I’m looking for help
I’m trying to help a loved one
George began attending Men’s Bush Trips about 18 months ago, after connecting with HOPE Aboriginal Cultural Practice and Capability Manager Stephen Morrison.
George himself was looking for support in his adopted community but as a Lecturer at Central Regional TAFE Kalgoorlie he was also able to offer insight and support to other men around learning new skills and finding employment. He attends the trips whenever his schedule allows.
Ghosts and trauma
“When I met Stephen, I had my own ghosts and mental health issues – I have gone through some things in my life. I’ve had depression and anxiety from school to work, from so-called friends, family and coworkers who pretended to have my back and then put me down. This led to me not being able to trust people in general.
There was a marriage break-up, my nephew stabbed me, my family disowned me and I became homeless, and then I wasn’t able to see my kids due to border closure [during COVID].
I was also trying to deal with my childhood trauma from the way I was raised – which was called discipline.
I was raised in a violent environment as a child, but later in life when I was older, I also had to be a protector of my family.
At school I was getting into fights with the full blood [First Nations] kids from remote and rural communities because I was not black enough for the Blackfellas so they called me a yellow fella. I was not white enough for the whitefellas so they called me a Blackfella.
My uncle was a Golden Gloves Champion junior and senior, and he ran a gym, so he taught me to box – but only to defend myself or others. I stood my ground but I found school a hard and tough place and did not feel I belonged there because I struggled with my reading and writing.
Men’s Bush Trips
“I had been trying to ignore things, just hoping it would get better. I met Stephen and he invited me on the bush trip. I went on the trip and met others who were going through similar things – mental health issues, marriage break up.
“My favourite trip was my very first trip. I did not know what I was going to say – I was there as participant and a guest speaker. That day I realised I was not alone, and that I should never give up.
“On Wednesdays, when I am available, I jump on the trips when I can. I still get a lot of healing out of the trips. It helps me to know I am giving back, and I am not alone anymore.
Finding community
“The trips let me know that I do not have to do this by myself. They help me change my behaviour, stop me having thoughts of violence. I know I can live my life without violences, and I can influence others in the group, keep pushing them forward to live a positive life free of violences and bad thoughts.
“Some of the guys on the trips come from broken backgrounds – they have anxiety, shame, mental health issues.
“I have a connection with Stephen and a connection with the group. I am valued and respected. I feel like I belong here [in Kalgoorlie]. I cannot quite put my finger on it, but I have sold my house in the other state and bought one here.
“When I go on the trips I talk to the men about opportunities for training and development, about TAFE courses which are free for everyone in the community.
“A couple [Men’s Bush Trip participants] have come through, done the courses. Starting out in small courses and then going into the VET courses. Some are starting them now.
“The trips also help them link to other services too, health and mental health.”
Looking out for each other
“We all enjoy being out there. We are all at different stages, but we all have positive intentions.”
“Stephen and I and some of the other men in our group [from BEGA Health Services and Step-Up Step-Down Kalgoorlie] have developed our own little support network. We are always meeting up or on the phone talking – I know that when I need to, I can call any one of them.
“The other men know that they can call us too. I have some guys call me, I always try to take five/ten minutes and yarn with them, tell them about HOPE or Step Up Step Down, promote [those services]. I get phone calls at 1am or 2am in the morning – you gotta pick those up.
“The trips are important. There are not enough services for men in this area. In my family, we did not talk about mental health. But mental illness is a disease, and it is a disease that leads to suicide. It led to that for men in my family – my brothers, my cousins.
“There is just a lack of services for men in general. That is why we need more bush trips, more programs. Stephen goes out once a month from Kalgoorlie, and he goes further out now. But if you miss a trip or cannot come, it can be one month, two months before you can go again. We could use a local trip once a week.”
Hope Community Services runs Men’s Bush Trips as part of the services offered through Mara Pirni Healing Place in Kalgoorlie.
