About UsNSW Women Partners of Bisexual Men
Service
The Women Partners of Bisexual Men Service has been operated by Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre since 2000 and is funded by NSW Health.
It’s the state-wide service that provides individual and group counselling to women partners of men who may be having sexual experiences or feeling attracted to other men.
Management
Our staff have 37 years experience* combined and maintain the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality.
In the 20 years the service has been managed by Leichhardt, over 3000 women have used the counselling and support services. (* As at 2020.)
Across NSW
Client feedback is positive, with 96 percent of women reporting increased self-esteem and ability to make decisions.
The service continues to experience high demand each year with women from across metropolitan and regional NSW seeking assistance.
- Operating since 2000
- State-wide service
- Individual & group counselling
- 37 years combined experience
- Professional and confidential
- Supported over 3000 women
- Positive feedback
- High demand service
- Metropolitan & regional NSW
We provide
COUNSELLING
We provide counselling to women from across NSW either face to face, by phone or skype.
Funding is provided by NSW Health so there is no fee for this service.
The experiences of women who find themselves in this situation requires a specialised service from a counsellor who understands the issues. Our counsellor Amanda has many years experience and women often comment that they feel great comfort in finding a place that truly understands their circumstances.
SUPPORT GROUPS & WORKSHOPS
Groups are run during the year and provide a safe, supportive environment for women who are often experiencing a life-changing trauma.
While the idea of attending a group can be confronting, particularly if you’re feeling confused, embarrassed or upset, women who participate find it extremely helpful in making decisions, gaining understanding and not feeling alone.
When it first happens, many women feel like they’re the only person in the world experiencing it, when they get to the group they realise other women are going through exactly the same thing.
Groups are coordinated by trained facilitators and ground rules are set to help ensure the experience is positive, emotionally safe and supportive for every woman in the group. Women booking into a group may be asked to meet with the counsellor prior to the group beginning.
From time to time we run workshops where women from various groups come together to meet and for information on particular information they’re seeking. Sessions have included:
- adult children of gay/bisexual men sharing their experiences of growing up
- Q&A session with formerly married gay men
- legal issues including family law provisions and property settlement
- time for sharing and talking, eating good food and getting to know each other
- learning about sexually transmitted infections and ways to negotiate safe sex
Note: New women wishing to attend a workshop may be asked to meet with the counsellor in the weeks prior to the workshop.
Contact us on 9560 3011, freecall 1800 787 887 or email womenpartners@lwchc.org.au for more information.
Women’s circumstances and needs are varied and unique, but they’re all dealing with the fact their male partner is attracted to men. Some of the men are in the process of coming out as gay, other men identify as bisexual, while others can describe themselves as heterosexual or straight – but be attracted to men. These factors, coupled with her partner’s behaviour and any other circumstances around her at the time, can affect how the woman and her family deals with the situation.
Because we are the only government funded service of our kind in Australia, we’re contacted by women from outside NSW and always do what we can to support and link them with counsellors and other services closer to where they live.
About the Women
In 2018-19 financial year, there were 103 new enquiries for support and information, 434 counselling and advice sessions were conducted and women participated in 103 support group occasions. This graph (below) shows the highest presenting issues clients had last year out of over 3,328 presenting issues.
See Women’s Experiences for more information.
