Glen Hughes

Glen Hughes

20 yrs in mental health

Qualification : Educator, Priest, Chaplain, Counsellor

Background
Glen is a dedicated and compassionate professional with a rich and varied background spanning over 25 years in teaching, pastoral ministry, and counselling. Raised and currently residing in regional New South Wales, Glen has consistently served in rural and regional communities, fostering wellbeing and resilience through education, chaplaincy, and therapeutic support. His work is grounded in a holistic, community-based approach to care and mental health.

Qualifications

2026. Music (Newcastle)
      Grad.Dip. Theology (CSU)
      Cert IV Community Services (RPL)
      Diploma of Counselling (RPL)
      Master of Counselling (Canberra) to be completed early 2026.

Employment Experience
Glen is currently the lead counsellor at Upper Hunter Wellbeing Services, where he provides individual and group counselling. His previous roles include Student Wellbeing Officer across multiple public schools, where he provided counselling and referral services and supported community partnerships. He has worked as a music teacher at the Upper Hunter Conservatorium of Music, offering both instruction and therapeutic music programs. Glen also has extensive pastoral leadership experience, having served as a parish priest, Area Dean, and chaplain across the Upper Hunter, New England and North West of NSW.

Beginning his career in music education, Glen taught in state and independent schools in North West NSW and also worked as a tutor with the NSW Conservatoriums Network, where he not only shared his musical expertise but also contributed to student wellbeing through therapeutic music programs and ensemble leadership. This foundation in creative and educational practice informed his later work in holistic wellbeing.

In 2004, Glen transitioned into pastoral ministry, serving in various leadership roles in the Anglican Church in the Diocses of Armidale and Newcastle. These positions deepened his experience in pastoral care, trauma support, and community engagement. From 2016 onward, Glen focused more directly on mental health and wellbeing, working as a Student Wellbeing Officer in a number of NSW Public Schools where he provided counselling services, facilitated resilience programs, and built collaborative support systems for students and families. His current work in private practice continues this trajectory, combining clinical counselling skills with rich pastoral experience to offer compassionate, person-centred care.

Awards

• Dean’s Excellence Award for Academic Achievement – University of Canberra (2024)
• Education Week Award for Wellbeing Programs – Scone Public School (2021)
• Education Week Award for Wellbeing Services – Scone and Aberdeen Public Schools (2017)
• Sutton Farm Award for Pastoral Care in the Community of Scone (2013)

Memberships

• Level 2 Member, Australian Counselling Association (#17827)

Areas of Counselling Specialty
Glen’s counselling expertise spans individual and group therapy, trauma-informed practice, grief and loss support, student and youth wellbeing, and therapeutic music interventions. He is trained in EMIT (Level 1), Psychological First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, and a range of resilience-based programs such as DRUMBEAT and Rhythm2Recovery. His practice integrates chaplaincy and pastoral care approaches with clinical techniques to support clients across all life stages.

Other team member profiles:
Cath Edwards
David G Broadbent
Grahame Smith
Ken Schmidt
Linda Elsey