Next Door Counselling & Consultation

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Next Door Counselling & Consultation

Next Door Counselling & Consultation provides specialised Mental Health Support to adults and seniors. Mental Health Service

Based on the Mornington Peninsula we consult in Mornington, Frankston and Capel Sound with Telehealth options also available.

13/05/2026

Sometimes the most painful grief is grieving someone who is still here.

I’m incredibly honoured to be speaking at the “Her Mind Her Health” Conference as a concurrent presenter about a topic close to my heart.

My presentation, “I’m Lost, He Is Lost, and I Have to Say Goodbye,” explores the experience of women caring for husbands with cognitive decline and dementia and the ambiguous loss that often comes with “the long goodbye”.

This conversation reflects the stories I witness every day within practice. The quiet grief, the resilience and the women trying to hold everything together while slowly losing pieces of themselves too.

The conference also includes a virtual program, which means this important conversation can reach people across Australia and New Zealand!

If you’re heading to the Gold Coast, or keen to do some PD, I’d love to connect with you there.

Hannah🙏

09/05/2026

Nothing says Mother’s Day more than all the flowers around at the moment. 🌷

I popped down to my local grocer today and found myself wandering through the flowers. So beautiful.

In the momentum building around Mother’s Day and all the advertising for mums, it’s not lost on me that this time can feel hard for many too.

Life often holds both joy and struggle at the same time. The two exist together and remind us what it means to feel deeply.

So today, I’m sending bunches of flowers to all the different kinds of mums. To the mother figures, grandmothers, fur baby mums, those longing to be mums and those missing their mums.

You all matter- Hannah 🌷

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06/05/2026

The other day I overheard someone say “It feels a little like COVID again.”

Rising costs. More pressure. People staying home more, thinking twice before going out… even quietly preparing for “just in case.”

And it made me wonder what is this doing to our mental health?

Because COVID was a turning point. A time of deep isolation. And not everyone has fully recovered.

So this is a gentle reminder to check in with yourself and those around you.

How are you coping with the heaviness in the world right now? Me, I’m building a veggie garden (feel free to ask me about it when you see me next!) 🌱

03/05/2026

I was visiting a couple recently who were coming up to their 70th wedding anniversary and I asked if they would be celebrating?

They laughed and said, “Oh no dear, we would have to hire a crowd… everyone we know is dead.” We shared a gentle laugh but it stuck with me. Because beneath the humour was something that isn’t often spoken about.

Working with seniors, I see lives that can look full from the outside with appointments and routines. But underneath, there is a world that has slowly become smaller. Less familiar faces and fewer people who truly know your story.

Loneliness can look different as we age. Sometimes it doesn’t sound like sadness, sometimes it sounds like a joke.

Connection is vital for our mental health, no matter what stage of life we find ourselves in. We all need to be seen, heard and to feel that we are not doing this life alone.

In my thrapy room, we talk about different ways to connect, we work through connection barriers and we use life stories to remember resilience, hope and joy. Sitting with you is my privilege and at NDC you are not alone.

Hannah 🌷

MorningtonPeninsula

26/04/2026

So often we are told to be more mindful, to practice self-care and somewhere along the way an unconscious pressure begins to build.

But what if you are already doing things that help you feel okay? You just havn’t noticed?

I often ask people, what are you doing that makes you feel a little lighter? Or maybe you feel like you can breathe deeper ? Or perhaps it brings s sense of quiet and peace you crave? Noticing these moments matters.

Often when you begin to notice your body soften, you are already taking care of yourself. Your body is telling you that you feel safe.

I like to think that we are looking after ourselves we just forget to name it or notice it. Whenever you are giving yourself a break, take notice of what you ARE doing.

Because being kind to yourself matters more than you think. My door is always open if you need support along the way.
Hannah 🌿

21/04/2026

“I’m exhausted.” 🪫

I’m hearing this every day lately.

Not just tired but exhausted from thinking, from pressure, from the cost of living, from the constant threat of the world.

And when that kind of exhaustion hits, even the basics start to slip. The walk gets skipped, the shower feels like too much and home becomes the only place that feels manageable.

Here’s the catch: The things that help the most are usually the hardest to start.

A shower.
20 minutes of sunshine.
A quick cuppa with someone safe.

You know it helps… but you can’t quite get there.

So we don’t start big. We start with one small thing a day. Just one.

And we get curious: What actually gives you energy?

Because self-care isn’t one-size-fits-all. For one person, it’s a walk. For another, it’s sitting down and watching the K-pop boys.

No judgment, just regulation.

