DragonFly's Rest with Leanne Oshea

12/02/2026

So lovely to spend time with Mary Anne today discussing her dream for a Community Hospice in Bunbury.
Their vision is to provide professional, holistic, palliative care to people coming to the end of their lives and their families in a beautiful setting here in Bunbury.
I spent over 2 years working at the Busselton Hospice and witnessed first hand what a difference community makes at end of life through compassionate care.
Thank you Mary for a wonderful morning of connection, conversation and community. 💚 You have my greatest support. 💛

10/02/2026

Hands up if you’ve ever thought: “Surely they’ve got help sorted.” 🙋‍♀️
Yeah… about that...

We get it, friend.
Government services exist, and yes, they help in some situations.
But they don’t cover everything. Not even close.

A lot of people who are doing it really tough are actually not getting the support you’d expect.

There isn’t a secret team of professionals waiting to swoop in and manage packed lunches and school runs for the parent going through chemo.

There isn’t a safety net that magically appears to mow the lawn, walk the dog, or pick up medication for the older man living alone.

It’s just us.
Neighbours. Friends. Colleagues. School dads. Footy mates. The people already in their life.

And honestly? That’s not a bad thing at all.
This kind of care is meant to live in the community.
It’s how we’ve always looked after each other.

When we all chip in, the load gets lighter.
A meal dropped off.
A lift given.
A school pick-up handled.
A simple “hey, I’ve got this one”.
Everyone doing one thing means no one is left collapsing under the weight of doing everything.

Small things. Big relief. Real belonging.

So here’s your gentle nudge, friend.
Nothing big. Nothing heroic. Just small actions that can make a big impact on the community you live in.

👉 Look around your street.
Is there someone who could use a hand this week?
Offer to take their bins in. Grab something from the shops. Check in.

👉 Start the conversation.
With friends, family, colleagues.
“How could we show up better for each other when life gets messy?”

👉 Get a little more confident about care.
Learning how to ask for, accept, and offer help makes everything easier when the time comes.
Head to our website for free tools and resources that show you how.

🫶 Gather My Crew is an Australian charity. Our resources, tools and app are free to everyone in Australia.

09/02/2026

It’s difficult to be honest about your feelings & needs in the face of omniscient, empty words.

We all need a place where we can tell the truth about how hard this is. The Writing Your Grief e-course gives you space to tell the whole truth about your life, your loss, and your love.

Get started now at https://refugeingrief.com/wyg

07/02/2026

Connecting with leaders who compassionately create change is a great way to start my Saturday. We are so excited to share with you all the difference Grief First Aid is going to make to the workplace, sporting clubs and our community. 💚

07/02/2026

Grief is like quicksand.

The more you fight it, the deeper you sink.

At first, you don't even realize you're in it. You're standing there, numb, in shock, and everything feels surreal. You're still upright. Still able to move.

And then you take a step. And another. And suddenly you feel it—the pull. The way it grabs onto you. The way it starts dragging you down.

And you panic. Because that's what you're supposed to do, right?
Fight it.
Push through it.
Keep moving.
Stay strong.

But the harder you fight, the faster you sink.

You try to keep busy. You try to distract yourself. You try to outrun it, out-think it, out-work it. You keep moving because stopping feels like giving up.

But grief doesn't care.
It pulls you under anyway.

And eventually, you're exhausted. You've been fighting so hard to stay above it that you've used up every ounce of energy you had.

And you realize: you can't fight your way out of this.

So, you stop.
Not because you want to.
Not because you've accepted it.
But because you literally can't keep fighting anymore.

And that's when something shifts.

When you stop thrashing.
When you stop trying to force yourself out of it.
When you finally just... let it be what it is.

You're still in it.
But you can breathe.
Not well. Not easily. But enough.

Because grief isn't something you fight your way out of.
It's something you move through.
Slowly. Carefully.

The people on the outside don't get it.
They see you struggling and they yell advice from the shore.
"Just stay positive!" "Keep yourself busy!" "You've got to move on!"

But they're not in the quicksand.
They don't know what it feels like to be pulled under by something you can't control.

You can't power through it.
You can't force your way out.
You can't just decide to be done with it.

All you can do is stop fighting and move through it.
One slow, exhausting inch at a time.

Some days you'll sink deeper.
Some days you'll make progress.
Some days you'll feel like you're never getting out.

Grief is like quicksand.
And I'm still sinking.
And I don't know when I'll stop.

Written by: Aimee Suyko - In Their Footsteps

05/02/2026

This needs to be talked about more. Slowing down as a loved one is transitioning into the afterlife is so important, not just for them, but for us too. In a world that rushes everything, death asks us to pause. To soften. To be present in ways that feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable. It asks us to sit in the quiet, to be with death, and to let love take the lead instead of fear.

When we slow down, we notice the small sacred things; a squeeze of the hand, a change in breathing, the way the room feels heavier and lighter all at once. These moments matter! They become the memories we carry forward, the ones that anchor us when the grief comes crashing in later. Rushing through them or avoiding them altogether can leave us with regret, with a sense that something precious was missed.

And maybe most importantly, slowing down helps us begin grieving before the final goodbye. It allows the heart to gently adjust, to love and let go at the same time. There is no right way to do this, no perfect script. But there is deep wisdom in choosing to move at the pace of love, rather than the pace of the world.
💚
Leanne

Thank you to Samantha Rose, author of Giving Up the Ghost. Through her experiences with death, su!c!de, grief, and the mysteries of across the veil communication, she has created a beautiful book, meant to be shared so that others can feel less alone. (And by the way, we have to intentionally misspell that word in social media, or accounts can get flagged. Crazy times, people. Craz-eeeee Times.)

05/02/2026

Excited to share with you GriefWA!
Training and Education.
💚More information to come soon. 💚

05/02/2026

Busselton Hospice Care Inc. (BHCI) is inviting community members to join its team of dedicated volunteers as part of the 2026 Volunteer Recruitment Campaign.

This year's campaign highlights the wide range of meaningful volunteer roles available, like those who gift their time in the Busselton Hospice Unit.

Other tasks include supporting community education and accessing appropriate services, people living with life–limiting conditions, and those experiencing grief and bereavement, as well as practical roles such as gardening, maintenance, retail and e-commerce volunteers.

"Volunteers are the strength of Busselton Hospice Care Inc," chief executive James Jarvis said.

"Their compassion, their time, and their willingness to walk alongside others - whether in the Hospice Unit, with carers, or with those grieving - form the foundation of our journey–led approach.

"We welcome people from all walks of life to join us in ensuring no one dies or grieves alone."

The recruitment drive comes as BHCI continues its development of an integrated volunteer-led response to the community supporting people living life with a new diagnosis, living life with illness, living life while dying, and living with loss.

"This approach places our community members at the centre of our services, recognising that people enter and move through end–of–life journeys in deeply personal and varied ways."

One of the most meaningful contributions volunteers make is in the Busselton Hospice Unit, offering companionship, comfort, and practical support to patients and families during end–of–life care.

Information Sessions
Community members are invited to attend one of three upcoming information sessions to learn more about the roles available, training provided, and the impact volunteers make:
Geographe Bay Centre
• Tuesday 17 February 10:00 am to 11:00 am
• Wednesday 25 February 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
• Thursday 26 February 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm

RSVP: 9751 1642
More information can be found at www.busseltonhospicecareinc.org.au

📸Abby Murray Photography

03/02/2026

So true. From BLBD #208 “Lessons the Dying Teach Us about Living” with doula and author Diane Button.

03/02/2026

Thank you Taryn for your vision and dedication to develop the services of Heart Hub through your own pain and loss. YOU truly are a community leader in change work and compassionate development. Partnering with your team over the last 4 years has been an honour and more importantly a professional pride in knowing the difference we make to so many families grieving thier loss of loved ones too road trauma. 🧡💙💛

I spent the morning with the beautiful Leanne O’Shea from Dragonfly’s Rest, a dear friend and one of Heart Hub’s incredible counsellors - planning and mapping out our next big Heart Hub project. 🫶

Leanne is one of those rare, deeply grounded humans I feel so grateful to have crossed paths with a few years ago. Such a beautiful soul, with so much heart.

There’s so much excitement in what’s unfolding, and we can’t wait to share more with you very soon.

🩵

DragonFly's Rest with Leanne Oshea

03/02/2026

𝗟𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲.

Grief First Aid have developed an accredited qualification and l am honoured to be selected to be a licensed instructor and working with the wonderful team creating heart centred change in the workplace.

"𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴" Greg Roberts. PhD Founder of Grief & Trauma support Australia

Grief First Aid training is informed by a global Delphi study on best practice for responding to grief in the workplace - and we believe it is well overdue.

The reality is that grief can, and does, create challenges in the workplace, for those who are grieving and for the organisation. But it could be different if we felt more comfortable having conversations about grief. Sally Healy Mentally Well Workplaces

Extensive research demonstrates that most people are best supported by family, friends and workplace colleagues. At the same time, research tells us that while colleagues want to help, they often hesitate because they don’t know what to say or fear causing further distress. And so, we say nothing at all.

Through my work l see first-hand how grief can affect emotional, cognitive and physical wellbeing, with flow-on impacts to productivity and psychosocial safety.

Grief is a human experience that most of us will encounter at some point, and the idea that we can simply switch it off when we walk into work is a fallacy - it’s simply not possible.

Compassionate workplaces is the balance of a human and professional approach to end of life and death care and support.

I am honoured to lead WA in Grief First Aid.
Leanne
💛

14/11/2025

Truth is spirits are not sad they passed away.

They are not in the afterlife crying because they miss life or being with you.

They adjust immediately as it’s just like being back home.

And to be honest, earth is so intense it’s like breathing a sigh of relief that they are done

No matter the age.

They don’t miss you because even though you don’t feel it , you and they are connected.

They are constantly sending signs and listening in

In reality our grief is about how we feel.
Because if it was truly about how they felt , we would be marveling at the adventure they are now on.

With visions and understandings they one day we too will have.

So even though you are sad, just know they they are ok, they are happy and they are resting peacefully 🧡

Now, smile they are watching.
Right in front of you. 🧡

https://spiritwhispers.org/events/