• Open Arms Clinician

    COVID-19 Update

    Open Arms is open 24/7 if you need someone to talk to. Or, if you’re simply after some helpful hints for staying calm and coping with the pandemic check out our COVID-19 page. And, if you have a counselling session scheduled but are feeling unwell or have concerns about attending it in person, call us on 1800 011 046 and we’ll reschedule it for you or discuss options for conducting it via telephone or video conferencing.

Mental health and wellbeing support for current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel and their families

Who we help

  • current serving

    Current serving

    Open Arms can help you build resilience, and enhance your mental health and wellbeing.
  • ex serving rob

    Ex-serving

    Open Arms can help you work through mental health and wellbeing issues after you’ve left the service.
  • family picnic

    Family

    Counselling support can help you build strong and healthy relationships at all stages of family life.

Signs and symptoms

There are a range of warning signs to look out for that may be 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.

Get support

  • 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.

  • Eligibility

    If you have served in the ADF, you, your partner and your children can access support through Open Arms.

  • Confidentiality and privacy

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

News

  • Adjusting and adapting

    COVID19 – adjusting and adapting

    COVID-19 has changed our lives in ways we could never have imagined at the start of this year. Adapting to new environments, however, is nothing new for military personnel and families.
  • Controlled breathing

    Keep calm and try controlled breathing

    Our High Res app provides a range of free tools you can use to help your mental and physical health.
  • Thought stopping

    Stop and swap unhelpful thoughts

    The way we think about a situation shapes how we feel. This means that sometimes our thoughts about difficult situations can make them harder to deal with and see solutions.

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