It was 2021 and I was working as a Residential Care Worker in a residential group home in Western Australia for children aged 10 – 17 years. These children had been deemed so challenging and aggressive that unfortunately no foster home was no longer suitable for them. This afternoon shift was no different for me.… Read More How a Knife Attack Shaped My Stance on Youth Justice
Earlier this week, I completed Youth Mental Health First Aid training for my job in Youth Services. Statistically speaking, given the high level of risk factors I’ve faced in my life, I am more prone to anxiety, depression, substance abuse disorders, self harm, and suicide. Yet somehow, none of these mental health issues are a… Read More You Are the Hero of Your Own Story
So often, you hear people talk about a “bucket list” – all the different things they want to achieve, experience and/or attend in the future etc. Whilst it is always important to have goals to aspire to, I think it’s equally important – if not, more – to focus on what you have already achieved.… Read More Why a Reverse Bucket List Teaches Gratitude
One of my children asked me an interesting question recently. She asked if I have stayed in contact with any of my friends from high school. I thought for a moment then told her:“No, I haven’t. There are a few I used to have on social media but no, most of my friends I’ve met… Read More What High School Taught Me About Paving Your Own Path
Not many people can say they look forward to coming into work. I do. Every single day. For most of us, myself included, we’ve worked in roles that have brought us some level of anxiety, unhappiness and/or dissatisfaction. For some of us, maybe being employed in a role that just helps us put food on… Read More How My Local Government Job Has Changed My Life
I don’t watch a lot of TV. But when I do, I will watch anything from documentaries, to true crime to romance to comedy. My biggest vice is watching the reality show, “Love is Blind”. The premise is simple: go on dates with strangers without seeing what they look like. The objective is to focus… Read More Reflection on Valentine’s Day: What My Husband Has Reminded Me About Marriage & Life
I’ve always been a glass half full sort of person. It’s always been instinctive for me to look at the positive in every negative situation. This mindset was something I naturally adopted due to the circumstances I faced growing up. This mindset has gotten me where I am today – both in my personal and… Read More Why I Am A Glass Half Full Person
As a child, I remember quite vividly the first time I was backed into a lie. An Uncle of mine had visited that weekend with my Auntie, commenting that he had noticed something different about the door to our games room. Something appeared different about the glass in the door, but he couldn’t quite work… Read More Domestic Violence Really Does End With Me
Words, to me, have always been a pleasure to write. No matter how long or short the task, I derive so much enjoyment from written expression. I take the time to write meaningful birthday cards because I see more value in a meaningful card than an expensive gift. Loved ones tell me that when I… Read More My Argument Against Chat GPT
It’s often said that if you choose a job that you love, then you never have to work a day in your life. I am a Youth Development Officer and I am fortunate enough to wake up every morning excited to go to work. Having worked in Community Services over a 10 year old period,… Read More 5 Lessons Young People Can Remind Us About Life
When I was just 17 years old, my Year 12 teacher said to our class:“Nobody gets married thinking they’re going to get divorced.” I never understood the true significance of this until I was 32 years old. I met my children’s father very young. I was only 17, he was 18. We fell in love… Read More Life After Divorce: Finding Gratitude Through My Grief
I remember the first time I told some family friends that my dream was to run my own business. I was 15, filled with hope and passion. I felt so proud to tell these people I’d just met how I’d been running 25 websites and had just been offered a freelance web design job. I… Read More How Nobody Believing in My Dreams Taught Me to Believe in Myself
I like to think that I am quite an emotionally intelligent person. But when my best friend told me that Matthew Perry had passed away, I froze and was overwhelmed with sadness and I just couldn’t comprehend why. I didn’t know Matthew personally. I hadn’t even met him once in person while he was still… Read More The Magic of Television and Movies: Thank You Matthew Perry for Adding Laughter into My Life
Trigger warning: Sexual assault, child abuse Ashton and Mila, I am a survivor of sexual violence, a survivor of child sexual abuse by an immediate family member. And I am not here to reprimand, to judge, or in any way negatively comment on your decision to write character letters for Danny Masterson. In fact, I… Read More An Open Letter to Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis
It’s often said that, “You can’t love others until you love yourself.” I beg to differ. At least, somewhat. Today, I was sorting some important paperwork which left me feeling a bit emotional. As I was processing how I felt, I decided to watch Netflix to distract myself. I started to play one of my… Read More Loving Someone Who Doesn’t Love Themselves
When Mark McGowan resigned as WA Premier early last week, citing the reason, “I’m tired”, I could – on a much, much smaller scale – relate to his feelings of mental and physical exhaustion. His honest admission left me feeling in awe of him, because it wasn’t too long ago that I thought it didn’t… Read More What Has Mark McGowan’s Resignation Reminded Us About Work-Life Balance?
