Healthwise hosts 'Regrowth' event to address stress and anxiety related to black summer bushfires

Healthwise is set to host 'Regrowth', an event for those affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires, in Bendemeer on Wednesday.

Healthwise mental health and suicide aftercare worker, Donna Broughton, said the workshop would provide attendees with a place to talk about disasters and develop strategies to cope with them.

"One of the big things we might do when we've been affected by disaster in any way, is often we might pull back and isolate ourselves," Ms Broughton said.

READ ALSO:

"When we talk and we're listened to, we're able to move forward with our mental health and healing."

Over morning tea and lunch the workshop will include sessions on how to cope with anxiety and stress, how to emotionally prepare for disaster, health checks, how to put the pieces back together, financial assistance and a visit from retired psychologist Polly Rubin and her dog Rosie, to discuss the management of stress in children.

While the bushfires were more than two years ago now, Ms Broughton said the conversation was still important.

"We're traumatised," she said.

"Trauma affects our thoughts and it effects our body."

After going through floods, fires, mice plagues and COVID-19, Ms Broughton said many people were facing what she called a "trauma pile up".

"This is about how we can prepare in our thoughts and emotions that a disaster is coming, we know that we can't stop it, but we can approach it and manage it better."

While the event is targeted at those who went through the bushfires, everyone is invited to attend, with the strategies and tools being applicable to any type of disaster.

"It's absolutely relevant to everyone, everyone's gone through COVID, everyone has seen the floods on TV," Ms Broughton said.

The workshop will be held at the Bendemeer Hotel on April 6, from 9:30am until 2pm.

Ms Broughton said she wanted the community to walk away from the session with a feeling of hope and positivity for the future.

For more information contact Donna Broughton on 0437 961 137.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: