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Is your Teenager Thriving or surviving?
Feeling stuck? Does your teen seem lonely, anxious, isolated, or directionless? As a parent, you want to give them the best support possible, but sometimes life’s challenges—school transitions, family conflicts, or the changes of puberty—can feel overwhelming.
Lukas Winward Counselling works with teenager boys and teenage girls in Melbourne Bayside area (Hampton, Beaumaris, Blackrock, Highett) and City of Kingston (Cheltenham, Mentone, Parkdale, Mordialloc, Aspendale) dealing with a range of issues including:
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Addiction (gaming, phones/devices, drugs and alcohol, smoking, pornography, gambling and more)
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Anxiety
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Suicide Ideation
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Self Harm
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Grief & Loss
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School Refusal
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Parental issues
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Capacity building
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Pathways and Career Counselling
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Depression
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Failure to Launch
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Friendships
An Active Approach to Counselling That Gets Results
Counselling doesn’t have to happen in an office. Lukas believes in meeting teens where they feel comfortable. By using an active approach, he creates a less intimidating environment, often incorporating walking, shooting hoops, or engaging in other activities they enjoy.
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Lukas can meet your teen:
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At home, providing a safe and familiar setting.
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At school, working collaboratively with teachers and staff (with the school’s agreement).
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Outdoors, where movement helps open up conversations naturally.​
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This approach helps teens feel at ease and gets them talking in a way that traditional counselling settings may not.
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ABOUT
Lukas
Lukas is a qualified counsellor registered with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) level 4 who has extensive experience working with young people and adults.
He has worked with teenagers in schools, TAFE (VCAL), Apprentices, NDIS (capacity building), ChildFIRST, Tuning into Kids facilitation, crisis supporter (phone support line) and victims of crime.
Three Pillars to counselling Support: Addressing Behaviour, Building Resilience, and Creating Growth
Behavioural Issues: Addressing the Root Cause
When behaviour changes, it often reflects something deeper—whether it’s stress, environmental factors, social struggles, or even a mental health condition like ADHD or trauma.
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Lukas’s approach is to dig beneath the surface and identify the root cause of behavioural shifts. He offers therapy that’s accessible, tailored, and, most importantly, effective. Whether your teen prefers shooting hoops in the backyard, walking in nature, going to the driving range or working through challenges at school, Lukas meets them where they’re most at ease.
Coping Strategies: Building Real-Life Skills
Many teens struggle with anxiety, stress, or low self-esteem, but these challenges don’t have to define them.
Lukas works alongside your teen in real-world settings to develop and practise coping strategies in real time.
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Having someone they trust on their team—someone who truly has their back—helps teens feel safe while they tackle the things that make them anxious or stressed. This active approach empowers them to face life’s challenges head-on.
Building Capacity: Developing Resilience and Growth
By addressing behaviour and coping strategies, Lukas also helps build your teen’s overall capacity for resilience, self-awareness, and growth.
Whether they’re facing anxiety, depression, loneliness, ADHD, or a sense of apathy, Lukas’s therapy sessions are designed to challenge and push them in a supportive way.
Free 15 min consulation
We’ll start with an initial 15 min FREE consultation, so that we can get to know each other and get a feel for whether we would make a good team. If we both feel it's a good match we'll schedule in your first session where we’ll talk about the challenges you are facing now in your life and your objectives.
The Golfing Counsellor
Lukas Winward is also the founder of The Golfing Counsellor, an innovative therapy experience that combines the therapeutic benefits of counselling with the calming environment of a golf course.
For young adults and teenagers, this setting can help reduce the stress or intimidation often associated with traditional therapy.
Book a call to learn more.
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How we can help
Our Services
15 min
Free
Read MoreA 60min session at a place where you are most comfortable. That might be at a park or at home.
1 hr
180 Australian dollars
1 hr
165 Australian dollars
Read More2 x 60min sessions for $250 to map how to get to the career you want. Book your 1st session today!
1 hr
250 Australian dollars
2 hr
$180/hour + golf fee
Pathways and careers
As a parent, you want the best for your children, but sometimes it can be difficult to know the best guidance and support to provide, especially when trying to navigate apprenticeships, higher education and VCE/VCE VM requirements.
