Stop Surviving Retirement.
Start Thriving In It.
Professional retirement counselling in Melbourne.
Walk, talk, and rebuild your sense of purpose after work.
No office. No couch. Just real conversations on golf courses, in your home, or wherever you feel most comfortable.
Featured in the Financial Review
The Retirement Reality Nobody Warns You About
You've spent decades being productive, having a clear role, knowing where you fit. Now retirement's here, and maybe it's not what you thought it would be.
You wake up Tuesday morning with nowhere to be.
No meetings. No deadlines. No one is counting on you.
This was supposed to be freedom, but it feels more like emptiness.
The 4 big indicators you are just surviving are...
Identity Crisis
"I was a teacher / manager/ engineer for 30 years. Now what am I?"
Loss of purpose
"I used to solve problems, lead teams, make decisions that mattered. Now I go to the supermarket in my track suit pants"
Social Isolation
"My work mates have stopped calling. They're still in the game, and I'm... not."
Relationship Stress
"I married you for better or worse, but not for lunch every day."
The Retirement Myth vs. Reality
The transition into retirement is sold as endless cruise ships and golf courses. The big joke is "when I retire I'll play golf every day." But evidence shows that's fantasy.
You have roughly 7,000+ days ahead of you.
You can't travel, or tee-off or binge Netflix your way through all of them.
I'm Lukas and my job is to help you replace what work gave you - structure, connection, identity, momentum so you don’t freefall when it disappears.
Together, we’ll make sure your retirement isn’t just time filled… it’s life lived.
No Office. No Couch. Just Conversations
That Matter
Traditional counselling works for some people. But many blokes find it awkward or irrelevant. Sitting in a room talking about feelings? Not everyone's cup of tea.
That's why I do this differently. I meet where YOU feel comfortable, not where I think you should.
On the Course
Sometimes the best conversations happen while walking the fairways. We meet at public access courses around Melbourne's Sandbelt or the Mornington Peninsula.
While playing 9 holes, we work on the real issues:
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Who are you without your job?
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How do you build new friendships?
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What gives your life meaning now?
The conversation happens naturally because you're doing something familiar, something you enjoy. No pressure. No judgment.
Don't Like Golf? No Worries.
We can meet in your living room, back garden, wherever you're most comfortable. Professional counselling in the environment where you feel most at ease.
Park walks
Along the Bay Trail, through the Botanic Gardens, moving while we talk. Walking conversations often unlock insights that sitting still can't.
Home Visits
Your living room, back garden, wherever you're most comfortable. Professional counselling in the environment where you feel most at ease.
Cafe Meetings
Quiet spots where real conversations can happen. Sometimes the most profound breakthroughs happen over a simple cup of coffee.
Online - Zoom
Not in Melbourne? No worries. All the same conversations and support are available online. I cover every topic in our Zoom sessions, so you can work with me from anywhere. Just select a Zoom session when booking.
Serving: Bayside • Kingston • Brighton • Glen Eira • Mornington Peninsula • All Greater Melbourne • Zoom sessions available for clients Australia-wide
Book a Session
1 hr
1 hr
$200 Plus Golf Fees
Read MoreDeep Dive Into Your Retirement over 9 holes, Public Access Course or a course of your choice.
2 hr
$500 Plus Golf Fees
1 hr
180 Australian dollars
Available OnlineRead MoreYou don't have to be in Melbourne. Expert Retirement Support, Anywhere In Australia
1 hr
180 Australian dollars
2 hr
About me
My name is Lukas Winward
I've spent over a decade working with families as a counsellor, but it was watching my own parents retire that changed everything. I saw how retirement, something we're told to look forward to, can quietly unravel your sense of identity, purpose, and connection.
From age four, life has a script: school, work, promotions. Then comes retirement....and suddenly, all that structure disappears. Most advice focuses on money, but the real challenges run much deeper.
How do you rebuild your identity? Make new friends at 65? Find purpose when golf isn't an option?
These are the questions that matter. And they're the ones I help answer.
My Background
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Registered Counsellor – Australian Counselling Association (Level 4)
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10+ Years – Mental health and counselling experience
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30 Years – Golfer (Handicap 12 — not pro-level, just a lifelong passion)
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Based in Melbourne – Specialising in men’s mental health and retirement transition
Contact me and get the ball rolling.
How It Works
A simple, supportive process designed to help you transition from career identity crisis to confident retirement.
