Hi there wonderful friends, families and carers 💜

This month we are excited to welcome the President of the Blue Knot Foundation, Cathy Kezelman, as our special guest for Topic Tuesday Live Chat Event on the topic of Trauma. Blue Knot are national leaders in supporting and empowering people who are recovering and healing after complex trauma.  

Topic Tuesday will look a bit different this month as we are hosting two discussions back-to-back on the forums with the Blue Knot Foundation.

How will it work?

   🔹 From 7:00-8:00pm AEDT, we will start the discussion here in the Friends, Family and Carers forum talking on the topic of Understanding Trauma and Supporting Loved Ones.

  🔹  From 8:00-9:00pm AEDT the conversation will continue in the Lived Experience Forum talking about Trauma and Recovery (use this link to join the discussion!).

Understanding Trauma

On the SANE forums, there are many stories about the impact of trauma on survivors, friends and families. This discussion will focus on the experience of being a friend, family member or carer for those experiencing trauma. We will cover topics such as understanding what trauma is, how it impacts survivors, and what each of us can do to support those around us (and ourselves!).

Earlier this month we put out a call for questions on the topic of trauma contributing to the planning of this event. We want to extend a huge thank you to the many members who posted questions for this live event-  we have done our best to combine key themes and questions! 💙

Please join us here on Tuesday the 23rd of February 2021 from 7:00pm-8:00pm AEDT to follow this conversation. 

Want to receive a reminder on the night? Hit the 'Support' button below.

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I'm new here - what is this?

The event runs from 7:00 - 8.00pm AEDT on the 23rd of February, and then continues in the Lived Experience Forum from 8:00 - 9:00pm AEDT. Each month we focus on a different topic with the session facilitated by a Community Manager or Moderator, and joined by a Peer Support Worker. 

The first post of the thread (this one) will give you an idea of what the topic is and what will be covered.

How do I get involved?

Our text-based event takes place right here! As it is text-based, no software is needed. During the session, to keep up with the latest posts hit the 'refresh' button on your browser for the newest comments (it doesn't automatically update). Keep an eye out for page numbers at the top & bottom of the page, and jump to the highest page number for the most recent post. We recommend using a desktop computer or laptop for the event for overall ease of use .

Throughout the session, the facilitator will post questions for the guest to answer, and you can provide your answer too. Usually the questions will ask for your own experience on the topic. To contribute to the event, just hit the 'reply' button and share your thoughts. No answers are right or wrong, and everyone is welcome to get involved! 

What time does this event start in my timezone?

• AEDT - 7:00pm
• AEST - 6:00pm
• ACDT - 6:30pm
• ACST - 5:30pm
• WST - 4:00pm

If you have any questions about how to use the Forums, check out our Guides. 

Topic Tuesday discussions can cover some heavy topics. If you are feeling distress during this live discussion, there are support options available to you. You can start a new discussion on the forums and talk to other members, contact the SANE Help Centre on 1800 18 7263, or find crisis support options here.