Womens Health Business Case Report

2.7.2 Clients In addition to assessing health

“The first step was hard to make because I really didn’t know what kind of help I would be getting here. I realized that I was physically and mentally and sexually abused and how deeply I was affected. I knew nothing about the outside world. I’m a much stronger person now, no one can control my life. I feel free, I can breathe now. I’m doing things that I never done before. I’m back to school, I have taken up a computer course. I feel confident. I’m full of talents that I never knew I had. This Centre has helped me in so many ways. I’m free now”.

outcomes, Women’s Health Centres undertake regular surveys of client experience and satisfaction. Client feedback from these surveys indicates strong support for the service and approach taken by Women’s Health Centres. Consistent themes in client feedback include: • The service was more effective in meeting the client’s needs than other services that they had accessed in the past with the trauma-informed approach noted as particularly crucial; • The service was effective in supporting recovery from complex trauma, particularly the health impacts of domestic and family violence, and sexual violence; • The women-friendly space offered by the Women’s Health Centre was important in creating a sense of safety for many clients; • Services and support provided to clients was effective in identifying and diverting clients from self- harm, helping them to leave abusive relationships, and to address and overcome addictions; • Addressing the health impacts of trauma supported clients’ recovery and capacity to engage in family life and employment. Fig 10 provides a sample of feedback fromWomen’s Health Centre clients.

“Often I didn’t want to hear certain things. Counselling involved a lot of hard work on my part. Sometimes I would go ahead in leaps and bounds other times I seemed to go backwards and sometimes I felt I was stagnating. After reading this you might think why bother? I will tell you why: I am off my anti-depressant medication. I no longer put all my energy into thinking of ways to kill myself. My energy is now put into my life and making it what I want it to be. I no longer have to listen to those voices that tell me I’m not a good person. For the most part they are gone and if I hear them creeping up again I can refute them. I no longer feel I have to do for others and put up with certain things, I can now do for myself. I now know it’s okay and healthy to express my anger and what healthy unhealthy relationships are. I now know I am a worthwhile person with a lot of great qualities. Thank you to everyone at the Centre for making it possible for me to make this journey.”

“There is a great need in the community for a service such as this. It took me 20 years to find this one”.

“I am a woman who has had mental illness for quite a few years. I have used not only this service but many other services. While I have had to learn to manage my illness and addictions I would have found it very hard to be in a mixed rehabilitation/counselling as the vulnerability I had and the fears I had to overcome were not ones I could easily face or express around men. It is vital that women who are suffering from addictions, domestic and emotional violence have a place of refuge and respite that is safe and has some serenity”.

“I’ve had a lot of negative past experiences with men and it’s really important for me to have a safe women’s only space to feel comfortable and safe to come to work on my past abuse and with help be stronger and contribute more to my community”

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Sustainable Investment in the NSWNGOWomen’s Health Program