Topic Tuesday // Life After Bushfires // Tues 19th January, 7:00-8:30PM AEDT

[Daisydreamer]

Welcome @Shaz51

[Fizz]

@Daisydreamer  Almost all the areas affected are heavily dependent on tourism – double whammy of the virus as well = loss livelihoods
and a lot of the support promised by authorities was lost as the virus stuff started taking centre stage - ironically it did appear again when a by-election was called but still a year on there are so many sad stories of people waiting for the promised support 

[TideisTurning]

Comparison can be a horrible yet easy trap to fall into @JLD & a hard one to resist, though I find it helpful to remind myself that, as @Daisydreamer has observed, we're all on our own journey with recovery and each of us will react and respond very differently 

[outlander]

@JLD that must be incredibly hard. the comparison can be really tough. the delays for you guys to be able to have your own home again, your own beds is saddening and im hearing you

[Daisydreamer]

@JDL the concern around housing to be able to isolate in is a really big one. There are still so many people living in temporary accomodation, trailers, with family, friends, or moving from place to place while they wait for support. Isolation when you don't have a home would heighten the impact of both isolating, and the feeling of loss. It is understandable you are feeling frustrated

@Klutz meeting new people during covid isolation is really hard, particularly when connection is such a huge part of wellbeing and recovery

[TideisTurning]

In answer to your question, @Daisydreamer, I feel like both @Klutz has summed it up well- I'm hearing a lot of communities feeling forgotten and overshadowed and forgotten because of Covid. 

[Former-Member]

I think that's completely valid @JLD, i'm sure you're not the only one to feel like Covid has overshadowed the huge impacts of the fires.

Sharing a small space with your entire family would be so challenging. I found during lockdown that getting outdoors was my saviour, long walks on my own to get some space from the people I live with and just unwind.

[outlander]

@Klutz thats so difficult 😞 i cant imagine what it would be like to loose things and then not even be able to be able to go out and meet new people. im sure that feels so isolating

[Daisydreamer]

It sure is a double whammy @Fizz. Such a big blow to communities that needed the support to rebuild

[Daisydreamer]

@Fizz I know that one of your big passions is self care and wellbeing, and you have been working really hard to better understand yourself and what you need for recovery. 

Question 4:

These last two months have been the first anniversaries for many communities across Australia who experienced bushfires. Also for those who have experienced bushfire in past, or who have been watching on over the last year via the news, so many people are still feeling the ongoing impact of trauma.

What have been some of the triggers you have experienced this year, and what are some of the strategies that you have used to look after your wellbeing and combat it?

Feel free to share any resources or ideas for combating triggers and looking after your wellbeing