New Remedy Therapy

07/01/2026

A decade ago I crossed the world for a six-month placement in the UK.
People remember the photos—castles, cobblestones, rivers, pubs—and it really was magical.
But it was also my lifeline.

Behind the passport stamps was a young woman trying desperately to escape a violent partner and a cycle she couldn’t break while still on the same continent.

It took 17,000 kilometres.
It took an ocean.
It took a $10,000 loan and a quiet promise to myself that I deserved more.

Family violence can look like love until it doesn’t.
It can feel intoxicating at its best and terrifying at its worst.
It grips us in patterns of hope and harm, fear and longing.
It can reach across suburbs, states and lives—and sometimes even across countries.

Leaving isn’t a moment—it’s a series of choices, collapses, losses, rebuilds and slow breaths.

For me, going overseas was the door that finally shut.
For others, the door looks different.

But everyone deserves safe exits, safe futures and lives beyond survival. Here are some of my favourite moments but there were so many more. Thank you to my amazing friend Deb who nourished me back to wholeness

07/01/2026

Heading off on a beach walk seven years ago, I had no idea what was coming next.
I had just quit my child protection role. I felt aimless and lost. My mother-in-law was dying suddenly of cancer, and everything felt turbulent and uncertain.
So I stopped. I spent a few quiet months trying to breathe again.
Long slow walks. Silence. Nature. A bit of depression, if I’m honest. A slow unravelling and a gentle putting-back-together. It wasn’t linear, and it definitely wasn’t all onwards and upwards.

I was lucky to land in a local job that arrived at the right moment — and then life kept life-ing.
Covid hit. More illness in the family. Cancer again (cue ironic head slap).
But working locally gave me something I didn’t know I needed: confidence.
It nudged me toward stepping into myself.

I registered as a behaviour support practitioner.
Found amazing mentors who taught me the ropes.
Then pushed further — becoming an accredited mental health social worker just a month before welcoming my beautiful baby boy.
Oh, and I happened to get engaged somewhere in there — with our son due on the actual planned wedding date, because timing is hilarious like that.

The rest is history, but also still unfolding.
Sometimes life puts us right on the edge of a cliff and everyone says “just jump.”
But it’s rarely that tidy.

I like to think I climbed down instead.
Slipped a few times.
Ran out of water once or twice.
But eventually made it to base camp — not where I thought I was going, but somehow more than I ever imagined.

And now… onwards.

06/01/2026

If you or someone you know doesn’t have access to a safe, private shower, our Community Shower Program is here to help.

This is a free service offering access to a warm shower, a toiletry pack, towels and hygiene products, along with support referrals. All provided in a welcoming, respectful space.

🗓 Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday
⏰ 8:30am – 10:30am
📍 Yarrawonga Senior Citizens Centre, 23 Hovell Street, Yarrawonga

This program is delivered by YMCLC, in partnership with Yarrawonga Senior Citizens and Moira Shire Council.

05/01/2026

Holiday ideas for skate fans

03/01/2026

A great local program for post cancer treatment

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 – 𝗬𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵

Finished or finishing cancer treatment and wondering what’s next?
Join our free Cancer Wellness Program supporting people transitioning into survivorship.

Learn about cancer survivorship, physical activity, and healthy eating with guidance from experienced health professionals.

𝗬𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 – Clinical Education Centre
38 Lynch Street, Yarrawonga
6 Feb – 13 Mar 2026 (6 weeks)
10:00am – 11:30am

Register: Jenny O’Brien | 03 5743 8549
jenny.o’brien@yh.org.au

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺.

03/01/2026

✨ Farewell 2025. Hello, 2026. ✨

2025 was not a year of neat resolutions or shiny milestones.
It was a year of confronting pain, of sitting with hard truths, and of slowly—sometimes painfully—finding my way back to myself.

It was also a year of unmeasurable hope.
Of deep gratitude.
Of being held by a community of women who showed up with honesty, humour, strength, and softness when it mattered most.

As I step into 2026, I don’t arrive with a polished plan or perfect clarity.
What I do have is a full heart.

This year feels like a steady redefining.
A gentle beginning of what’s next.
An opening rather than an answer.

My intention for 2026 is simple:
✨ to move with integrity
✨ to honour growth without rushing it
✨ to stay connected—to myself and to this community

Thank you for being part of this space, this work, and this journey.
Here’s to what’s unfolding—slowly, honestly, and with care. 🤍

— Jacqui / New Remedy Therapy

02/01/2026

We hope your holidays have been grand . I still have two weeks at home without my munchkin (hopefully to do some life admin) our holidays were quite simple and spent at home. We are feeling very connected chilled and ready for 2926.

01/01/2026

Yess !!! Let’s hope they are used as intended by police and women are also listened too

New domestic violence laws started 1 January 2026 in Queensland.
Police now have the power to issue on-the-spot Domestic Violence Protection Orders, called Police Protection Directions (PPDs).

PPDs are made without a court application and stay in place for 12 months. They can include conditions like no contact, leaving a shared home, staying away from certain places, and cooling-off periods.

PPDs cannot be issued in certain situations, including where there is an existing protection order is in place.

If someone breaches a PPD, it is a criminal offence.

If you’re served with a PPD or have questions about what these changes mean, seek legal advice immediately.

To learn more, read our factsheet: https://pulse.ly/gulnd95bij

If this raises issues for you, support is available:
📞 13YARN (24/7): 13 92 76
🚨 In immediate danger? Call 000
📞 PoliceLink QLD: 131 444
📱 DVConnect (24/7): 1800 811 811
📱 1800RESPECT (24/7): 1800 737 732
⚖️ Free legal DFV help – WLSQ: 1800 857 857 (Mon–Fri 9 AM – 4:30 PM)

31/12/2025

It’s easy to be trapped into cry it out methods the real importance is connection and intuition. The only time it’s safer to let the baby cry is if you need a minute because you’re having invasive thoughts like wanting to shake your baby to “shut up” or stop the crying. Those words may be confronting but I’m pleased to see cry it out phasing away I just hope the phase out is balanced and promotes neuroprotective care for both mother and infant

Denmark has officially moved away from the "cry it out" method, a practice where babies are left to cry until they fall asleep. Experts say this approach can interfere with attachment and stress regulation, especially in the first year of life. Babies’ brains are highly sensitive to emotional cues, and prolonged crying can trigger the stress-response system unnecessarily.

Research shows that when infants are comforted promptly, their brains develop stronger connections in areas that manage stress, emotional regulation, and social bonding. Responding to a baby’s cries does not spoil them. On the contrary, it helps them feel safe, strengthens their nervous system, and promotes healthy brain growth.

Gentle care practices such as holding, rocking, and speaking softly to babies build trust and security. When parents provide consistent comfort, babies learn that the world is predictable and safe. These early experiences set the foundation for emotional resilience, empathy, and mental health throughout life.

By following Denmark’s example, caregivers can support the brain and emotional development of infants. Choosing gentle care over strict sleep training ensures babies feel secure, loved, and understood from the very beginning.

30/12/2025

I think the ndis PBIS space faces a similar crisis as the one outlined here in America. Practitioners can have as little training as a diploma or as little experience as being a school teacher who did some counselling on the side. This isn’t to say each of those scenarios can’t be good practitioners but it does mean the range of quality and experience for one of the highest paid line items in the ndis is largely unregulated and requires consumer discernment.

What do you expect from someone when you pay them $240 an hour ?
Minimum qualifications?
Minimum training ?
Minimum experiences ?

What would you accept ?

28/12/2025