Wellbeing

Introduction

At SAMSN we are committed to supporting people to live fulfilling, caring, connected, healthy, purposeful, active lives. This section of the website focuses on activities that improve physical, mental and relational health, increase knowledge and skills, build resilience and enhance overall wellbeing.

Strengthening foundations

The focus on wellbeing recognises that strengthening our foundations, broadening our support base and enhancing our resources, skills and knowledge, means we are less likely to be knocked off course and better able to respond when we are confronted with difficulties (including those related to abuse).

Valuable first steps

Engagement in activities that enhance our wellbeing can be valuable first steps towards reducing the influence of sexual abuse in the lives of survivors and supporters.

These are beneficial steps that do not require a person to publicly identify or talk about experiences of child sexual abuse in order to start working on improving their lives.

Focus on wellbeing

There is a growing emphasis in research and practice on enhancing wellbeing. It is now recognised that encouraging a range of activities that support and enhance wellbeing helps everyone (including survivors of abuse) to prevent, reduce and manage mental health and difficulties, and to live richer and more fulfilling lives.

Wellbeing is enhanced through routinely engaging in five identified domains of activity. Our wellbeing is strengthened and enhanced by:

1. Connecting with and talking with people who are supportive, developing friendships, and being part of a community
2. Keeping on learning, maintaining an active brain, being curious, developing new skills and setting challenges
3. Being active, supporting both your physical and mental health. Exercise can help to positively change our brain, mood and life.
4. Giving to others, engaging in acts of kindness, volunteering, and living a valued and purposeful life
5. Being present, paying attention to the moment, becoming mindful of your thoughts, feelings and body, and prioritising and participating in activities that calm, ground and relax you.

Building upon the above list, SAMSN has created a collection of resources that assist in enhancing wellbeing and acknowledge challenges that survivors and supporters can face, including:

Mental wellbeing

Managing emotions

Grounding and breathing exercises 

Living by your values

Unhelpful thinking patterns and basic problem solving

Connecting and learning

Physical wellbeing

Trauma informed Yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong

Mindfulness exercises 

Relaxation exercises

Other wellbeing resources

There are also a number of other websites and resources that focus on wellbeing that are worth checking out, including:

5 ways to wellbeing

Your mental wellbeing

What can we do to improve our wellbeing

5 Steps to mental wellbeing

Additional survivor and supporter resources

In highlighting the value of investing in activities that strengthen our foundations and enhance overall wellbeing, we recognise that survivors and supporters also benefit from access to information and resources that address specific challenges associated with experiences of child sexual abuse.  We encourage you to check out the following pages:

Survivors Information and Resources

Supporters Information and Resources

Prioritise safety and wellbeing

Please note, the information contained on this page is general in content and is not a substitute for professional advice.  We encourage you to prioritise your safety and wellbeing at all times and to consider speaking with a qualified health care professional.

If you are experiencing a crisis or are concerned about your personal safety or the safety of another person call Emergency Services – 000 or Lifeline  – 13 11 14.

References

McMackin R. A., Newman E., Fogler J. M., & Keane T. M. (2012) Trauma therapy in context: The science and craft of evidence based practice. American Psychological Association.