There is a little cottage, made of fibro, on the grounds of St Faith’s Anglican Church in Narrabeen. Once, the future of the cottage was uncertain, the possibility of demolition hanging over its trim roof.
In 1997, three skilled counsellors set out to provide counselling services to those who could not afford it. St Faith’s Church allowed the counsellors to use rooms on their grounds and thus, new life was breathed into the little house, and The Cottage Counselling Centre was born.
Twenty-eight years later, slowly but surely, three counsellors grew to eleven, and the service now operates in eight locations across Sydney. The Cottage Counselling Centre can be found in Dee Why, Pymble, Belrose, Dural, Ryde, Crows Nest, Parramatta, and, of course, in Narrabeen.
Every year, The Cottage conducts around 4,000 counselling sessions across their locations, which has steadily increased since their inception.
Clients come to The Cottage through word-of-mouth as well as through referrals from general practitioners, mental health teams, and agencies like Mission Australia and NDIS. All are welcome to inquire and receive treatment.
‘It’s amazing how much need is tucked in, and how many people cannot afford counselling,’ says Keren Calvert, Co-Director and Counsellor at The Cottage. ‘Often people will put off seeing a counsellor for years before they finally get through the door.’
Professional, seasoned therapists at The Cottage are trained to handle a range of issues. Some specialise in trauma, domestic violence, families, couples, and children.
The Cottage Counselling Centre offers a sliding scale for fees, which is income-based and dependent on what the client can realistically pay. Higher income earners will have a higher fee to those on medium income, and low-income earners will pay less. Alongside the scaling structure, The Cottage subsidizes the cost of counselling sessions.
‘We take away that financial barrier, and for a lot of people that’s massive,’ explains John Parmentier, Co-Director and Counsellor at The Cottage. ‘There are a lot of people that need counselling. There are a lot of people who won’t get counselling because they can’t afford it.’
Subsidies are made possible through community donations.
The Cottage participated in Bendigo Bank’s Community Pitch in August 2024, asking for local businesses and individuals to consider donating and supporting their work.
‘The money will go to those who can’t financially access counselling,’ says John. ‘The Cottage will make a pathway for them.’
For more information, visit www.cottagecounselling.org.au
