Who are we

Good Chat started with a simple idea: therapy doesn't have to feel like therapy.

For a lot of people — especially blokes, but honestly anyone who finds a clinical office setting a bit much — the idea of sitting across from a stranger and talking about your feelings isn't exactly appealing. We get it. We built something different on purpose.

Good Chat is a Newcastle-based counselling practice that works the way you actually live — outdoors, moving, doing. Whether that's a walk through Glenrock, shooting hoops at the local court, or something a bit more unconventional, we believe the best conversations happen when you're not stuck in a chair.

The Practitioner

Hi, I'm Zac — counsellor, Newcastle local, and the person behind Good Chat.

I'm registered with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and work across two main approaches: Person-Centred Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). In plain terms, that means I listen properly, help you make sense of what's going on, and work with you on practical ways to move through it.

I work with adults navigating anxiety and depression, stress, relationship stuff, trauma, and those seasons of life where everything feels like it's shifting at once. Sessions run in person, online, or out in the open — whatever suits you best.

I'm not here to diagnose you or hand you a workbook. I'm here to have a genuinely useful conversation and help you figure out what's next.

Why "Good Chat"?

Because that's what it should feel like.

Not a clinical appointment. Not a performance. Just an honest, confidential conversation with someone who knows their stuff and isn't going to make it weird.

We named the practice after what we wanted it to feel like — the kind of chat you walk away from feeling lighter, clearer, and like you actually got somewhere.

Where We Work

We're based in Newcastle, NSW, and run sessions across the region — including at Glenrock State Conservation Area, one of our favourite spots for walk n talk sessions. Online sessions are available nationally.

ACA Registered. Newcastle-made. Built for people who'd rather move than sit still.

FAQs

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

BOOK NOW

“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