Therapy that moves with you
We're an ACA-registered counselling practice in Newcastle for people who've been putting this off. We get it. We built Good Chat for exactly that.
Change Starts Here
Good Chat Counselling is a Newcastle-based practice built on a simple idea: real change starts with a real conversation. We work with adults across the Hunter region who want a different kind of counselling — practical, grounded, and human. Whether you’re navigating a tough season or working on something bigger, we’re here to walk it through with you.
For those not in the Newcastle area we provide online counselling supporting regional and remote areas as well as all corners of Australia.
Why do people come to counselling, and how we help.
People don’t usually book counselling because everything’s fine. They come because something feels stuck — a relationship, work, anxiety, grief, identity or a heaviness they can’t quite name. Asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s one of the clearest signs you’re ready to do the work. Most people leave their first session wishing they’d come sooner.
We work across anxiety, low mood, relationship strain, life transitions, men’s mental health, grief, stress and burnout. Sessions are tailored — sometimes structured, sometimes free-flowing, always practical. You’ll leave with clarity, language for what you’re carrying, and tools you can use between sessions. The work isn’t about being broken. It’s about getting unstuck.
To learn more about the people behind Good Chat, Click Here
“I’d been searching for a therapist for months but couldn’t find anyone i resonated with. Having my first session with good chat while shooting hoops was the ice breaker i needed. Its created a pathway for me to feel comfortable talking about my mental health in an environment I’m familiar with. We now mix it up with some activity based stuff and online stuff. I feel great!”
— James // Proud Novacastrian
Therapy that moves with you
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Walk N Talk
Let’s get out of the consultation room and into nature. Walk N Talk is a great way to stimulate our parasympathetic nervous system and calm our thoughts. We offer Walk N Talk in Glenrock Nature Reserve, Merewether to Glenrock Beach or Warners Bay Promenade.
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Basketball Shoot Around
A great introduction to talk therapy for teens, kids or kids at heart. Let’s shoot around, a game of horse and engage in talk therapy. This service is provided from National Park Basketball Courts, Newcastle West.
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Footy Pass Drills
Let’s grab the footy and throw a few passes in the park whilst engaging in talk therapy. Not every therapy session has to be a breakthrough session. Most of the time its about finding space and talking through your thoughts and emotions. Whipping the ball back and forth provides the comfort of security in engaging in a familiar activity whilst talking through your concerns. This is offered at Dixon Park, Merewether.
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Hit the Mits
Get some aggression out while we engage in talk therapy. This will be a basic session broken up over the hour so you don’t run out of gas. This service is provided at Dixon Park, Merewether.
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Lift Weights, Lift Mood
A guided kettlebell or body weight training session while we chat through your concerns. Great for stimulating your nervous system as well as promoting mindfulness. This is offered at Dixon Park, Merewether.
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Hot & Cold Talk Therapy
Talk therapy while soaking up an infrared sauna followed by an ice bath.. Physically uncomfortable, mentally challenging. A great release of dopamine to set you up after you leave.
COMING SOON!
FAQs
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We’re not a clinic. There’s no waiting room, no fluorescent lights, no scripted intake. Good Chat is built around honest conversation in real settings — a walk along the coast, a quiet bench, a video call from your kitchen. Same evidence-based approaches you’d get anywhere else, just delivered in a way that finally lets you breathe.
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We led with walk-and-talk because it works. Movement settles the nervous system, side-by-side conversation feels less confrontational than face-to-face, and being outdoors lowers stress before you’ve said a word. For a lot of people — especially blokes — this is the format that finally makes counselling feel doable. The Hunter coastline is our office.
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Online sessions aren’t a backup — they’re a genuine option. They suit shift workers, parents juggling kids, anyone outside Newcastle, or people who simply think better from home. Same depth, same outcomes, less driving. All you need is a quiet space and a decent connection. Many clients mix and match — outdoor one week, online the next.
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Individual counselling online and in-room is $150 per hour.
Activity-based therapy is dependent on the activity. Check out our booking page for up to date prices.
Couples counselling is $180 per hour or $225 for 90 minutes.
We offer In-Home counselling sessions for $250 per hour.
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Good Chat Counselling engages in Person-Centered care and led recovery. What does that mean? It means we are here to support you on YOUR journey. We can have a simple chat, you can feel us out or you may want to delve deep. The choice is yours, you have time, there is no rush.
Your initial consultation will feel like a meet and greet. We will introduce ourselves and you will be invited to share why you are attending. We can have a discussion about your goals and motivations and you can feel out your therapist. If we have a fit, lets move forward!
Future sessions could look like talk therapy, therapeutic interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or we could engage in goal setting, breathwork or motivational coaching. Whatever the journey, you’re in the drivers seat.
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Yes. Good Chat Counselling is registered with the Australia Counselling Association (ACA). As a registered party we conduct our practice in alignment with the constitution established by the ACA.
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In the event of adverse weather we can pivot to an online session or we can move to a consultation room.
Your booking email with provide these options and we will contact you 24 hours before your appointment if we identify poor weather coming in.