Today is World Suicide Prevention Day.

I often share info about important dates, international days of awareness or week that highlight or celebrate subjects of significance. I often share facts, stats or stories. Sometimes I may just share the theme of the day or the history behind it.

But today, I want to share some thoughts – yes, I want to share some thoughts about the very real, difficult and heartbreaking topic of Suicide.

There are so few people who can say they have not, in some way, been touched by the devastating impact of Suicide, either directly or indirectly – this speaks to the numbers of lives that are lost and impacted - which is difficult to comprehend.

Suicide is an extremely complex issue. There are many emotions, opinions and beliefs that people hold, there are stigmas, misunderstandings and of course there are plenty of myths and untruths out there too.

But this is something we need to be talking about more!

We need to have open, compassionate, brave and supportive conversations. We need to stop avoiding the topic because it is difficult, sad and scary.

We need people to know they can talk to someone, a friend, family, a safe person or a mental health professional. We want people to feel that they can do this without judgement, that they are not a burden, that reaching out for support is a good thing to do. We want people to seek help!

It can be as simple as asking a question, starting a conversation, checking in or suggesting a chat could be needed. I understand that it might feel scary, difficult to do, you might be worried about how to start, what to say, how to help. There are resources out there that can help with this.

So let’s talk, more openly, more often, with compassion and kindness, in the hope that together we can work towards suicide prevention.

For urgent support:
Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14 - Crisis Support. Suicide Prevention.
Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800
13YARN - Call 13 92 76 | 24 /7 Crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

For info and statis:
World Suicide Prevention Day 2025
Home - Suicide Prevention Australia

#worldsuicidepreventionday #changethenarrative

Hello 👋
And Happy Friday to you all ☺️

Just a little update, I know I`ve been a little quiet on socials these last couple of weeks.

There`s been a lot happening. Some big and exciting, some small but wonderful and also some really tough stuff.

There`s a lot happening in spaces and systems at the moment. Decisions that create changes that impact many individuals lives in significant ways.

These impacts have a ripple affect, and when there are so many ripples we can`t expect anything less than unsettled, distressed, confused and worried people.

I am seeing it every day in the children and young people I work with. Young people who are already needing support are now feeling more than ever they have to fight to get it.

Please know I am not just referring to one system. All systems right now are stretched, struggling and unable to meet the demands.

So, whilst quiet on here I`ve been advocating a little more loudly to help amplify the voices of children and young people elsewhere.

Advocacy is a tool we can all use. There are ways to do it well, considered, respectful and approached with rights in mind.

So when we are raising concerns let`s also advocate for what`s best. Let`s be clear about what`s needed not just what`s wrong. But most of all let`s be kind, people are hurting, struggling and scared, we don`t need to add to that.

With kindness, compassion and a heart filled with hope wishing you all a good day ❤️

#advocacymatters #bestinterestsofthechild #StrongerTogether

📷 Celebrating spring 🌼

Reflection time!

"Last week’s International Youth Day took me on a nostalgic trip down memory lane…
I realised I’ve been working with children and young people for 30 years!

Yes, you read that right!

I started my journey in 1995 as a youth worker at a homelessness service in the northern suburbs (Adelaide). Since then, I’ve taken on many different roles in a variety of settings—but always working with and for young people with a particular focus on those in vulnerable situations.

And I still love it!

I’ve always been passionate about rights, social justice, elevating young voices, and advocating for change.

Bong before I had the language for those things, I was driven by a few simple beliefs…

• Everyone needs someone in their corner.
• Everyone needs understanding and acceptance.
• Everyone needs someone to see the strength they have within.

Back then all I really knew was that not all children and young people had these things, but everyone single one of them should!

So, my youth work journey began. I showed up, real and raw (authentically). I was consistent and persistent (tenacious). I was fiercely passionate and fought hard for what young people needed (strongly advocating for their best interests).

Over the years my language has changed (a lot) and my approach is more considered (thank goodness) but my enthusiasm and energy for the work has not waivered.

I still believe, as strongly as ever, that every child has great potential and the right to grow up healthy, safe, and supported. Our experiences shape us, and trauma can leave deep and lasting impacts, with harm often compounding over time. Yet these challenges do not have to define us or dictate our future. Time and again, young people have shown me that growth, healing, and hope are always possible.

So, I’m here to stay! At least until I retire, which is still a long way away!" Jodie

Photo: Took a bit to dig this one out - Me, in 1995..ish. I nearly didn’t use it, it is a pretty embarrassing pic after all. But as I often say to my clients “sometimes we need to embrace the cringe, get outside of our comfort zone, feel uncomfortable and do things differently” – this one is for you – eeeek!

