Caring for the carers in Port Macquarie

Did you know there over 2.6 million unpaid family carers in Australia, more than 770,000 of whom are primary carers?

To address this growing need, Mission Australia has commenced a new program to assist mental health carers on the Mid North Coast of NSW.

The Eight Stage Healing Process for Mental Health Carers, which started in Port Macquarie on Monday, is a 10-week course of two hours per session held once a week.

The course, presented by staff from the Mission Australia's Family and Carer Mental Health Program, is designed for family, carers and friends of people with a mental health condition, who would like to attend a group program that can assist them to work through their own healing process.

The course does this by introducing participants to new ways of coping and defining the caring role, and is based on the idea that it is possible for family and friends to care for a loved one without losing sight of their own needs.

Created by Julie Tallard Johnson The Eight Stage Healing Process works with the notion that healing oneself assists with healing family relationships.

The carer healing process is a lifelong journey and the Eight Stage program is a catalyst for that process.

A carer who has attended the course said: "There are many brave people, carers, out there, no one is an island, and if others can make it through their difficult time I can too when those situations arrive."

Other positive feedback includes: “Eight Stages is very worthwhile. It’s essential for all carers of anyone with a mental illness” and “Thank you so much, your information and help relieves stress and makes us more effective carers”.

If you would like to attend please contact Claudia Richardson, Family and Carer Mental Health Program Education and Training Coordinator, on (02) 6584 4147 or 0408 265 039.

You can also find out more about our Family and Carer Mental Health Program here, including contacts in northern NSW.

* ABS (2009) Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers.