Bent Couch Counselling

Bent Couch Counselling Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Bent Couch Counselling, Mental Health Service, 519/370 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

Bent Couch supports the mental health and wellbeing of men and the LGBTQ+ community through counselling, peer-support groups, community connections, workplace training, and public speaking.

Can you be in a relationship and still feel lonely?Preliminary findings from my independent Bent Couch Australian survey...
15/08/2026

Can you be in a relationship and still feel lonely?

Preliminary findings from my independent Bent Couch Australian survey suggest the answer is yes.

Among 76 married or partnered respondents, 45% reported experiencing loneliness at least sometimes.

Being in a relationship can provide companionship, intimacy and support, but it does not necessarily create emotional connection. Sometimes loneliness is less about being physically alone and more about not feeling seen, understood or able to express what is happening within us.

Many gay and q***r men spend considerable energy searching for a relationship. Finding a partner may be important, but so is understanding our emotional needs, communication patterns, fears and relationship with ourselves.

The survey has now received 150 responses, but more voices are needed to build a clearer picture of gay men’s mental health, relationships, loneliness and community connection across Australia.

If you are a gay or q***r man living in Australia, please complete the anonymous survey through the link in the comments.

Already completed it? Sharing this post could help another man contribute his experience.

These findings are preliminary and come from a voluntary, self selected survey. They do not represent every gay or q***r man in Australia.

14/08/2026

Name a topic that you feel comfortable sharing here that we can discuss together.

08/08/2026

My new hobby is bouldering, which seems like an unusual choice for someone scared of heights. 🤦‍♂️

But perhaps that is why it is teaching me so much.

In counselling, we often talk about courage as though it means no longer feeling afraid. Bouldering reminds me that courage can look very different. It can mean noticing the fear, staying present and choosing the next safe move.

Some days I climb higher. Some days I come back down. Sometimes I lose my grip and learn that falling does not mean failing.

Growth is rarely one fearless leap. More often, it is a series of small, uncertain moves made with trust, support and the willingness to try again.

That feels a lot like counselling.

Send this to a friend who needs to know they do not have to carry everything alone.Sometimes the most meaningful support...
07/08/2026

Send this to a friend who needs to know they do not have to carry everything alone.

Sometimes the most meaningful support begins with a simple reminder:

I care. I am here. You matter.

Share this with someone who deserves to hear that today.

Who did you believe you had to become to feel accepted?For many gay men, the answer starts long before they came out.Som...
04/08/2026

Who did you believe you had to become to feel accepted?

For many gay men, the answer starts long before they came out.

Some became the achiever.

Some became the funny one.

Some became the strong one.

Some became invisible.

None of these are flaws. Many were intelligent ways of staying safe.

The challenge comes when those protective patterns continue long after the danger has passed.

That’s why so much of counselling isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about becoming more of who you’ve always been.

What protective role do you think you learned to play?

29/07/2026

Technology and AI is changing the way many clients access mental health information, and AI can be an incredible tool for learning, reflecting and asking questions.

But counselling has never been just about answers.

It is about sitting with another human being who notices the hesitation in your voice, the emotion behind your words, and the silence that often says the most.

It is about feeling seen, understood and accepted without judgement.

That human connection is something I believe will always matter.

Reach out and talk directly to a human therapist 🥰

As a counsellor, I’ve stopped asking why men don’t talk.I’ve started asking what happened that taught them it wasn’t saf...
19/07/2026

As a counsellor, I’ve stopped asking why men don’t talk.

I’ve started asking what happened that taught them it wasn’t safe to.

Every week I meet men who can speak for hours about work, sport, politics or everyone else’s problems.

Then I ask, “How are you really?”

The room goes quiet.

Not because they have nothing to say.

Because somewhere along the way they learnt that saying it out loud came at a cost.

Until we understand that, telling men to “just talk” will continue to miss the point.

What do you think teaches boys and men that vulnerability isn’t safe?

06/07/2026

How often do we stop doing something or feel like we’ve failed if it doesn’t go to plan?

When I started Community Couch Conversations, just one man attended.

Just one.

It would have been easy to think, “Maybe no one wants this.”

But I kept showing up.

Over time, one became a handful. A handful became dozens.

Hundreds of gay and q***r men have now found a place where they can talk honestly, be vulnerable, and realise they’re not the only one carrying what they’re carrying.

Sometimes we give up too early because we expect immediate results.

The things that matter most often grow quietly.

I’m glad I stayed and didn’t give up.

What’s something you’re grateful you didn’t give up on?

If you’re looking for a space to connect with other gay and q***r men, you’re always welcome at Community Couch Conversations.

Send me an email to [email protected] and I will place you on the schedule 🥰

“What do I even talk about in counselling?”It’s one of the most common questions I hear.The answer is: more than you mig...
24/06/2026

“What do I even talk about in counselling?”

It’s one of the most common questions I hear.

The answer is: more than you might think.

Gay and q***r men bring conversations about relationships, s*x, intimacy, coming out, loneliness, friendship, anxiety, confidence, family, fatherhood, shame, identity, work stress, life transitions, grief, ageing, and everything in between.

You don’t need to have a crisis.
You don’t need to have the right words.
You don’t even need to know where to start.

You just need somewhere safe to begin the conversation.

If you’ve been thinking about reaching out, perhaps this is your reminder that you don’t have to carry it all on your own.

Book a free Discovery Call or take a seat on the couch when you’re ready.

It's Men's Health Week, and it often encourages us to think about our physical and mental wellbeing.For many gay and q**...
15/06/2026

It's Men's Health Week, and it often encourages us to think about our physical and mental wellbeing.

For many gay and q***r men, that can feel like another reminder to work harder, improve ourselves, or push through.

I wonder if there is another place to start.

Over the years, I've met many men who knew something didn't feel right long before they could explain it. They were carrying stress, loneliness, exhaustion, grief, uncertainty, or pressure but had become so used to getting on with life that they rarely stopped to check in with themselves.

That is why I created the BENT Model™ Check In.

It takes about one minute and is built around four simple questions:

🟢 Begin
What am I noticing right now?

🔵 Explore
What is this trying to tell me?

🟣 Nurture
What would support me now?

🟠 Take Into Your Life
What's one small step I can take next?

In many ways, the questions are simply asking us to:

Notice.
Understand.
Support.
Act.

This Men's Health Week, I invite you to take one minute for yourself.

No pressure.
No perfect answers.

Just a willingness to pause, notice, and respond.

What are you noticing today?

Address

519/370 St Kilda Road
Melbourne, VIC
3004

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Website

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