By Juliano Oliveira
For 12 uninterrupted hours, Blue Knot Foundation will offer online support to adult survivors of complex trauma to spread awareness on the importance of mental health.
Named as “Blue Knot Day”(28 October), the foundation will focus on supporting more than 5 million Australians living with the impacts of complex trauma to explore different possibilities for healing.
Blue Knot Foundation’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels will be flooded with events to celebrate the date.
“More than 25% of Australian adults have experiences of complex trauma, which is repeated ongoing interpersonal trauma, violence, neglect and abuse, often from childhood, as an adult, or both,” Blue Knot Foundation President Dr Cathy Kezelman AM said.
“The global health pandemic has affected us all and especially Australians already living with the impacts of complex trauma so this Blue Knot Day is an opportunity to show our support, and provide tools, strategies and information which can help.
“Blue Knot Day’s Your Festival of Healing will bring stories of healing, panels with Blue Knot counselling teams, and a range of creative, grounding and mediation practices. People can do as much or as little as they wish on the day and check back in with Blue Knot’s YouTube channel later to catch up on segments they want to watch. The program for the day is available on the Blue Knot website and Facebook page.”
The Festival will explore:
- Trauma-informed meditation
- Inspirational stories from survivors of complex trauma who are rebuilding their lives with the support of the Blue Knot Foundation
- Supportive messages from Blue Knot Foundation Ambassadors Jane Caro, Rida Aleem Khan and Rose Parker
- Creative art therapy to activate your senses, help you self-regulate and ground yourself
- Trauma-informed approaches to support friends and family on their recovery journey
- Trauma-informed guidelines for professionals to support the recovery journey
- How the Blue Knot Foundation helps survivors – Blue Knot Helpline (for anyone with complex trauma) and National Counselling and Referral Service for people living with a disability with experiences of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation
Complex trauma includes child sexual, physical and emotional abuse, neglect, growing up with domestic violence and growing up with a parent or carer who has their unresolved trauma such as with a mental illness or an addiction. In adulthood, it can occur as a result of domestic and family violence and refugee and war trauma.