That's where Lukas Winward Counselling comes in; he is dedicated to helping young people plan, set and achieve their educational and career goals. In fact, it's his favourite conversations to have, it is all about hope, dreams and goals.
During his time working with secondary students/ apprentices and adults, he has supported hundreds of people to get into the course/career that they are interested in. He offers CV/ key selection criteria writing as well as interview skills.
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Across two sessions Lukas will help you create a tailored plan specifically to each individual, based on their own personal strengths and unique skillset. With our help, they can learn about what makes them unique and how that fits into the workforce.
Capacity Building for NDIS Participants
Building Real-Life Skills for Greater Independence
Lukas Winward offers tailored support to help individuals develop essential life skills and build capacity for greater independence. Whether working one-on-one with the individual or collaborating with their family, Lukas focuses on practical strategies that create meaningful and lasting change.
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What is Capacity Building?
Capacity building is about empowering individuals to develop skills and confidence in navigating everyday life. Lukas’s approach is flexible and person-centred, ensuring that each plan is tailored to meet the unique goals and needs of the participant.
How Lukas Can Help:
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Coping Strategies: Developing tools to manage stress, anxiety, or sensory overwhelm in real-world settings, ensuring participants feel equipped to handle challenges as they arise.
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Community Engagement: Lukas encourages participants to connect with their community by joining social groups, volunteering, or exploring hobbies, reducing isolation and building meaningful relationships.
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Daily Life Skills: From budgeting and meal planning to time management and personal organisation, Lukas supports participants in gaining the skills they need to thrive in everyday life.
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Public Transport Training: Learn to navigate buses, trains, or trams confidently and independently. Lukas supports participants in mastering routes, timetables, and problem-solving on the go.
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Work Experience Preparation: From identifying potential opportunities to building resumes and practising interviews, Lukas helps participants take their first steps into the workforce with confidence.
Why Choose Lukas for NDIS Support?
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Flexible and Person-Centred: Lukas meets participants where they are—at home, in their community, or outdoors—to ensure they feel comfortable and supported.
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Tailored to Your Needs: Every participant’s journey is unique. Lukas works collaboratively with families and support coordinators to align with NDIS goals.
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Real-World Experience: By working in real-life environments, Lukas helps participants build confidence and independence in situations they encounter every day.
For Support Workers and Families
If you’re a support worker looking for a trusted provider or a family managing your own NDIS funds, Lukas offers a practical, approachable, and effective option for capacity building. His unique, active approach makes therapy and skill-building accessible and engaging for participants of all ages.
Counselling for Young adults (20+)
Feeling Lost in Your 20s?
Your 20s can be one of the most challenging decades of life. Friend groups scatter, priorities shift, and the future can feel overwhelming. Many young adults experience:
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Loneliness as friendships fade or change.
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Languishing, a sense of apathy or “blah” that isn’t quite anxiety or depression.
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Feeling lost as they search for direction in their careers, relationships, or personal growth.
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Being a young adult has always had its challenges. Hormonal changes, peer pressure, and heartache are nothing new—but today’s young people are also grappling with complexities previous generations didn’t face. Social media, instant access to porn, an overload of information, pandemics, and global conflict all add layers of stress and confusion. To say there’s a lot going on is an understatement.
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As a parent, you may find yourself unsure how to support your young adult during this transition. The dynamic between you is naturally shifting, and while you don’t want to overstep, you may also sense that something isn’t quite right. This can feel like uncharted territory for both of you.
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Lukas provides a safe, approachable space for young adults to explore these changes, offering guidance to help them build clarity, resilience, and a sense of purpose. For parents, he offers the reassurance that you’re not navigating this alone.
If your gut is telling you something feels off—whether it’s subtle warning signs or more obvious struggles—reach out to Lukas for a free chat. Together, we’ll take the next step forward.
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If you are seeing any warning signs, your gut is telling you something is off, just not right, contact Lukas for a free chat and we will take it from there.
Navigating a New Diagnosis: Supporting your family
Just Received a Diagnosis for Your Child? Feeling Unsure About What to Do Next?
Receiving a diagnosis like ADHD, ASD, or another condition for your child can feel overwhelming. You might feel a mix of emotions—relief at finally having answers, confusion about what this means for your family, and uncertainty about the next steps. Lukas Winward offers a compassionate and practical approach to guide you through this journey and help you become the best advocate for your child.
