YOUTH COUNSELLING
Youth Counselling & Support
A supportive space for young people to talk, understand what is happening and work out what comes next.
For young people aged 12–25
Young people do not need to be in crisis — or experiencing difficulties at school — to benefit from counselling.
Sometimes they are anxious.
Sometimes they are overwhelmed.
Sometimes friendships or family relationships feel difficult.
Sometimes they are trying to understand their neurodivergence, identity or emotions.
Sometimes they have experienced something difficult.
And sometimes they simply feel stuck.
Unstuck Youth provides counselling that is relational, practical and tailored to the individual young person.
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What can youth counselling help with?
Young people may seek support for:
- Anxiety, stress and overwhelm
- Low mood or emotional wellbeing
- Neurodivergence
- ADHD and autistic experiences
- Emotional regulation
- Friendship and relationship difficulties
- Social confidence
- Self-esteem and confidence
- Identity and belonging
- Family challenges
- Trauma or difficult life experiences
- Grief and loss
- Motivation
- Changes at home or school
- Feeling misunderstood
- Feeling stuck or uncertain about the future
- Study, work and life transitions
- Building independence
- Navigating the transition into adulthood
A young person does not need to have a diagnosis or clearly defined problem before seeking support.
Sometimes the first part of counselling is simply working together to understand what has been feeling difficult.
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Counselling doesn't have to feel clinical.
For many young people, the thought of sitting in a room and being expected to immediately talk about their deepest feelings is uncomfortable.
That is okay.
Sessions at Unstuck Youth are designed to develop at the young person's pace.
Depending on the person and what they need, sessions might involve conversation, reflection, practical problem-solving, developing strategies, psychoeducation, identifying patterns, goal setting, planning or simply having a space where the young person can talk without feeling judged.
There is no expectation that every young person communicates or engages in the same way.
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Neurodivergent young people
Neurodivergence can influence almost every part of a young person's life — including friendships, school, family relationships, emotional regulation, executive functioning, sensory experiences, identity and self-esteem.
Support at Unstuck Youth is neurodiversity affirming.
The goal is not to make a neurodivergent young person appear more neurotypical.
Instead, counselling can help young people understand themselves, recognise their needs, develop strategies that work for them and build confidence in communicating what they need from the people and environments around them.
A formal diagnosis is not required to access support.
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Older teenagers and young adults
Turning 18 does not suddenly mean having everything figured out.
For older teenagers and young adults, counselling may also include mentoring and practical support around:
- Leaving school
- Further education or training
- Employment
- Finding direction
- Changing pathways
- Building independence
- Managing adult responsibilities
- Confidence and decision-making
- Motivation
- Navigating relationships
- Adjusting when life has not followed the expected path
The transition between adolescence and adulthood can be messy.
Support can provide somewhere to work through both the emotional and practical parts of figuring out what comes next.
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When school is part of the picture
Counselling and school engagement support often overlap.
A young person might initially come to Unstuck Youth because of anxiety, neurodivergence or emotional wellbeing concerns and later identify that school has become a significant source of distress.
Another young person may first seek support because their school attendance has declined and then use counselling to explore the emotional experiences underneath it.
Where school engagement is becoming a significant concern, support can incorporate Unstuck Youth's specialist educational engagement approach.
Learn About School Engagement Support06
Parents and carers
Parents and carers can be an important part of supporting change.
Where appropriate, parent or carer sessions may be incorporated to help adults better understand what the young person is experiencing, develop practical strategies and create greater consistency around the young person.
The level of parent involvement will depend on the young person's age, circumstances, preferences and support needs.
For adolescents in particular, maintaining a space where the young person feels they have privacy is important.
Confidentiality and its limits will be discussed clearly when support begins.
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Is Unstuck Youth a psychology service?
No.
Unstuck Youth currently provides youth counselling, wellbeing support and educational engagement support.
It does not provide psychological assessment, diagnosis or registered psychology services.
Where a young person's needs are outside the scope of Unstuck Youth, this will be discussed openly and referral to another professional may be recommended.
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Ready to get started?
You do not need to know exactly what your young person needs before contacting Unstuck Youth.
Tell me a little about what has been happening and we can work out whether this support feels like the right fit.
Get Started