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Blog Articles
Ralph and Kathy Kelly: Staying Kind with Quest
Quest was delighted to welcome Ralph and Kathy Kelly to our Centre in Bundanoon this week....
The 4 Group Guidelines: Why We Have Them at Quest
Sometimes we don’t know what we think until we hear what we say.Creating a safe and supportive...
Helping Northern Rivers Flood Communities
While the Lismore and Northern Rivers floods have subsided, one year on, physical and emotional...
Random Acts of Kindness Day
Margie Braunstein writes about Random Acts of Kindness Day, how it came about, why it’s important...
Moving Beyond Trauma: Heal the Past and Bring Relief to Your Troubled Body, Mind and Spirit
Our Moving Beyond Trauma program assists people with post-trauma stress symptoms to reclaim their lives and bring relief to the troubled body, mind and spirit.
The Biochemistry of Love – Don’t Wait for the One!
Petrea King writes about the biochemistry of love, what happens when we're 'in love' and ways to...
Healing Your Life: Reclaim Your Life With Renewed Confidence
Feeling depressed, burnt-out, stressed, anxious or sad? Our Healing Your Life program can make a profound and positive difference to your life.
False Positive: Providing Emotional Support to a Loved One with Cancer
Someone with cancer needs support, care and concern about their fears & emotions. Learn practical ways to provide emotional support, & not a false positive.
World AIDS Day: Petrea King on 1980s Australia
Nearly 40 years ago today, Petrea King stood in Sydney’s Domain to take part in the first of many annual candlelight vigils for Australians who died with AIDS.
Road Trauma Support Group NSW partners with Quest for Life Foundation
About 80 people who have lost a loved one on NSW roads shared a vision for reform and the future of support for families at the Road Trauma Support Group NSW launch.
Police Health and Wellbeing Workshop in Armidale
Twenty senior police from the New England Command joined the Quest team for a Police Health and Wellbeing workshop in Armidale.
Help Australian Communities Heal From Trauma
Please assist us to help people around Australia who are doing it tough. DONATE TODAY The Quest...
Pamela and Ian’s story of relief and gratitude
Pamela and Ian, aged 80, moved back into their home in the Northern Rivers region in November...
John’s story: Building a brighter future
John Duffy has been an active member of the Penrose Rural Fire Service (RFS) for the last eight...
Quest’s ongoing work with flood-impacted communities
A collaboration of donations, community fundraising, grants and generosity of spirit has enabled...
Guidelines to live your best life as you age, by Julia Willoughby
Getting older is bound to raise concerns about illness, memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s or...
Australian Federal Police offered free PTSD support thanks to AFPA
A new lifeline is available to Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) members experiencing psychological distress or symptoms of PTSD.
Refresh and Refocus Your Mindset, by Petrea King
If you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed or like you’re not managing change very effectively, it might just be time for a mindset refresh.
Tailormade Carer Workshops Focus on Caring for the Carer
The importance of caring for our society’s carers is a key tenet at Quest. Our tailormade carer workshops aim to empower this vital group.
Professor Gordon Parker on burnout: free advice from a leading psychiatrist and Quest Board member
The word burnout has become a bit of a buzzword of our times. But what is it? And is it happening to us more than it used to?
Anxiety: What helps?
Do you feel like you have butterflies in your stomach? Is your heart rate way too high? Do you...
Healing PTSD: Former paramedic Chris Henning’s story
If there’s one thing veteran paramedic Chris Henning wants you to remember, it’s this: don’t just bottle it up when you’re feeling down.
Quest improves access to programs for NDIS participants
Access to Quest’s services has been simplified for people who are NDIS participants, with seven categories of registration now available for our residential programs.
Illawarra wildlife artist Renata Bruynzeel donates beautiful artwork to Quest
Illawarra wildlife artist Renata Bruynzeel has donated a breath-taking painting to the Quest for Life Centre depicting a crackle of cockatoos.
Free massage therapy for trauma-affected flood victims of Lismore
Quest has teamed up with Jaycar Electronics to provide free massage therapy for people affected by the devastating floods in Lismore.
A woodworker’s story: Rising from the ashes of the Australian bushfires
The day after the bushfires that devastated the NSW south coast on New Year’s Eve in 2019, John stood surveying the piles of twisted metal that were once his six sheds and their contents.
