How Referrals Between Services Actually Work
Understanding help services, about 1 minute
Moving between services, from a GP to a psychologist, or from a helpline to ongoing counselling, can feel confusing if you are not sure how referrals actually work. In most cases, the process is more straightforward than it seems. Many people find that the anticipation of this is harder than the moment itself.
A referral is simply a letter or note from one professional to another, explaining briefly what support might help. It does not require you to repeat your entire story from scratch, since the referring professional shares relevant context ahead of time. This is worth trying again if it does not go smoothly the first time.
If you are not sure where to start, Lifeline can be reached on 13 11 14 at any hour, and a conversation with your GP can help set a referral in motion. It helps to keep this simple rather than overthinking exactly what to say.
Printed from suicide ends. If you need to talk to someone now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency.