I’ve been thinking about home, in all its different forms. Home can represent the heart of memory. And memory in turn provides meaning to our experiences. It is a significant part of our identity: the why of who we are. Dulled by our tendency to move on from the more painful ones, or strengthened by […]
read moreOur Inner Strength, As Women
Here at Bonnie’s, workers often take turns writing blogs, about our personal experiences or those of clients we’d like to share. This time round I just couldn’t think of anything to write about until a colleague asked me what it was that stood out for me most in my line of work. Immediately, the first […]
read moreThe Beauty of Art in Expressing Violence
“Remembering our Sisters”, Photo by CHERIE WINTER via Bingara Visitor Information Centre My interest in the visual arts combined with work in the domestic violence sector means I’m always on the lookout for avenues where the concept of violence is explored or presented in an unusual way. Art to me provides an excellent vehicle for […]
read moreThe Power of Creative Groups
Groups are a powerful way to bring women together to enhance personal growth. It’s a place of safety for a sense of belonging, acceptance, and validation. The focus of our Bonnie’s Creative Group is creativity. There are many benefits to being creative. Creativity improves problem solving, self-expression, self-awareness. It reduces anxieties and mood disturbances. […]
read moreMy Friend Julie’s Story
My friend Julie* is charming, elegant, smart, and passionate. A caring mother and good cook, she knows how to enjoy her life. I love reading her social media updates: guided bush walks in winter by herself, a cruise with friends from the dance club, wineries for wine tasting. Wow! I don’t know how she finds […]
read moreOur Freedom of Choice
Sometimes I find myself sitting in front of my wardrobe for an hour deciding what to wear for the day. Black pants? Nope, I wore that yesterday…jeans? Hmmm not very comfortable…grey trousers? Yes, I think that’ll do. The hour can stretch to two if I move on to researching café reviews, deciding where to have […]
read moreFinding the Courage to Break the Silence
I am new to Bonnie’s and in my first month, I walked downstairs to see a client sitting across from her family worker. The client had the same background as my grandmother. Immediately I knew something wasn’t right. The fear in her eyes made me think of my grandmother. It also made me wonder: what […]
read moreOur Bonnie’s Clan
I am leaving Bonnie’s for a year to have a baby. While working on my handover, I remembered the time I left a few years back to have my son. My water broke early, and I had to stay in hospital for almost 3 weeks. Lying on the hospital bed in a gown without any […]
read moreFood for the Soul
We recently had a client who arrived with her son, they were empty handed and needed our help. Mum was on a visa, which meant she didn’t have an income and couldn’t work. They had just left a violent environment and were finally safe at Bonnie’s. First thing I did, after our initial intake meeting, […]
read moreTechnology Facilitated Abuse
We live in a time of extreme technological advancement. Although this is generally a good thing because it can mean our lives are made that little bit easier, this also means that there are new ways that perpetrators of domestic violence can inflict harm upon victim-survivors. Technology-facilitated abuse is a unique form of interpersonal violence […]
read moreNot Just a Name
I was sitting in the doctor’s office, with my head bent toward my phone when I heard the radiologist call out a name. I looked around the room as she called it out again. My eyes landed on the clock and saw that it was just about time for my appointment. I moved toward […]
read moreMulticultural and feminist – We are Aunty Bonnie’s
Hi! I’m new to Bonnie’s and this is my first blog, so I thought I’d write a bit about me: I have always worked in therapeutic environments with women, as a counsellor, a friend and a wife. Now I wanted to work with women in a different setting, I wanted to work at Bonnie’s. So […]
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