Mental health support

EPIC’s Mental Health Service provides short-term counselling, wellbeing support, and linkage to appropriate external services for people participating in the Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) program or preparing for work.

The service combines mental health expertise with a practical understanding of employment and recovery. Support is tailored to each person’s situation and may include:

• Brief counselling and wellbeing check-ins
• Skills for coping with stress, anxiety, or low mood
• Strategies to improve motivation, sleep, and daily routines
• Guidance on workplace adjustment needs or disclosure decisions
• Coordination with IEA providers, GPs, or psychologists to ensure continuity of care

Support is available primarily via telehealth and in-person (where available) and focuses on early intervention, practical strategies, and smooth transitions to longer-term care when needed.

Finding or returning to work can be both exciting and overwhelming—especially when you’re also managing your mental health. EPIC’s Mental Health Service provides short-term, practical support to help people prepare for, begin, and sustain meaningful employment.

The service works alongside IEA providers and participants to build confidence, resilience, and the skills needed to maintain wellbeing during the transition to work. It includes support to:

• Develop strategies for managing stress, anxiety, or change in new workplaces
• Support conversations about workplace adjustments or self-advocacy
• Assist with confidence-building, motivation, and communication skills
• Liaise (with consent) with IEA providers, employers, or treating professionals to ensure continuity of support

The approach is strengths-based and collaborative. Whether you are just starting to think about employment or have recently begun a new role, EPIC can provide the right level of support to help you settle in and thrive.

EPIC’s Mental Health Service is available to eligible people participating in the Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) program.

IEA participants can speak with their IEA provider about accessing EPIC’s Mental Health Service for additional wellbeing or counselling support during their employment journey.

IEA providers can contact EPIC’s Mental Health Service directly to discuss participant needs, referral pathways, or tailored support options.

The service is designed to be flexible, confidential, and person-centred—supporting participants to manage mental health challenges, strengthen coping skills, and build the confidence to pursue and maintain employment.

Everyone’s experience of mental health and wellbeing is unique. EPIC’s Mental Health Service tailors its approach to meet each person where they are. We recognise that life circumstances, disability, neurodiversity, gender, culture, and caring responsibilities can all influence how people experience and manage their wellbeing at work.

Support is:

• Inclusive and person-centred – responsive to the diverse experiences of people with disability, including those living with physical, sensory, or psychosocial conditions.
• Trauma-informed – delivered with empathy, respect, and a focus on psychological and physical safety.
• Perinatal-aware – understanding the wellbeing needs of parents and carers returning to or preparing for work.
• Neurodiversity-affirming – recognising the strengths and challenges experienced by people with ADHD, autism, and related conditions.
• Culturally responsive – respectful of identity, community, and lived experience.

Whether managing the impact of disability, facing stress or burnout, or adjusting to a new workplace, the service aims to help participants maintain wellbeing, build confidence, and thrive at their own pace and in a way that feels safe and sustainable.

At EPIC, inclusion isn’t just something we promote, it’s something we live every day. Many of our team members bring their own lived experience of disability or mental health challenges, which helps us create genuine understanding and empathy in the way we deliver support.

This diversity of experience shapes how we design and provide our services, ensuring that every interaction is grounded in respect, understanding, and practical insight. It also means we know first-hand that recovery and meaningful employment are possible—and that the right support can make all the difference.

Our commitment to mental health and wellbeing extends beyond the people we support; it’s embedded in how we care for our own team and community.