To the First Man I Ever Loved: I remember exactly how good you made me feel at 16 years old. How I told you things I had never told anyone. How hearing your voice, seeing you, just knowing you loved me, was enough for me to forget what he did to my innocent body. I… Read More To the First Man I Ever Loved: Thank You For Helping Me Find Peace
My partner and I recently got engaged and this is something I never dreamed of happening again. After the breakdown of my 12 year marriage, I was adamant that I’d rather die alone than risk heartbreak and loss again. The idea of ever making it down the altar again was something that never crossed my… Read More Forgiving Someone Who Isn’t Sorry
Trigger warning: Child abuse, sexual assault, family and domestic violence Growing up, I was not surrounded by healthy versions of love. I was sexually abused by a family member for years. My first depiction of love was family and domestic violence, punches being thrown in glass doors, incessant arguing after family dinners, and heads being… Read More The Worst Relationship Advice I’ve Ever Received and How It Almost Broke Me
Trigger warning: Sexual assault, child abuse Gardening, for some people, is quite relaxing. Being in nature, hearing the birds chirping away, the sun shining. For me, it’s always been something more. Whenever I am watering my gardens or weeding, I remember a time when I felt incredibly conflicted. I was a teenager on the verge… Read More You Abused Me. But I Would Still Save Your Life.
Trigger warning: Child abuse, sexual assault Prior to my current relationship, I have been in love with 4 other people. With each person, I have felt that I could see myself spending the rest of my life with them. With each person, I hold positive memories of us laughing, going out to different places, sharing… Read More I Know That You Loved Me. I Just Didn’t Love Myself Enough
Trigger warning: Child abuse, sexual assault. Last week was by far, one of the most emotional weeks of my life. I had been building myself up for something, knowing full well that that day would leave me feeling anxious, stressed, emotional, and confused. That day was all those emotions and more. But I have now… Read More The Beginning of the Rest of My Life
On 7th March this year, my life completely changed. I have not been the same person since this day, both for better and worse. On this very day, I was made aware that I was a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case. I knew immediately, upon hearing their results, that there was no way… Read More How Covid Isolation Helped Me Find Myself
Trigger warning: Sexual assault, child abuse Not too long ago, I couldn’t look at a tub of Vaseline without remembering what you did with it and where – when I was only 11 years old. I couldn’t use Vaseline, it had to be lip balm, chapstick, anything else, because that yellow tub took me back… Read More You Took My Innocence Away but I Forgive You
Trigger warning: Child abuse, sexual assault, suicide There was a heartbreaking time, many years ago, when I couldn’t sleep without worrying that I’d be woken by a real boogie man in the night. So I’d lie awake, very late into the night, doing whatever I could, watching TV, listening to music, anything just to avoid… Read More You Are Not Defined By Your Mental Health Struggles: Finding Strength During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Many of us feel pretty sure of ourselves. We see another person make a “bad” decision, engage in some reckless behaviour, or act out of character – and we are quick to say “I would never do something like that.” We can’t help but judge others for decisions we “clearly” wouldn’t make ourselves. But in… Read More A Bad Decision Doesn’t Make You a Bad Person
I’m in the process of writing my first book – a memoir – and at times, it can be very triggering. In order to write a book that really moves people, that helps them to feel every emotion that I was feeling… I’m going back in time to re-create moments in all their rawness and… Read More When You Are Loved Like You Deserve
For the past few months, I’ve been struggling with the loss of someone significant in my life. It wasn’t the end of a life, but instead, the end of a friendship. And the grief, at times, has been incredibly overwhelming. As much as I understand that this person can no longer be a part of… Read More Living with a Hole in Your Heart
When I was 17 years old, the flu hit me pretty hard. I was bed ridden and felt so unwell I’d piled on layers and layers of clothes to keep me warm. At that time, I was getting to know someone who expressed a lot of concern at how unwell I was feeling. He asked… Read More When Life Comes Full Circle
I’ve been thinking about choices a lot lately. Who I choose to be around, how I choose to live my life, my career choices. And I’ve thought about how, it’s so easy to feel regret towards the choices we’ve made. It’s also easy to feel regret towards the choices others have made and how they… Read More I didn’t choose to be a victim of child sexual abuse. But I choose everyday how I live the rest of my life.