Meet Kerry, our valued long-term client, who recently took a respite trip from Casino to the bustling city of Brisbane. This trip turned out to be a life-changing experience for Kerry after overcoming personal obstacles and proving how resilient she could be.
Living with a psychosocial and generalised anxiety disorder, Kerry had reached a point where she found it challenging to travel alone to places; she once adored, like galleries, museums, and restaurants.
Since joining our Mental Health Outreach program 12 months ago, Kerry has been actively engaging in activities such as art therapy and music therapy to help manage her heightened emotions.
Kerry receives one-on-one support from her Momentum Collective Community Support Worker, Kerensa. Together the pair have been helping Kerry work towards achieving positive outcomes. She recently decided to tick off one of her goals – to go to the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art and travel further than Grafton.
“Kerry is very proactive in making positive things happen when she knows they will further support her wellbeing. She told me she wanted to go to Queensland at the beginning of the year, and we finally made this respite trip become a reality.
Leading up to the respite trip, Kerry felt excited and overwhelmed. She began worrying about how far she was staying from the gallery, the traffic in Brisbane and everything in between. Having her Community Support Worker there brought her relief and made her feel calm. By the second day, Kerry’s anxiety lessened significantly.
“Our eyes were sore from all the gallery viewing, and we ate the most delicious cuisines – Turkish and Greek, which I can’t wait to go back and try,” says Kerry with a glisten in her eye and a big smile on her face.
Kerry hoped to expand her horizons and prove she could revisit places she once cherished. She holds this trip close to her heart as she feels proud of pushing herself to overcome her fears.
“It felt like a step forward, going to a different state and experiencing a familiar feeling I used to have when travelling alone to galleries and eating out at restaurants. This visit with my Community Support Worker, Kerensa, gave me a sense of purpose and fulfilment. It gave me motivation to book in my next respite in Ballina and I am already looking forward to it.”
Are you looking to visit a new place, increase your independence, try new activities, or simply recharge? Our Short Term Accommodation (STA) properties are in Casino, Grafton, and we offer STA respite in other areas like in the Gold Coast.
Visit our STA services here or call us now on 1300 900 091 to find out more.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work, and pay respect to Ancestors, Elders both past, present and the emerging Jarjums.