If you stop and look at it honestly…Is more going out than coming back in? The answer will likely surprise you!

06/04/2026

Next Door Counselling is growing and we’ve had a refresh to match this season of change ✨

A huge thank you to Veintitrés Design for bringing the NDC vision to life with our new look and logo.

I’m also excited to introduce a new service arm: Next Door Dementia Support. Built on the same foundation as NDC, it offers practical guidance, compassionate support and connection for individuals experiencing memory changes and their families.

I feel privileged to continue building NDC and supporting people through life’s transitions.

We are in Mornington on Mondays and Wednesdays, and in Capel Sound on Fridays.

We look forward to seeing you soon.
Hannah 🌷

17/03/2026

When I was younger, I worked in a deli. One day, while I was slicing meat, a colleague said to me, “You’re a thinker, Hannah.”

That comment stayed with me. I think because in that moment, she saw something in me that I didn’t quite see in myself…yet.

Over the past 18 years, I’ve worked in many fields of Social Work, each shaping me in different ways. But now working in private practice, I feel truly at home.

Why? Because I can listen and think freely.

I’m not just hearing you in the moment. I’m holding onto the parts of your story you shared five sessions ago, gently connecting them to how you’re feeling today. I’m noticing the patterns, the shifts and the meaning, sometimes even before you can put words to them.

That’s why I consider this work, a privilege.

I love being a Mental Health Social Worker and I feel deeply honoured to sit in the room with you, to hear your story and to walk alongside you as it unfolds.

Happy World Social Work Day 🤍

Hannah

04/03/2026

🌷Quiet looks different for all of us. But it’s vital.

Lately, I’ve been speaking with many of you who are exhausted. You’re caring for others. Pushing harder at work. Trying to untangle complex relationships. Battling financial pressure. And some of you are feeling genuinely scared about the state of the world right now.

When we talk about exhaustion, I often ask: “What percentage are you at?” Someone said to me recently, “Minus 100%.”

We both giggled but I understood what they meant. At –100%, you’re not just tired. You’re switched off. Numb. Running on fumes. And when someone is that depleted, traditional talk therapy isn’t where we start. We go back to basics.

I ask: “How do you recharge your battery?”

For me, it’s wandering through the plant section at Bunnings. Just me, my thoughts and dreams about the spaces I want to create in my backyard. It’s simple. It’s quiet. It fills me up in a small but steady way.

For some people, even the question “What recharges you?” feels too hard. So i ask..

Where can you exhale?
What feels even slightly enjoyable?
When do you feel a tiny bit more like yourself?

That’s where we begin. Not with fixing. Not with analysing. But with reconnecting.

If you are at -100%, you are not alone. Sometimes just telling someone that you have nothing left in your battery is the first step foward.

There is always space at NDC, whether by phone, zoom or in person.

See you soon- Hannah and the NDC Team
Www.nextdoorcounselling.com.au

01/03/2026

NDC continues to grow and there are quite a few new faces here. So, I thought it was time to reintroduce myself!

I’m Hannah, a Mental Health Social Worker and the founder of Next Door Counselling & Consultation. I work with adults and seniors who feel overwhelmed, uncertain, or are quietly struggling.

Alongside counselling, I also offer dementia support and consultation for individuals and families navigating cognitive change.

NDC is for everyone. From those who have never accessed therapy before to those who are familiar. However you arrived here, I’m glad you’re here, welcome ☺️.

More info at www.nextdoorcounselling.com.au

14/02/2026

Valentine’s Day can be a beautiful day.
But it can also be a hard one.

For some, today sits alongside Christmas, Easter and Birthdays. The days that can highlight loneliness, difference, grief, or the feeling of being forgotten.

There are some people who feel empowered today. Some feel loved up and some are living their best life.
However, some are quietly holding memories of people they’ve lost, relationships that ended, or the ache of wondering if love will ever come.

I’ve been in both camps.

Many years ago, I remember sitting on the beach with my little babies, wondering if I would ever find a safe or unconditional love.

And here I am in 2026, sitting on the beach with my children and my new husband, feeling deeply grateful that I did.

So today I wondered… what should I write?

And the answer I came back to was this:
Maybe the greatest gift we can give ourselves isn’t a post about love but the practice of self-love.

The grace to allow ourselves to feel whatever it is we feel today. And the courage to step into tomorrow with fresh hope.

So if today feels heavy, I hope you know this:
🙏 You are not alone.
🙏 You are seen.
🙏 You matter.

Hannah 💫
❤️

Address

Mornington, VIC
3931

Website

http://www.nextdoorcounselling.com.au/

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