Free Consultation
We start with a 15-minute chat to understand your retirement challenges and see if we're a good fit.
No pressure, just a genuine conversation about where you are and where you'd like to be.
Choose Your Format
Select the counselling format that feels most comfortable - golf course, home visit, or virtual session.
Each format offers the same professional quality, just in different environments.
Work Together
We'll tackle your retirement transition challenges through practical conversations and proven strategies.
Focus on rebuilding identity, finding purpose, and creating meaningful connections.
Build Your New Life
Develop a retirement that excites you, with clear purpose and strong social connections.
Move from surviving retirement to thriving in this new chapter of life.
Booking a Golf Session
If you’d like to book a golf-based session, it’s best to arrange a quick 15-minute call with me first. That way we can talk through your goals and decide where you’d like to play.
You’re welcome to choose your preferred Melbourne golf course, or I can suggest some options that work well for a relaxed, two-hour pace.
If you already have a club membership, we can usually play at your course. If not, don’t worry — there are plenty of accessible public and private courses we can use.
Green fees are paid separately to the golf course (rates vary by venue). I’ll help with the booking, but you’ll pay the course directly.
The Retirement Scam
Your super is sorted. Your mortgage is paid. But no one prepared you for this:
What happens to Melbourne men in their first year of retirement:
40%
You're more likely to have a heart attack or stroke in the first year of retirement
9 Hours
On average, retirees spend 9 hours actively and 12-15 hours passively watching TV each day.
A lifetime on the couch
Here's the gut punch: If you're 67 and live to 87, you have about 7,300 days left. At the current rate, you'll spend 3 years of that precious time in front of a television screen.
Is this the retirement you worked 40 years to achieve?
What I Hear From Retirees. Sound Familiar?
Ken, 72
I feel invisible
Kevin, 76
I don't know what to do with my time
Dawn, 80
Retirement is so hard
Cath, 73
I'm so lonely and bored
Len, 69
This is not what I thought it would be
Money matters... but these are the things that really shape life after work.
To truly "squeeze the juice" out of your remaining years, careful planning is essential. It's not just about financial preparation; it's about considering how you will spend your time, who you will spend it with, and what goals you want to achieve.
Friendships
Workmates fade. New friends matter
Habits
Your habits decide your future
Health
Brain + body balance keeps you stong
Education
Keep leaning or start shinking
Family
Unmanaged relationships become liabilities.
Legacy
Declutter & document your story
Contribution
Giving is living. Mentor, volunteer, share.
Boredom
The silent killer of retirement
Suprises
Expect the unexpected. Adapt & thrive
Forget mugs, pens, and golf socks.
The Gift Every Retiree Actually Needs
Retirement isn’t just about finishing work, it’s about discovering what comes next.
With this unique gift card, your loved one will enjoy a 9-hole retirement planning session with The Golfing Counsellor. It’s part golf, part conversation, and completely focused on helping them walk into retirement with purpose, confidence, and a smile.
This isn’t a lecture in a boardroom or a pamphlet from a financial planner. It’s fresh air, movement, and real talk about life after work. Whether they’re worried about losing routine, struggling with identity, or simply curious about what’s next, this is the retirement gift that goes beyond the golf course.
READY TO SWING INTO ACTION?
Every day you stay stuck is a day you can't get back. Your retirement isn't a practice run.
In the next 12 months, you can either:
OR
Build a retirement that makes you excited to wake up each morning
Watch another 365 days slip by in front of the TV, feeling invisible and useless
The choice is yours. But the clock is ticking.
I only work with a limited number of Melbourne retirees at a time to ensure quality support. Currently accepting new clients in Bayside, Kingston, and Mornington Peninsula areas.
Contact me today and start a conversation that could change the course of your retirement. Because life, much like golf, isn't just about playing the game. It's about playing it well.
Thrive in Retirement with Flexible Counselling Options: On-Course and Off-Course Sessions Available
How We Can Help
1 hr
1 hr
$200 Plus Golf Fees- Read More
Deep Dive Into Your Retirement over 9 holes, Public Access Course or a course of your choice.
2 hr
$500 Plus Golf Fees 1 hr
180 Australian dollars- Available OnlineRead More
You don't have to be in Melbourne. Expert Retirement Support, Anywhere In Australia
1 hr
180 Australian dollars 2 hr