International Youth Day 2025 🌟

Today is all about celebrating young people — their ideas, their energy, their hope, and their ability to make change happen right where they are.

In my work with children and young people, I see how much they care about their communities, how creative they can be when given the chance, and how fiercely they fight for what’s fair. They inspire me every day.

This year’s theme is all about local action — turning big dreams into real change in our own backyards. And that’s exactly what young people do so well when we make space for their voices and back them with encouragement and support.

Let’s keep showing up for them. Listening. Believing in them. Walking alongside them as they shape a future we can all be proud of.

If you`d like to find out more about the day and this years theme head to: https://www.un.org/en/observances/youth-day

#InternationalYouthDay #YouthVoicesMatter #LocalActionBigImpact

Taking Steps - Walk the Yorke.
PART THREE: Why Project 18?
So why did Terry and Dennis choose Project 18 – the wellbeing nook as the recipient of the funds they raised? It’s a good and important question.

Project 18 is a certified social enterprise, recognised as a business for good for its ongoing work supporting some of SA’s most vulnerable young people. Through counselling, advocacy, and strong partnerships with the youth sector, Project 18 provides care that’s flexible, responsive, and grounded in an understanding of the complex challenges many young people face.

Terry and Dennis have supported Project 18 from the start — helping out in many different ways. They’ve seen firsthand the heart and hustle that goes into this work. And they believe deeply in what it stands for.

They chose Project 18 not because it’s big, but because it’s intentional, personal, human. It`s a small, purpose-driven venture that creates a big impact through genuine, personalised support that is tailored, creative, flexible and considered.

The funds raised will provide free one-on-one counselling to boys aged 8 to 21 - young people who would otherwise be unable to access support. While the number of places is limited, each session delivered can represent a lifeline to someone.

Because Project 18 is a small, community-based business with minimal overheads and no corporate layers, more of every dollar raised goes where it’s needed — into real support, for real people, in real time.

But Terry and Dennis’s choice carries a message even bigger than that.
It’s a reminder that individuals can make a difference. We don’t always have to wait for systems to respond or for large organisations to act. Sometimes, it’s the people beside us — the ones who take a few steps forward, who speak up, or show up — that spark real change.

And when enough of us get behind something good — by donating, encouraging, sharing, or simply believing in it — those steps start to matter. That’s what Terry and Dennis have shown us.
Because small doesn’t mean insignificant.

And everyday people? They’re often the ones who change everything.

Photo shared with permission: The End!

#mentalhealthmatters

Taking Steps – Walk the Yorke.

PART TWO: Why just the boys?
So why did Terry and Dennis choose to raise awareness and funds specifically for boys and young men?
Mental health challenges affect people of every age, gender, and background — no one is invulnerable. But the statistics tell us something important: boys and young men are at particular risk and often under-supported:

• 1 in 4 men experience a mental health disorder.
• 7 of 9 daily suicides in Australia are men.
• Youth mental health disorders have risen 50% in 15 years.
• 40% of 16–24-year-olds had a disorder (2020–2022).
• Anxiety affects 9% of boys; depression rises from 7% in teens to 13% in adult men.
• 40% of young men with severe depression still continue to struggle after two years.
• Only 1 in 4 men seek help for emotional or personal issues.
• Most see a GP, but fewer than half see a mental health professional.

(sources listed below)

But this isn’t just about numbers. For Terry and Dennis, it’s deeply personal.
They grew up in a time when boys were told to "toughen up" and keep emotions hidden. They’ve spent their lives in male-dominated environments — in their work and their sporting communities.

They’ve watched mates struggle, including some who are no longer with us. They’ve seen young men they work with, coach, or know, battling quietly with anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. They know it’s often harder for young men to speak up, to ask for help, and sometimes support comes too late.

That’s why they chose to focus their efforts where it could make a powerful difference — to challenge the silence, reduce the stigma, and help build a future where, asking for help is a sign of strength and openly encouraged.

Because the next generation of boys shouldn’t have to struggle in silence.

P.S. They also know the power of a smile, a comforting hand on the shoulder, the impact of checking in and helping mates whenever it’s needed.

Photo shared with permission: The middle.

FOR URGENT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT CONTACT:
Lifeline 13 11 14 or KIDS Helpline 1800 551 800

Statistics obtained from:
Beyond Blue; Australian Institute of Family Studies; ABS; Black dog Institute; AIHW.

Taking Steps – Walk the Yorke.

PART ONE: Two Men, One Mission, and a Cause That Matters.

This is something special.
Two great men. One big personal challenge. And a cause that’s bigger than both of them.

