Frequently asked questions

SuicideLine Victoria provides free immediate professional telephone and online counselling support for anyone affected by suicide or mental health issues.

All calls and online chats are answered by professionally trained counsellors.

Each counsellor has specialist skills to be able to do a risk assessment and provide support to anyone who is feeling suicidal, worried about someone else, or bereaved by suicide.

SuicideLine Victoria provides single session services to all callers and online counselling users without a referral, and multi-session services to eligible clients.

You can call 1300 651 251 from anywhere in Victoria at a time that suits you.

To access online counselling, simply click the floating chat button to the right of the screen.

A pop-up chat box will then appear.

Enter your details in the mandatory fields and if one of our professional counsellors are available, you will be able to chat with them straight away.

There is no longer a need to register your details on our website.

If you are in Victoria, Australia and our online chat button is not showing up on the right-hand side of our webpage, please check the following:

• Try to access online chat using a different device
• Avoid any actions that might obscure or hide your IP address. The use of proxies, VPNs could result in blocked access
• If you are using an Apple device, disable your iCloud Private Relay feature and try again. On your device, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Private Relay, then tap on “Turn off Private Relay”
• Turn off any privacy network features and try connecting directly to the internet
• Please ensure that Javascript is enabled.
• Please remember that you can call us on 1300 651 251 any time to speak to a counsellor.

To access online counselling video chat, you will need to schedule an appointment.

Simply click the video chat button located at the bottom of each page.

A pop-up chat box will then appear.

Enter your details in the mandatory fields and if one of our professional counsellors are available, you will be able to chat with them straight away.

They will take all relevant details and schedule a suitable time for a video chat appointment to take place.

All video chats are conducted via zoom.

Please have handy:

• Your email address
• Your reasons for using the SuicideLine Victoria video counselling service.

There is no longer a need to register your details on our website.

The service is staffed by professional counsellors who have demonstrated a minimum of 456 post-qualification face-to-face hours of counselling experience prior to joining.

All counsellors hold a tertiary degree of minimum three-year duration in a relevant discipline of psychology, social work, counselling and social science or welfare studies.

Yes, the service is free.

If you are calling from a landline, you will be charged the cost of a standard local call. When calling from a mobile, call charges will vary depending on your provider and plan.

Unfortunately, this service is only available for people in Victoria, Australia.

If you are in Australia and based in another state or territory, please contact your local support service or visit HealthDirect to search for a service close to you.

If it is an emergency, please call 000 immediately.

If you are not in Australia, Befrienders Worldwide provides information about suicide prevention and emotional support services worldwide in multiple languages.

Yes, SuicideLine Victoria recommends the MindFrame website for up to date guidelines on how to report on suicide in the media.

Yes, counselling is available to people whose first language is not English.

To initiate counselling, a caller should (if possible) advise on their preferred language. The counsellor will then place the caller on hold and contact the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS). The counsellor will then reconnect with the caller and the interpreter in a conference call.

Alternatively, someone can contact the interpreter first, who can then call the counselling service to begin the session.

Counselling is most effective when the counsellor and caller can communicate as honestly as possible. While we acknowledge that this could sometimes feel awkward when a translator is involved, we encourage you to be as open as you can in order to get the most out of counselling. TIS officers are bound by privacy legislation to protect clients’ rights. The usual risk assessments and ethics of counselling apply.

Yes, our counsellors are experienced in working with clients through the National Relay Service (NRS). They will work with the relay officer to provide counselling and are conscious of obstacles facing people with a disability. They will use a person-centred, strength-based approach to suit their needs.

A counsellor will work to get the most out of the session by communicating as openly and directly as possible, almost as if the relay officer is not involved.

NRS officers are bound by privacy legislation to protect clients’ rights. The usual risk assessments and ethics of counselling apply.

Our multi-session service is a tailored program for clients who may require up to four sessions.

During the first session, the counsellor will conduct a Risk Assessment, as well as K10 / K5 assessment. The counsellor will prepare a multi-session goal plan based on an assessment of need.

Clients will be offered multi-sessions based on the following assessment of need criteria:

• They are unable to access the services they need locally
• They have recently experienced a ‘crucible’ moment in their lives (made redundant, death, relationship breakdown)
• Complex or multiple needs are identified
• They are referred via the clinical team.