Phoenix Centre

The Phoenix Centre is a specialist mental health service that operates as part of the Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania.

The Phoenix Centre provides therapeutic and individual mental health and wellbeing support, mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, and capacity building activities to people from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background. It also provides specialist support for survivors of torture and other traumatic experiences and their communities. Services are delivered in both Hobart and Launceston and include counselling, psycho educational group work, social connections programs, and community development activities.

Phoenix Centre services are free and confidential, and conducted by qualified counsellors and other staff, along with accredited interpreters as needed.

Funded by the Department of Health, The Programme of Assistance for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (PASTT) provides survivors of torture and trauma with appropriate counselling and related support services.  The programme provides specialist services tailored to the requirements of clients whether this involves short, medium or long-term support.  No diagnosed mental illness is required for access to PASTT.

Eligibility to receive PASTT services is open to Humanitarian Programme entrants permanently resettled in Australia and people on Temporary Substantive Visas (TSVs).

PASTT aims to:

  • improve the psychosocial health and wellbeing of people who have experienced torture and trauma prior to their arrival in Australia;
  • increase the responsiveness of mainstream health and related services to the needs of people who have survived torture and trauma prior to arriving in Australia, through the provisions of training and other support; and
  • build the confidence of refugee communities to access mainstream health and related services through capacity building activities.

Our counselling is free and confidential, and conducted by qualified counsellors, along with accredited interpreters as needed.

To make a referral for counselling, please complete the Phoenix Referral form, available below:

How to refer to the Phoenix Centre


Click here to download the Phoenix Centre Referral Form

 


Click here to download the Phoenix Centre Referral Form (FOR SCHOOLS)

The Early Intervention Program targets 0-25 year olds and their families who are from a humanitarian migrant background. The program provides individual and family counselling as well as structured psycho-social group work. In addition the program provides professional development and self-care awareness for staff and key stakeholders who work with former refugees. This program is funded by the Tasmanian Government Department of Health and Human Services.
The Phoenix Centre Suicide Prevention Project operates from both Hobart and Launceston offices and assists service providers to work effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, and supports CALD community members to build capacity in their responses to suicide through:

  • Promotion of help seeking and positive lifestyle choices
  • Promotion of local responses to suicide and other related issues within CALD communities
  • Contribution to the development of community capacity to respond to issues around suicidality
  • Engagement with the broader community to enhance understandings of risk and protective factors
  • Advocacy of CALD perspectives and issues when networking with service providers and health practitioners, and sharing insights to increase cultural competency
  • Organised activities, including group activities specifically for Men, for Women and for people who are isolated and/or particularly vulnerable to suicide

The project aims to raise awareness of suicidal ideation and the warning signs, reduce stigma associated with mental health and suicide, increase culturally aware approaches to mental health and suicide, and increase awareness of how community members can help one another and be confident to refer to the appropriate services.

This Project is supported by Primary Health Tasmania under the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program.

The Tasmanian Transcultural Mental Health Network (TTMHN) advocates for the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities by strengthening the cultural competency and cultural responsiveness of the mental health workforce in Tasmania. The TTMHN aims to support the mental health workforce to ensure that culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, families and communities are planned for within service delivery.  This program is funded by the Tasmanian Government Department of Health and Human Services.
The Phoenix Centre provides community education in the form of health and wellbeing sessions, psychoeducation, community information sessions and mental health awareness to communities from refugee backgrounds.

Additionally, we work with other service providers offering information and training in how to best work with people who have escaped war and persecution. We can assist services in understanding the impact of torture and trauma on individuals, families, communities, children and young people, and help the to ensure that their services are appropriate and accessible for people from refugee backgrounds. To access our training information, please visit: www.mrctas.org.au/training/

The Phoenix Centre is a member of the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT – https://www.fasstt.org.au) – a network of eight specialist rehabilitation agencies that respond to the needs of survivors of torture and trauma who have come to Australia from overseas. There is a FASSTT member agency in each state and territory of Australia. FASSTT is supported through funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health under the Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma (PASTT).

Referral Forms

To make a referral for counselling, please complete the Phoenix Referral form below and email to phoenixreferrals@mrctas.org.au:

How to refer to the Phoenix Centre


Phoenix Centre Referral Form

 


Phoenix Centre Referral Form (FOR SCHOOLS)

 

The Phoenix Centre offers group work activities throughout the year to support adults mental health through social connection, wellbeing activities and psychoeducation.  Please complete the Referral to Phoenix Centre Groups form and send to phoenixreferrals@mrctas.org.au:

Phoenix Centre Referral Form (GROUPS)

 


Amplify Ability Program Referral Form


I need help now. Where should I go?

If you need support now or would like to talk to someone please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

In an emergency, call Triple 0 (000) for Ambulance, Fire or Police.