The Power in Helping

One of the profound lessons from my time working in mental health and suicide prevention is that helping is never just an act of kindness or support. Helping is also an exchange of power, sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious, but always present. Whether we are the one offering help or the one seeking it, we step […]

Coming Together: Why Community Matters in Mental Health and Recovery

In every community, there are people quietly navigating challenges with mental health, addiction, and the complex emotions that accompany them – shame, isolation, fear, and hope. What often makes the difference is not a single intervention or program, but the presence of community: people coming together, listening, sharing stories, and reminding one another that recovery […]

Just Hanging Out

Just Hangin’ Out… One of the privileges of working in a community-led, service-oriented organisation, is that I come across some remarkable people. Remarkable, not because they are heroes who save the day, not because they perform magical acts that miraculously take away the pain and grief that many people we connect with experience, and not […]

Dolphyn Newsletter – Sept. 2018

Important Changes at Dolphyn Welcome to Dolphyn’s latest Newsletter where we share important and exciting news about our future. People who have followed our work closely will know of my personal involvement with Lifeline for many years. I started as a volunteer Director in the Newcastle & Hunter region in November 2012. Dolphyn began in March […]

Models From Social Sensemaking

Social Sensemaking In this piece I introduce you to two of the semiotic models developed in my first book Social Sensemaking. Firstly, The Decision Tree and then The Trade-offs Model. The Decision Tree Why is it challenging to accept that many of our ideas and thoughts originate in our unconscious? What is it that seduces […]

Support and Empowerment in Helping Others

How may our worldview influence our method when it comes to training and also helping others? If we do not acknowledge our own worldview, what impact may this have in how we support others? Also, how can we even begin to ponder what our worldview is, and so consider the above questions, if we don’t […]