How Nora found release from trauma

Trigger warning: The following content may be disturbing for victims and survivors of violence and trauma. We encourage you to use your discretion as to whether you should continue reading. Visit our back page for a list of support numbers. 

A mum of five children, Nora* has sought services from Windermere intermittently for herself and her family since 2014. As a teenager Nora had experienced sexual abuse until she left home at the age of 17. After establishing her own family, she often struggled with her past trauma and emotional triggers.

“I found myself falling back into the same patterns of turmoil although I was gaining support and knowledge. My past experiences were so deeply ingrained in me, they would resurface,” says Nora. 

Practical and emotional support

Determined to make a change, Nora reached out to a range of services including art therapy which helped her find release and healing. In the final step of her journey Nora turned to Windermere’s Integrated Family Services (IFS).

“The icing on the cake was when I ended up with Windermere. This time I was in a better head space,” she explains. 

Nora’s IFS Support Worker helped her set goals and offered practical support and a listening ear. A relaxed space and a time that worked with her busy schedule as a mum, helped Nora feel at ease.

“She would talk me through goals, ask how I was going to achieve them and prompt me to take the next step,” she says.

Gaining her wings

As Nora often prioritised needs of the family over herself, her support worker helped her find space and bring the focus back on herself. 

“If I had not progressed with a goal, she would probe what was holding me back and how to avoid that from repeating,” she explains. 

One of the goals that Nora set for herself was to lose weight and improve her diet. Windermere extended assistance to help her access a gym and develop better eating habits. At the end of her sessions her support worker would encourage Nora to continue her progress.

“We revisited my initial goal setting and added a tick to every single goal. I gained my wings and I needed to keep flying."

"It felt amazing to know that I had everything in place to carry on and that momentum hasn’t stopped,” she adds.

*Details have been changed to protect privacy

To access our Integrated Family Services, contact The Orange Door at 1800 271 170