Healing Circles

An innovative group therapy and connection pilot program is proving highly effective in supporting Alcohol and Other Drug misuse and positive wellbeing and wellness recovery in Port Lincoln.

The Healing Circle Day Centre is provided by West Coast Youth Community Support in partnership with the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Community Council to provide social support, inspiration, mental health advice and peer support for the giving and receiving of assistance to achieve long-term recovery.

“The Healing Circle pilot program that began in September 2021 is now well established and continues to provide therapeutic group support to our Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal clients in a culturally safe manner,” said Narelle Biddell, Chief Executive Officer, West Coast Youth and Community Support Inc.

Country SA PHN funds the Healing Circles, with the program offered at no charge to the community. We are pleased to support innovative ways to engage communities. Healing Circles effectively create a foundation for integrated, community led program delivery that is well supported and understands and meets local needs.

The Healing Circles Centre’s key elements are distilled into the following theoretical approaches: • A client-centred, culturally safe, gender responsive approach • Trauma informed practice • Family inclusive practice • A strengths-based and resilienceoriented framework.

This theoretical framework serves as the foundation on which the model of care sits. It is consequently informed by these theoretical perspectives, guiding new practices, and shaping expected client outcomes. It works to provide the key principle of reducing the impact and costs associated with Drug and Alcohol misuse by providing a collaborative program that is strength based and has the needs of individuals and the community and society at the heart of the project.

The Healing Circles prevention interventions are premised on the belief that group therapy delivery reduces negative symptoms, poor motivation, as well as improves social functioning and interpersonal relationship skills. Care and recovery coordination involves a person and their family setting recovery goals, supporting access to other health and human services and maximising opportunities for meaningful social and economic participation.

The program’s goal is to promote a more holistic lifestyle and to identify areas for change such as negative personal behaviours, social, psychological, and emotional that can lead to substance use. This is delivered via a suite of targeted program-based prevention interventions which targets specific groups and communities. These programs typically focus on groups of people at high risk of developing harm from Alcohol and other Drug use and are tailored to meet their needs. Client voice is important.

“Our Healing Circle clients, in many instances, are people who had given up hope for recovery, exhausting many other services, their families and other supports,” said Narelle Biddell, Chief Executive Officer, West Coast Youth and Community Support Inc.