Overseen by Peter Saltamaras, Co-Founder and COO of Lanara · Last reviewed 15 October 2026

Lanara provides psychology-informed NDIS support for adults living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including complex PTSD, across Sydney. Our support is trauma-informed from the first phone call. We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private clients.

Is PTSD covered by the NDIS?

PTSD can be covered by the NDIS, but a diagnosis on its own does not make someone eligible. The NDIA makes each decision based on evidence about how the condition affects your daily life.

When PTSD is considered, it is usually under psychosocial disability. The NDIA explains that a psychosocial disability is not a diagnosis. It describes reduced capacity to manage daily tasks and activities because of your mental health.

To meet the disability requirements, the NDIA needs evidence that your impairment is, or is likely to be, permanent. It must also substantially reduce your ability to do everyday activities, such as socialising, looking after yourself or managing your life. PTSD is not on the NDIA’s lists of conditions generally accepted as meeting these requirements. Each application is assessed on its own evidence.

The NDIA says it understands that impact can go up and down or come in episodes. It also usually considers permanence after available and appropriate treatment options have been considered. This matters for PTSD, because effective treatments exist.

From January 2028, eligibility for new applicants will be decided using a new standardised assessment of functional capacity. You can read the NDIA’s disability requirements and its Applying to the NDIS guideline. Our guide to psychosocial disability explains more.

How PTSD can affect daily life

PTSD affects people in very different ways. For some, broken sleep makes each day hard. For others, it shapes decisions about where to go and who to see.

Common day-to-day effects include:

  • Getting out: avoiding public transport, shopping centres, crowds or places that bring back reminders.
  • Routines and self-care: poor sleep and exhaustion can make it hard to keep regular meals, showers or a tidy home.
  • Appointments: waiting rooms and unfamiliar places can feel overwhelming, so appointments get cancelled.
  • Relationships: feeling on edge, irritable or numb can lead people to pull back from family and friends.
  • Work and study: concentration can be hard, and returning after time away can feel like a big step.

Complex PTSD usually follows repeated or long-lasting trauma. Healthdirect notes it can make it hard to trust others, manage strong emotions and keep relationships going.

These effects often change over time. Good weeks and harder weeks are both a normal part of living with PTSD.

How our support can help

Our support is practical and built around the goals you set. We never ask you to retell your trauma, or to explain why something is hard. You share only what you choose to.

What trauma-informed support looks like day to day

Phoenix Australia, the national centre for posttraumatic mental health, describes principles such as building safety and trust, giving choice and control, and sharing power. Here is how we put that into practice:

  • Safety: your worker asks where you would like to sit and what helps you feel settled.
  • Choice: you decide the pace, the activity and when to stop. Saying “not today” is always fine.
  • Predictability: sessions happen at agreed times, plans are confirmed beforehand, and there are no surprise visitors or changes.
  • Collaboration: we plan each step with you, not for you, and check in about how things are going.
  • Empowerment: we build on what you already do well, so skills and confidence stay with you.

Every one of our support workers holds a university degree in psychology or a related discipline and has completed mental health and trauma-informed training. We aim for the same support worker each time, and we match carefully, including any preferences you have about who you work with. If having someone in your home feels daunting, our article on feeling nervous about a support worker at home may help.

Support can include:

An example of support

Example from our work. Names and details are changed to protect people’s privacy.

Leah is 38 and lives in Randwick, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. She has lived with PTSD for several years. She had stopped catching the train and relied on delivered groceries, and she often missed her psychologist appointments.

Leah and her support worker met at the same time each Tuesday. At first they stayed at home, planning meals and setting up an appointment calendar. Leah chose what to work on.

Next, they walked to a local supermarket early in the morning, when it was quiet. Leah agreed a simple signal for when she wanted to leave, and some days she used it. After a few months, she was doing a small shop with her worker waiting nearby, and she was getting to most appointments. Some weeks were still harder, and on those days they stayed in and kept things simple.

Working alongside your treating team

Lanara is not a clinical service. We do not provide trauma therapy, counselling or diagnosis, and our support workers are not psychologists. Treatments such as trauma-focused therapy belong with your treating team.

We work alongside your GP, psychiatrist, psychologist, occupational therapist and support coordinator. With your consent, our team can share what your support worker sees day to day. We agree with you how and how often you would like updates.

If you take prescribed medication, your worker can remind you and sit with you while you take it. They never administer or handle medication.

Getting started

Call us on 1300 152 627 or contact us online. We will talk through what you need, then send an intake form and a service agreement.

Matching usually takes between 3 days and 2 weeks. Your meet-and-greet is your first session. It runs for at least 2 hours and is paid like any other session. After that, regular sessions begin at times that suit you.

We support adults across six areas of Sydney. We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private clients. We can’t support NDIA-managed plans. Our step-by-step NDIS journey guide shows what to expect.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is PTSD covered by the NDIS?

A: It can be. The NDIA decides based on evidence that the impairment is likely to be permanent and substantially reduces your ability to manage everyday life. A diagnosis alone is not enough.

Q: Is PTSD a psychosocial disability?

A: PTSD is a mental health condition. When it causes lasting difficulty with daily activities, the NDIA usually considers it under psychosocial disability.

Q: Will my support worker ask me about my trauma?

A: No. We never ask people to retell their trauma. Our work focuses on daily life and your goals. Processing trauma is work for your psychologist or psychiatrist.

Q: Can I get NDIS support for complex PTSD?

A: The same disability requirements apply. What matters is how complex PTSD affects your daily functioning over time, shown through evidence from your treating professionals.

Q: Can a support worker help if PTSD makes it hard to leave the house?

A: Yes. Your worker can start with support at home, then help you take small, planned steps outside at a pace you choose.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000. For urgent mental health advice, call the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 (24 hours, 7 days) or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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