PTSD & Trauma
Rest, ease and trust can be learned again. Structured, trauma-informed treatment for PTSD and complex trauma, moving gently and at your pace.
karuṇā
Mental Health · Byron Bay
karuṇā
Mental Health · Byron Bay
Integrative psychiatric and psychological care in Byron Bay. Careful assessment, evidence-informed treatment, and clinicians who take the time to understand the whole person in front of them.
Karuna is not a crisis service. If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, please call 000, or reach one of the free 24 hour services below. They are staffed by trained counsellors and they are there for exactly this.
Evidence-led, pioneering therapies and care that treats the whole person, not just the diagnosis.
Rest, ease and trust can be learned again. Structured, trauma-informed treatment for PTSD and complex trauma, moving gently and at your pace.
Specialised support for persistent and treatment-resistant depression. We address root causes across biological, psychological, existential and relational dimensions to restore vitality and flexibility.
For those who carried the weight for the rest of us. Trauma-informed psychiatric care for veterans, first responders and frontline workers, from people who understand service.
Anxiety shrinks life a little at a time. We treat generalised anxiety, panic and social anxiety, so the world can open back up.
When the system has been running on empty too long. Careful assessment, true restoration, and a sustainable way back to the life you actually want.
Illness, separation, grief, identity, major change. Skilled support when life reorganises around you, with unhurried care for the questions of meaning that come with it.
Care for the seasons medicine has long overlooked: perinatal mental health, PMDD, perimenopause and menopause, and the transitions in between.
Restoring communication, mutual emotional safety and shared resilience when individual trauma, attachment ruptures, betrayal or chronic distress impacts the relationships that matter most.
Care at Karuna begins with a conversation and a thorough clinical assessment. Here is exactly what happens, and when.
Reach out through our enquiry form, or ask your GP or treating clinician to send a referral letter. Self-enquiries are welcome, and no letter is required to start.
Any timeA free, short conversation mapping which services may suit you and confirming practical details like funding. Nothing is decided on the call.
Book your Anchoring Call here →A confidential assessment with your matched clinician covering your history, current concerns and goals, so that an initial care plan can be shaped together. Eligibility for specialist pathways is confirmed only after assessment.
60 to 90 minutesYour first session is booked at a time that suits you. Where it is helpful, we liaise with your existing care team, always with your written consent.
At your paceSuitability for any treatment at Karuna is determined by a qualified clinician after assessment. Not every pathway is appropriate for every person, and we will tell you plainly if what you are looking for is not something we can offer.
A clinical framework designed to maximise therapeutic precision and turn moments of profound insight into lasting change. SWIM & FLOAT rests at the intersection of cognitive science, medicine-assisted therapy, trauma-informed care, context engineering and contemplative training.
It provides individuals and clinicians with the architecture to hold, navigate and integrate significant therapeutic experiences into durable psychological and behavioural change.
A member of our intake team will be in touch and send you two short forms, including a five-minute pre-screener. Your next step is a free Karuna Anchoring Call: a short conversation to map which services may suit you. Nothing is decided on the call. It is simply a starting point.
It depends on the service. Psychology and our programs need no referral at all, though a GP referral with a Mental Health Treatment Plan unlocks Medicare rebates for psychology. Specialist psychiatry does require a GP referral before the first appointment, and if you are self-referred we will help you obtain one.
Yes. Your information is held securely, handled under Australian privacy law, and shared with other treating practitioners only with your written consent, other than where the law requires otherwise.
You can. Families, carers, GPs and treating clinicians contact us often. We will explain what we can discuss without the person's consent, and how to bring them into the conversation when they are ready.
We will say so, and point you toward services that suit you better. And if a different Karuna service fits, we move you across warmly: your record moves with you and you never restart from the beginning.
Many of our clients travel from interstate and regional areas. We offer dedicated residential accommodation and amenities, allowing you to step away from daily stressors and fully immerse yourself in treatment, restorative rest, and structured integration. Initial screening and preparation can often be conducted via telehealth prior to your arrival.
We are located in a peaceful, discreet setting just a 10-minute walk from the heart of Byron Bay and its natural coastline. Our clinic and onsite residential amenities are intentionally designed to offer a calm, restorative environment where you can unwind and focus entirely on your care.
Standard psychiatric consultations, psychology sessions, and medical assessments are eligible for Medicare rebates with a valid GP referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan. Specialised, intensive clinical sessions and extended care pathways can involve private out-of-pocket fees. We provide a clear, itemised fee schedule upfront so you know exactly what to expect before committing to care. Psychology is open to all funders including DVA, WorkCover and victims-of-crime schemes; our team confirms your funding during intake so there are no surprises.
Not necessarily. Medication plans are assessed individually during your medical and psychiatric intake. Some treatments can safely run alongside standard antidepressants, while others may require gradual, carefully supervised tapering coordinated directly with your prescribing doctor.
We see adults 18 and over, and we are not an acute or crisis service. For under-18s or urgent care we will help you find the right service quickly rather than hold you in a queue.
Every pathway at Karuna begins with a confidential intake consultation. Tell us what you are looking for, for yourself or for someone you care for, and we will guide you from there.
Karuna is not a crisis service. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000. For 24/7 support: Lifeline 13 11 14 · Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 · Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36