Outdoor Counselling
Therapy that moves with you
Some conversations are easier when you're moving.
There's something about being outside, side by side, with the ground under your feet and open air around you — it changes the nature of a conversation. The pressure drops. Things come out differently. You think more clearly.
That's not just our experience. It's what the science says too.
Good Chat was built around this idea. We took the parts of traditional therapy that actually work and stripped away the parts that put people off — the clinical office, the fluorescent lighting, the awkward silences across a desk. What's left is an honest conversation with a qualified counsellor, outdoors, on the move.
What does a session look like?
Sessions run for around 50 minutes. We walk, we talk. That's it.
Sessions can be tailored to what works for you. If you'd rather shoot hoops, do a weights session, or work through something while moving in a way that suits your body, we can make that happen too. If you just want to sit, lets find a space that resonates.
There's no couch. No notepad across a desk. Just two people having a genuinely useful conversation while they move.
Locations & Activities
Our primary outdoor counselling practice is Walk N Talk which is run from:
Merewether Beach - We can walk North to Bar Beach and return in the hour or walk south to Glenrock and back.
Glenrock Conservation Reserve - Leaving from the Yuelarbah Walking Trial on Burwood Road. We will make it to the lookout and back.
Warners Bay Promenade - We will meet at the Rotunda, the direction, your choice.
Speers Point - Meeting at Mima (Multi-Arts Pavilion) we can walk the promenade or sit at one of the benches overlooking the lake.
Activities
See the gallery below for more information with activities including boxing pad work, basketball shoot out, toss the footy or we can find a quiet space to sit and take in the surroundings.
Why it works — and what the research says
Outdoor therapy isn't new, but the evidence behind it has grown substantially in recent years.
A Stanford University study found that walking in nature significantly reduces activity in the part of the brain associated with rumination — that loop of repetitive, negative thinking that keeps anxiety and low mood stuck in place. Moving through green space lowers cortisol, regulates your nervous system, and shifts you out of fight-or-flight faster than sitting still can.
There's also something specific to walking side by side rather than face to face. Research published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology found that clients in walk-and-talk sessions reported feeling less scrutinised, more willing to open up, and more comfortable discussing difficult topics. The parallel movement removes the social pressure of sustained eye contact — which for a lot of people, especially those new to counselling, makes the difference between saying what's actually going on and holding back.
Combined with evidence-based therapeutic approaches — CBT and Person-Centred Therapy — outdoor sessions deliver real clinical outcomes in a format that genuinely suits how a lot of people think and operate.
Practical stuff
📍 Glenrock State Conservation Area, Newcastle (and surrounding areas by arrangement)
⏱ 50-minute sessions
👟 Wear comfortable shoes — that's genuinely the only preparation required
☁️ We run in most weather. We'll give you a heads up if conditions require rescheduling.
Just remember, no rain - no flowers…
💳 Private health rebates may apply — check with your fund
Come and give it a go.
Most people walk away from their first session wondering why they didn't try it sooner. It's different — in a good way.
Who thrives in this format
Outdoor counselling works particularly well for people who:
Find the idea of sitting in a clinical office uncomfortable or unfamiliar
Are carrying stress, anxiety, or low mood and want to move through it — literally
Think better on their feet
Have been putting off getting support because traditional therapy doesn't feel like their thing
Want to build something into their routine that's good for body and mind at the same time
Are dealing with trauma or burnout and need to work with their nervous system, not against it
We work with adults across all of these presentations. If you're unsure whether it's the right fit, just reach out and we'll have a chat first.
What we work with outdoors
Anxiety and stress
Depression and low mood
Trauma and PTSD
Burnout and workplace pressure
Relationship and communication issues
Life transitions — career, identity, loss, change
Building mental fitness as a long-term practice, not just crisis management
Outdoor Activity-Based Counselling
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![A narrow metal footbridge with black railings crosses over rocky and bushy terrain in a forested area.]()
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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![Two children playing basketball on an outdoor court during sunset, casting long shadows.]()
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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![A rugby ball on a grassy field with a blurred background of trees and a large sign that reads 'NIES' in orange letters.]()
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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![A woman and a man are boxing indoors, with the woman throwing a punch at a punching mitt held by the man. Both are wearing white t-shirts and boxing gloves, and water droplets or sweat are visible in the air.]()
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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![Row of dumbbells on racks in a gym, black and white photograph.]()
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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![Interior of a wooden sauna with benches, a bucket, and a sauna heater with stones.]()
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.
15 Minute FREE Introductory Call!!
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15 Minute FREE Introductory Call!! 〰️
Still not sure?
We offer a FREE 15 minute introductory online call. Put a face to the name, get to know your counsellor, learn if this is going to be the right fit for YOU. No obligation, if its not right we can either support you finding another service or bid farewell. No stress.