Consumers & Carers

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. 

Your experience matters to us

Our Alaya Team would love to know about your experience of our services. Your feedback continues to enhance our ability to improve our facility, consumer engagement and service access to the broader Shepparton community. 

Please note: If you have experienced NDIS Supports and Services through Alaya House, please click the button on the right. For all other services, please click the button on the left.

Your Privacy and Rights:

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Protecting your privacy

Your personal information belongs to you and what you share with us is only used to help us provide you with great services, while also keeping you safe. APMHA is bound by law to make sure your information is kept private and confidential. These laws make sure that your information is collected, stored, used and shared appropriately.

For more information about our privacy and your rights, please download our Client Privacy & Rights Charter.

Making a Complaint:

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If you feel we haven’t respected your privacy, rights or if you wish to make changes to your services with us, please let us know. You or your supporter/s can provide feedback or a complaint by:

  • Speaking with your APMHA worker
  • Phone: 1300 514 811
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Post: 3A Nixon Street. Shepparton, 3630

If you want to be contacted further about any feedback you have provided, we will send you an acknowledge within 24-48 hours and let you know what is happening in response within 3 business days (depending on the nature of your feedback).

If the complaint incident requires further action, we may need to speak to you again to resolve the issue and make sure you are satisfied with the outcome.

For general APMHA Psychological Services:

Click here to complete our Client Feedback Form

Knowledge is Power: The journey of Wellbeing

Being able to understand mental health (as a concept) can give us better understanding of ourselves and the way we interact with our relationships, family, work, financial situations, our physical health and our mental well-being. Mental health is about our well-being. It’s not a fixed situation, but a moving continuum that can change with our circumstances, environment and the people we surround ourselves with.
This page will give you some hints tips and resources to help you be more aware of your mental health and hopefully provide you with some useful strategies you can add into your daily life. 

What are some of the key factors that can keep us feeling mentally well?

Plan enjoyable activities when at home. Pamper yourself or maybe try something new!

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Stay connected. Build healthy relationships with good, open and regular communication.

Improve your diet and exercise. Reduce alcohol consumption.

Adopt good sleep habits or try to reduce behaviour that may be disturbing your sleep.

Staying Connected

As we get older, changes in our personal circumstances and lifestyle can result in us feeling less connected to others and increase the risk of us feeling isolated. This is why staying connected matters!
Fostering strong healthy ties with family, friends, colleagues and those in our community can make us feel more secure, confident, happy, and give us a greater sense of purpose. Being connected to others can also be a protective factor for someone struggling with anxiety, depression or just having a hard time of things. Connecting with animals, nature, or your spiritual beliefs or culture can also be a source of comforting and meaning when your facing challenges in your life.
Whether its confiding in a friend, helping a family member or speaking to someone anonymously in a support group, think about what or who helps you stay connected and grounded.
Connecting with Services & Support
Websites
  • QLife counselling and support for LGBTI people.
  • Anxiety Self-Test – Black Dog Institute
  • Head to Health find Australian mental health resources here.
  • BeyondBlue provides information about anxiety, depression and suicide to the Australian community.
  • myCompass provides a personalised self-help program that you can use on your mobile phone, computer and/or tablet.
  • MindSpot offering short courses and activities for those experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  • Moodgym is like an interactive self-help book that helps you learn and practise skills to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.
  • The Made-4-Me Program is designed to help you manage one or more mental health issues or a cluster of symptoms at a time.
Smart Phone Apps
Downloadable Resources
Telephone support
Communicating effectively with family
Websites
Smart Phone Apps
Downloadable Resources
Telephone Support

 

Back to Key Factors 

Improving Diet and Exercise

Choosing food and activity for good health is a great way to:

  • Feel better mentally – This can include mood, concentration, information retention, and overall performance.
  • Reduce physical health problems that can arise from poor diet or low activity (due to low energy).
  • Get help sooner – The healthier you are the more likely you are to identify problems in your health before they become debilitating. The earlier any physically or mental illness is identified, the easier it usually is to improve or treat.
  • Take control of your life, and routine so that you can spend more time and energy on the things you enjoy!

Eating for your health is not just about avoiding unhealthy food groups, its also about the way we consume food and the habits we form. You can complete the ‘Are you eating for health?’ quiz in the Australian Dietary Guidelines Summary to find out where you sit. Similarly, there are a number of online calculators for nutrition that can guide you to the right of this section ⇒

Could your eating habits be improved?
Websites
Smart Phone Apps
Downloadable Resources
Telephone support
Are you being physically active?
Websites
Smart Phone Apps
Downloadable Resources
Telephone Support
Is your alcohol consumption affecting your health?
If you feel like you are experiencing problems related to your drinking;
  • Talk to your doctor or nurse to see if you are at risk of alcohol related harms
  • Complete a self-administered AUDIT tool or ask your health professional to complete one with you
  • Monitor your alcohol intake (with your doctor or with an Alcohol Calculator Tool
  • Check out some of the resources below to help you understand your drinking habits.
Websites
Smart Phone Apps
Downloadable Resources
Telephone support
  • DirectLine (Victoria – confidential alcohol and drug counselling) 1800 888 236

Back to Key Factors 

Planning Enjoyment at home

Do you plan your time at home or does it feel like there’s not enough time in a day?

Do you find yourself not actively engaging in activities after work because you just want to relax?

Planning enjoyment at home can lift our mood, provide us with routine, help us plan, feel prepared, and overall more productive in our daily lives. Its not about scheduling every part of a day, its about keeping things simple.  Stop and think for a minute about what puts a smile on your face…

What reduces your stress?

If your not sure where to start, keep it simple and try different activities until you find one that sticks:

  • Cook something new
  • Touch base with a friend
  • Make, dance or listen to music
How do you implement self care?

Back to Key Factors 

Reducing Sleep Disturbance

Sleep disturbance commonly involves difficulty getting to sleep with or without early morning wakening (usually around 3am) followed by a restless night thereafter. To restore a pattern of normal sleep, it is important to practice sleep-promoting behaviours during the day, in the evening, at bedtime and during the night. It is important to remember that adults are no different to children, we also need wind down routines. Consider how you put your ‘inner child’ to bed… Are your habits and actions sleep promoting or disruptive behaviour? If your experiencing sleep disturbance, it may be worth considering your patterns more closely using the sleep diary found in Downloadable Resources ⇒

Are you sleeping well or could it be improved?

Back to Key Factors