Terry and Dennis recently set out to conquer the first half of Walk the Yorke — a rugged, winding, coastal trail not for the faint-hearted. Battling fierce winds, rain, mud, seaweed, and rocky terrain, they pushed through more than just the physical strain. They got lost (yes, the even got escorted off private land!), dealt with dodgy knees, stubborn blisters, and some very weary old bones.

They walked 208kms in 8 days! That’s 303,051 steps! Their longest day of walking was a huge 9hours and 11minutes! So, what kept them going? What pushed them to take one more step... and then another?

They’d made a commitment. A promise to raise awareness — and much-needed funds — for boys and young men doing it tough. Young people struggling with their mental health and in need of someone to walk alongside them.

That ‘someone’ is often found through counselling. And that’s where we come in.

Terry and Dennis chose to raise funds for Project 18, a counselling practice supporting children and young people. It’s a huge honour — and a responsibility we take seriously.

So why just boys?
And why Project 18?
Two very important questions — but far too much for one post.

Over the next two parts, we’ll share the heart behind this incredible journey and how these funds will help change lives. Stay with us.

P.S. they also enjoyed some magnificent scenery, frolicking seals and some friendly locals to name just a few of the highlights, there were many.

Photo shared with permission: The Start.
#walktheyorke #takingsteps #mensmentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters

World Brain Day !!

Did you know there is a worldwide campaign dedicated to promoting brain health? I didn’t, until today, but now that I do, I have to share what I have learnt about it!

World Brain Day was established by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) in 2014, it’s described as a ‘global call to action for both individuals and institutions to share menaingful information and activities on brain health’.

The WFN define brain health as ‘keeping our minds sharp, resilient and active’. There is a theme every year and this year it is ‘Brain Health for all ages’, which aims to raise awareness of th eimportance of supporting brain health throughout every stage of life.

If you’d like to learn more about the day, the key messages from WFN or more about what it means to keep our brains healthy head to https://wfneurology.org/world-brain-day-2025

And if you are wondering why I just had to share this new discovery, well, I talk about our brains all the time with clients, in so many different contexts, how it operates, how it’s impacted, the way it grows and changes and the many many differences. So it makes sense to me that I would also want to be able to talk to them about ways that might help keep our brains health!

SO Happy World Brain Day to you all 🧠

#project18port #wellbeingnook #portadelaide #counselling #psychotherapy #mentalhealthsocialwork #worldbrainday2025 #brainhealth #mentalhealthmatters

Last week, the Royal Commission released another powerful and important report "Silence and Inaction (2025)" presenting the voices of children and young people who have experienced domestic, family, and sexual violence.

Much like the "Unseen and Unheard" report published late last year by the Commissioner for Children and Young People, it sheds light on the deep and persistent gaps in our systems and services — gaps that continue to fail those who need support most – children and young people.

To every child and young person who contributed to these reports — whether through direct conversation, in writing, at the Summit or part of a broader submission — we want you to know we see you. Your courage, insight, and generosity in sharing your stories is nothing short of extraordinary. You didn’t do it for yourselves — you did it for others. For those still living in fear and being silenced. For a future where children are believed, heard, protected, and supported. Where their rights are upheld.

We hold hope that the final recommendations of the Royal Commission, due to be released next month, will center children and young people’s voices — not just in consultation, but in action. Their calls for change must be heard, honoured, and reflected in the creation of systems that are safe, accessible, and built with and for those they are meant to help. Not to action, would seriously compromise the trust of our young people.

Links to both reports below and for updates from the Royal Commission head to their website (link also below).

https://www.royalcommissiondfsv.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1167458/Silence-and-Inaction-Report-2025-Final.pdf

https://www.ccyp.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Unseen-and-Unheard-Report.pdf

https://www.royalcommissiondfsv.sa.gov.au/

#project18port #wellbeingnook #portadelaide #yourvoicematters #togetherwecanmakeadifference

NAIDOC Week is here!

Although there is much to celebrate all year round `NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.`

There is so much to see and do, there are activities, exhibitions, events and awards! You can check out https://www.naidoc.org.au/local-events/local-naidoc-week-events to see what is happening near you!

This year is extra special too, as it marks NAIDOC`s 50th year! That`s `50 years of honoring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience`. Every year there is a theme and this years is "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy" - read the wonderful write up about this at https://www.naidoc.org.au/about/naidoc-theme

So let`s get out there and participate, learn, recognise and celebrate!

Happy NAIDOC everyone ❤️🖤💛

#NAIDOC2025 #NAIDOCWEEK #strengthvisionlegacy