• tri_service

    Who we help

    Mental health support for Navy, Army and Air Force personnel, veterans & their families
  • Operation life phone

    What to expect

    Open Arms specialises in giving you access to free face-to-face counselling as soon as possible. We are committed to your privacy and confidentiality and will not share information with DVA without your consent.
  • confidential

    Confidentiality and privacy

    Open Arms offers free and confidential counselling, and in some circumstances working with the DVA or ADF.

Services

  • call us 1800 011 846

    Counselling

    Open Arms can provide individual, couple and family counselling to help improve your resilience, as well as enhance your mental health and wellbeing. Call 1800-011-046 for free and confidential 24/7 support.

  • Treatment programs and workshops

    Open Arms offers group treatment programs and educational workshops, relationship retreats, and suicide prevention workshops.
  • lived experience peer

    Community and peer program

    Open Arms Community and Peer Advisors have ‘lived experience’ and work collaboratively with veterans, family supports, community agencies and mental health clinicians.
  • women on computer taking quiz

    Self-help tools

    These tools provide practical information and exercises for those affected by mental health or trauma to help improve wellbeing.

Signs and symptoms

There are a range of warning signs to look out for that may prevent you from being your best. If you are feeling down or anxious, or worried about what you are doing - there are things you can do, and support is available.

News

  • national manager

    Meet Leonie Nowland, National Manager of Open Arms

    Being in a position to help veterans and families who may be in similar situations to what I experienced is one of the reasons I was thrilled to join VVCS, now Open Arms in 2007. To be National Manager of Open Arms is the pinnacle of my career. 

  • Meet the Melbourne office

    When you reach out to us there are a number of ways we can offer support. As well as phone counselling and online programs, we have offices all over Australia staffed by people who understand the military experience. Get to know some of our Melbourne staff supporting veterans.

  • Two males and a woman. One of the males is cutting the ribbon.

    Veteran and Family Counselling Centre Officially Opens in Melbourne

    The Assistant Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence, Matt Thistlethwaite, officially opened the Open Arms office in the Melbourne CBD on Friday 18 November, giving veterans and families’ updated facilities including private counselling suites and spaces for peer support sessions, group programs and workshops.

Open Arms for health professionals

Open Arms provides training and support to all our counsellors, to enable the ongoing delivery of high quality mental health assessment and clinical counselling for Australian veterans and their families