporting someone can take it out of you too. You can use the EAP to talk through how to help a colleague, or how it's affecting you.
Manager Assist
Support for managers and leaders
Managing people through tough times is part of the job, and you don't have to work it out alone. Manager Assist is a confidential line where you can talk through a people situation with an experienced psychologist and plan your next step.
When to call Manager Assist
Call before a difficult conversation to plan it, or afterwards to work out what comes next.
CARE – Having a supportive conversation
C — Check what you've noticed
Prepare with specific changes or behaviours you've observed. Stick to facts rather than assumptions, and choose a private time and place.
Try saying
I've noticed you've seemed stretched the last few weeks, and I wanted to check in.
A — Ask & listen
Ask how they're going, then give them space to talk. You don't need to diagnose, fix or have all the answers.
Try saying
How are things going?
R — Respond with support
Explore what might help at work — for example, flexibility, workload, deadlines or time for appointments. Let them know about the EAP and other available support.
Try saying
What would be helpful from us at the moment?
E — Establish next steps
Agree on what happens next, document any practical agreements and set a time to check in again.
Try saying
Let's check in again next week and see how things are going.
- Check
- Ask & listen
- Respond with support
- Establish next steps
Suggesting the EAP
Most referrals work best when the EAP is offered as genuine support and the employee chooses whether to use it.
We have a free, confidential EAP with BetterWorkLife. You can talk to a psychologist about anything — work or personal. I won't know whether you've used it or what you talk about. Here are their details if you'd like them.
If you'd like to discuss a more structured or formal referral, call Manager Assist first so we can talk through the process with you.
Do
- Act early when you notice changes
- Stick to what you've observed
- Keep the conversation confidential
- Offer practical adjustments
- Document agreements, not diagnoses
Avoid
- Diagnosing or labelling
- Promising total secrecy where there is a serious safety risk
- Mixing a supportive wellbeing conversation into a disciplinary meeting
- Discussing the employee's situation with the wider team
- Leaving the conversation without following up
After a critical incident
A workplace accident, sudden death, assault, robbery or other traumatic event affects people in different ways.
In the first hours
- Make sure everyone is physically safe and gets any medical help they need
- Call 000 if there's any ongoing danger
- Give people a quiet space, water and a way to contact family
- Share clear, factual information and avoid speculation
- Don't push people to talk through details
In the days after
- Call Manager Assist to discuss critical incident support for your team
- Check in with each person individually
- Expect some people to be fine and others to be shaken; both are normal
- Be flexible with workload and leave for a while
- Remind everyone about the EAP, including family members where your program covers them
Supporting others through hard times can be draining. The EAP is there for you as well, not just your team.
Using your EAP
Book a confidential session
Request an appointment online and we'll be in touch within 4 hours. Or call or email us, and tell us which organisation you work for.
Request an appointment online
Takes about two minutes. Your enquiry is confidential and your employer won't see it.
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What happens when you reach out
By phone, email or the website. We'll ask a few details and what kind of support you're after.
A registered psychologist or qualified counsellor who suits what you'd like to talk about.
Sessions can be by phone, video or in person. You set the pace and choose what to talk about.
More EAP sessions, practical strategies, or a referral if longer-term support would help.
What to expect in a session
Feeling a bit nervous before your first session is completely normal. Here's what usually happens.
Before your session
- We'll confirm your appointment time and whether it's by phone, video or in person
- For phone or video, find a private, quiet spot where you won't be overheard. Your car or a walk outside works if home or work doesn't
- You might jot down a few things you'd like to talk about, but you don't have to prepare anything
Your first session
- Your clinician will introduce themselves and explain confidentiality and its limits
- They'll ask what's brought you in and a little about your background, work and support network
- Together you'll work out what you'd like to get out of the sessions
- You choose what to share and how much. It's fine to say "I'm not ready to talk about that yet"
- Sessions usually run for about 50 minutes
Later sessions
- You'll work on practical strategies for what you're facing
- Your clinician may suggest something small to try between sessions
- Near the end of your sessions, you'll review how things are going and plan next steps, including a referral if longer-term support would help
Feeling comfortable with your clinician is one of the biggest factors in counselling going well. If it doesn't feel right, let us know and we'll help you find someone else. It's common to feel tired or emotional after a session. Be kind to yourself afterwards.
Common questions
Urgent support
If you need help right now
The EAP is not an emergency service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.
Police or ambulance
Once you're safe, you can contact BetterWorkLife to book an EAP session and talk things through.