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How he Can Help:
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Practical Next Steps: From navigating support systems to developing strategies that work at home, school, or in the community.
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Building Advocacy Skills: As a parent, you are your child’s biggest advocate. Lukas provides coaching on how to:
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Work effectively with teachers and schools to ensure your child gets the right support.
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Communicate confidently with healthcare providers and other professionals.
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Empowering Your Child: Lukas helps you focus on your child’s strengths while addressing challenges, giving them the tools to build confidence and independence over time.
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Managing the Emotional Journey: Adjusting to a new diagnosis can be emotional for the whole family. Lukas creates a safe space where you can express your concerns, fears, and hopes without judgment.
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From Overwhelmed to Empowered
It’s natural to feel lost after a diagnosis, but you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Lukas’s approach is focused on practical, real-world strategies that meet your family where you are—whether that’s at home, at school, or out in the community.
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Lukas also recognises that some kids—especially those with ADHD—may struggle with traditional therapy settings. That’s why his active approach, incorporating movement, outdoor such activities such as golf provides a more engaging and effective alternative. ​
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Start Your Advocacy Journey Today
Becoming an advocate for your child starts with the right support. For more information book a free 15 min consultation. Let’s work together to help your child thrive.
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Do you offer after hours service?Yes he does! Lukas is available until 8pm on certain days and has sessions on weekends. Head to the bookings page to see his availability or send him an email to discuss if you want to meet before school.
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What is outreach and why don’t you have an office?Outreach means that Lukas will come to you. Through his years of experience working with teens and families, Lukas believes that the issues in your life are not in an office (which can be intimidating), they may be at home, school or work and when you are in your environment people tend to feel more relaxed and in charge.
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Why do you operate in the Bayside area and City of Kingston?Lukas and his family moved into the area in 2022 and he is passionate about supporting young people and families in his local area. This focus also allows Lukas to link in with local services, sporting clubs and other businesses in the area.
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I think I’m ok, do I need to see a counsellor?The best time to work with someone is when they are feeling good. Just like going to the gym, if you want strong muscles you need to practice. Being mentally strong requires the same effort and focus.
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Why don’t you offer Medicare rebates?Counsellors are not covered by the Medicare scheme at this time. Medicare covers Psychologists and Social Workers for a set number of sessions, you then pay the gap fee before seeking another referral. Lukas can provide ongoing support without the need for GP referrals.
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Do you work with adults as well?Absolutely. Lukas is happy to support anyone of any age. Lukas can meet you at home, café/park near work, wherever you feel comfortable.
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Is my information confidential?Yes. Lukas is a member of the Australian Counselling Association and as such works under the ethical guidelines laid out on their website https://www.theaca.net.au/documents/ACA-Code-of-Ethics-and-Practice-Ver16.pdf Lukas keep case notes, they are your information and you can look at them at any time of your choosing. As part of Lukas’ membership he is required to do 10 supervision sessions annually with another counsellor who oversees his practice and challenges him on his ideas and professional practice. Lukas will discuss clients with his supervisor (de-identified) to ensure he is providing the best support possible.
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What do I talk about?It is up to you. Lukas uses Person Centred Counselling which means that the sessions are client led. If you feel uncomfortable at any stage, talk it out with Lukas, it is part of the process.
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Do I need a referral or Mental Health Care plan?The short answer is No, you do not. Just shoot Lukas an email, inquire through the website or give him a call for a free consultation.
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What do I need to do before the initial session?The first session can feel a little weird, talking to someone you do now know about deep personal issues. You only talk about what you want to talk about. It can be a good idea to write down some key points so that you do not forget.
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I’ve never seen a counsellor before; how does it work?Once you make contact, Lukas will make a time and call you for an initial consultation to see if you are a good match. So much of the counselling process is dependent on a good relationship being formed. You need to feel comfortable and have a connection.
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Are you qualified?Yes, Lukas studied a Diploma and Bachelor of Counselling. Being a member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) Lukas is required to complete 10 hrs of supervision and 25 points of professional development annually to retain his level 4 status (more than 100 hrs supervision and 1000 client hrs). For more info about his professional development click here https://www.lukaswinwardcounselling.com.au/professional-development