Benjamin Watkins | Director and Principal Therapist at Watkins Therapy Group. Available Australia-wide via telehealth and in person. Benjamin Watkins, BCouns.
Supporting mental health and well-being through practical, down-to-earth counselling and EAP services. PACFA Reg. 27997
ABN: 2743 5496 220
Supporting people worldwide thanks to Zoom.
29/07/2026
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Possible side effects may include:
• recognising a pattern you have been avoiding
• setting a boundary without writing a three-page apology
• realising “I’m fine” may require further investigation
• finally booking the therapy appointment you have been thinking about
Proceed with caution. Personal growth can be confronting.
Ever wondered whether counselling is better in person or online?
The answer might surprise you.
For some people, coming into a counselling room creates a sense of separation from everyday life. It’s a dedicated space to pause, reflect and focus on themselves.
For others, telehealth makes it easier to access support. No travel, more flexibility, and the comfort of being in a familiar environment.
Neither option is “better”. They’re simply different ways of having the same conversation.
The most important part isn’t the room or the screen. It’s feeling comfortable enough to show up, be yourself, and have someone in your corner.
Sometimes the hardest step isn’t choosing between in-person and telehealth. It’s deciding to start.
A positive culture around wellbeing is built through everyday actions, not a tray of yellow cupcakes once a year.
A wellbeing morning tea can start a conversation. It just cannot carry the weight of an organisation’s entire culture. That is a lot to ask of a cupcake.
Positive workplace culture is built in the ordinary moments:
• how concerns are received
• how mistakes are handled
• whether poor behaviour is addressed
• whether people can ask for support without judgment
• whether leaders practise the values printed on the wall
Keep the cupcakes. Enjoy the cupcakes.
Just make sure the everyday experience matches the message, because culture is not built around morning tea. It is built through what happens before and after it.
Want to improve your workplace culture with the support of a supportive Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? DM me to start the conversation.
02/07/2026
I was recently featured as an expert contributor in body+soul discussing infidelity, emotional affairs and whether trust can be rebuilt after betrayal.
One of the key points I shared is that relationship concerns are rarely about one isolated behaviour.
Coming home late once, being tired, wanting privacy or being on the phone more does not automatically mean someone is cheating. Life gets busy. People get stressed. Phones are basically an extra limb now.
What matters more is the pattern.
When secrecy, defensiveness, emotional distance and changes in intimacy start to cluster together, the relationship may be asking for attention.
That attention does not always need to start with an accusation. It can start with a simple sentence:
“Something feels different between us, and I want to talk about it.”
Trust issues are hard, but they are usually made harder when couples avoid the conversation.
25/06/2026
Pressure at work does not always look like someone falling apart.
Sometimes it looks like irritability, avoidance, overworking, low motivation, or the classic “I’m fine” on repeat.
Workplace wellbeing works best when support is offered early, not only when things reach crisis point.
That is where EAP and proactive wellbeing support can make a real difference.
23/06/2026
Couldn’t be prouder of & for their 1st 🥇 & 2nd 🥈 respectively at the Melbourne Cup this past weekend.
To be involved with their mental game and support is a honour and a pleasure.
Thanks for being part of team WTG!
Overwhelmed does not always sound obvious.
Sometimes it sounds like “I just need to get through today” or “I cannot make one more decision”.
When stress has been building up for awhile, even small tasks can start to feel too much. That does not mean you’re failing. It means your nervous system needs Support rest and a chance to slow down.
You do not have to keep pushing through alone.
19/06/2026
4 things you might not know about me:
1. I love The Simpsons and Seinfeld. Which probably explains a fair bit about my sense of humour, timing and ability to make a reference that only some people will appreciate.
2. I love music, coffee and white chocolate. Not necessarily in that order, although coffee is doing a lot of heavy lifting most days.
3. I moved primary schools 5 times. I think that shaped a lot about how I understand change, adjustment, belonging and finding your feet in new places.
4. I am incredibly proud of my kids. Out of everything I have done, they are easily the thing I am most proud of.
Bonus fact: People sometimes assume I shave my head because I am going bald. I am not. This is a choice. A bold, low-maintenance choice.
I like keeping things real, adding humour where I can, and remembering that people connect best with people, not polished versions of them.
Also, coffee makes me happy.
A clean inbox would too, but let’s not get carried away.
14/06/2026
A mentally healthy relationship is not one where everything is perfect, easy, or conflict-free.
It is usually a relationship where both people feel emotionally safe enough to be honest, take responsibility, and work through challenges together.
Here are 4 signs to look for:
1. You can disagree without feeling unsafe
Healthy couples still have conflict. The difference is that disagreements do not become threatening, cruel, dismissive, or punishing.
2. You both take responsibility
It is not always one person apologising, repairing, or carrying the emotional load. Both people can reflect, own their part, and try again.
3. You feel like a team
Even when life gets stressful, the relationship does not feel like a constant battle. There is a sense of being on the same side and facing problems together.
4. You can be honest without fear
You can talk about needs, stress, intimacy, hurt feelings, money, family, or boundaries without feeling like you have to walk on eggshells.
A healthy relationship is not about getting it right all the time. It is about creating enough safety, respect, and care to keep showing up for each other, even when things feel hard.
09/06/2026
Support should never feel like a process.
It should feel like someone finally gets it.
| Monday | 10am - 7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 10am - 8pm |
| Friday | 10am - 2pm |
