Here are some photos from art therapy sessions held at Safe Space
Safe Space is Communify’s after-hours peer support service for people experiencing distress.
Safe Space is one of four hubs in the Brisbane North Safe Space Network led by Brisbane North PHN. The space offers a holistic, supportive alternative to presenting to emergency departments for people in distress. Guests are received by peer support staff who provide supports and a sympathetic ear to help them de-escalate their level of distress and ensure they leave the space with a sense of hope and positivity.
In the 2022-2023 financial year, a total of 1,116 guests visited Safe Space, with 85% of those reporting markedly improved levels of distress after receiving support from a peer worker.
Safe Space offers a range of different supports including one-to-one conversations with peer workers, art therapy, mindfulness activities and more, so that guests can engage with the activity that works for them.
We would like to share a touching story from a community member who was previously a guest at Safe Space, and now regularly volunteers at the space.
In March 2023 my world turned upside down. I became despondent, low and eventually suicidal with intent, a means and a clear plan. Strangely at the time I could not understand why, given my life on surface level was abundant and going well.
So I managed my affairs, and humbly checked myself into Belmont Private Hospital. This was the turning point, where I drew the line and accepted that having help was the only good thing to come out of this. I otherwise would have completed the suicide and died. There’s an added layer, given I am a mental health OT, actively practising psychotherapy whilst running an NDIS business.
At hospital I received a space to heal, reflect and align with my purpose, authenticity and pure intentions. I came to realise I was doing so much to capture love and validation, only to realise that that very love and validation must come from myself first.
When I left the hospital, I knew that was only the beginning and the hard work would now begin. The Safe Space was my missing middle. A sanctuary like no other, that the clinical hospital space could not provide. A space to connect and see in real life the survivors of a mental health episode, those who had been through exactly what I was, and had come out the other side. The Safe Space didn’t just provide hope, it provided the proof I needed to keep going during the lows and kept me working towards a better path.
I would have visited the Safe Space at least 10 times since discharging in April. My last visit was in October, and I have now come full circle as I am a volunteer for the space every fortnight. Being back reminds me of how proud I am of what I have done to turn my life around for the better. I am so blessed to now live in abundance, complete authenticity and a crystal-clear purpose. I have no doubt that without the Safe Space, my own resilience, my psychiatrist and psychologist, I would not be here today.
