Hollie has always led a full and active life with a love of soccer, creative pursuits and most of all, her four cats. As she travels along her recovery journey, continuing to live independently in her own unit, staying connected with others and pursuing her passions is important to Hollie. That is also where her Centacare team come in.
Hollie explains that she enjoys meeting people and joining in the art group at our Mental Health Hub in Fortitude Valley.
“Taking time out to explore my creative side is an important part of looking after my mental health. I love Lego and spend a lot of time creating things with Lego. I also really enjoy painting and have recently started learning about digital design from one of our art teachers.”
“Our teacher used to be an architect and he has helped me access a computer program where I am designing a house. This is meaningful for me as I come from a family of builders and used to be part of the family business. While I am no longer able to be involved in the business I continue to feel connected to this part of my family.”
Tash, who supports Hollie and other clients at the hub, explains that the art group is an opportunity to engage with many mediums but Hollie’s passions have really inspired the group.
“The art group is designed to be a calm and creative space where clients can explore many mediums both individually and as a group. We knew Hollie had a passion for Lego but when she began sharing this with the group, it took off. We saw Hollie become more confident and take on a role as a peer organiser introducing people to Lego and all its possibilities.”
Faith, another one of Hollie’s support workers explains that they provide one on one support to Hollie to get out in the community and do whatever she feels like.
“Hollie is walking her own path of recovery and what we provide is social support and the encouragement to get out in the community and engage with others,” Faith said.
“When she talks about her cats she really shines and so often when we head out we are on the hunt for new food and toys for them. Our other big purchase is often Lego, which Hollie would have researched in advance.”
For our support workers the focus is on walking alongside clients including Hollie, providing encouragement and support on their recovery journey. While we are not a clinical team, we work closely with a client’s clinical service providers or specialists to ensure we are providing the right support.
You can find out more about our mental health support services here.