Your Life Matters: Out West in June-July 2022
Quest team members Keri and Margie left their homes on 28 June for a drive through our magnificent countryside on their way to Coonamble for the first of four workshops in rural NSW.
A Manager’s Guide to Mental Health: Workplace PTSD
Former police forensic investigator Esther Mckay has a lived experience of post-traumatic stress in the workplace after her medical retirement due to PTSD in 2001.
Your Life Matters: Heart-warming stories
Margie Braunstein writes about communities she and Fiona Nixon met on their travels to Wangaratta and the Riverina, delivering Your Life Matters regional and rural workshops. Stories of joy, hope and healing.
David’s Story: Quest Supporting Men’s Mental Health
David has a message for men struggling with mental illness or experiencing life’s Ds – despair, divorce, disaster, a diagnosis, a death, or drug dependence.
Police Moving Beyond Trauma
Former police officer and mental health advocate Esther McKay is encouraging current and former serving police to consider taking part in the Moving Beyond Trauma program.
Banksia and Acacia Cottage Unveiled at Bundanoon
The transformation of an old amenities block into the Banksia and Acacia Cottage is now complete, with an official ribbon cutting celebration held to unveil the new accommodation.
Your Life Matters Regional Workshops 2022
The Quest for Life Foundation has partnered with community organisations to deliver the Your Life Matters Regional Workshops in NSW and Mallacoota.
Magic happens at Quest, says Merilyn
Merilyn Fowler says magic happens the the Quest for Life Foundation’s residential programs.
Animals Helping Humans Heal
Yoga instructor and former police officer Kate Kilby’s dog Gidget loves to help during the light exercise sessions that form part of the Moving Beyond Trauma program.
Peace Not War: Let’s Relieve Cancer War Metaphors of Duty
When we hear about someone’s journey with cancer, we often hear about their illness through metaphors of war.
Isobel’s Garden: Peace Blooms in Bundanoon
An ornate array of heirloom and hybrid roses in the Quest for Life rose garden holds special significance for Michele Corin.
Avoiding Burnout: Are You Just Limping to the Finish Line?
Are you just “limping to the finish line” of 2021? Check out these tips on avoiding burnout.
Key Lifestyle Recommendations for People with Cancer
How can you enhance the quality and quantity of your life if you have Cancer? Much can be done to...
Padre Ilarino’s Possum Socks
Petrea King writes about a touching story of Padre Ilarino and his possum-fur socks and how kindness can change a life.
Spread some hope, healing and peace this Christmas
37 years ago, a stranger gave me the gift of a brighter future. His gesture of kindness provided me with an opportunity to heal from a lifetime of trauma and grief.
Do you feel as good as you look?
Sometimes we get up in the morning, brush our hair, plaster on a smile and, while we look fine outwardly, under the surface our feet might be paddling madly to keep us afloat. What’s going on within us can sometimes be very different to how we appear to other people.
Quest’s COVID-Safe Residential Programs
Quest is delighted that our Centre in the Southern Highlands is open again for residential programs. The Quest for Life Centre is a COVID-safe business. See our guidelines in place.
Quest for Health & Wellbeing: 30-Day Fundraising Challenge
Spruce up your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing with simple daily habits that can make a profound difference to your life and fundraise for a cause – helping to fulfill Petrea’s 70th birthday dream of long-term support for people with trauma.
Ways to prioritise your mental health
October is Mental Health Month and today, 10 October is World Mental Health Day. Last year, we focussed on the impact the pandemic was having on our mental health, particularly after the recent catastrophic bushfires – and flood.
My experience with burnout – and what helps
Petrea experienced burnout early on in her career. Here she describes how she felt, the symptoms she experienced, and how she recovered. The 3rd in our blog series on Burnout.
The upside and downside of perfectionism
What is perfectionism and why does it drive so many of us? Margie Braunstein writes about her experiences and insight, and how perfectionistic people are more prone to burnout. This is the 2nd in our blog series on Burnout.
Recognising Burnout
Daily life can be exhausting even if you’re not living through Covid lockdowns. So, when do those feelings of exhaustion become more serious, and you become burnt out?
This blog is the first in a series on burnout. Taken from a conversation on ABC’s Life Matters with Gordon Parker AO.
Anxiety: What helps me most
Maybe anxiety for you is a sense of butterflies in your tummy or a racing heart, maybe a sense of ‘impending doom’, the ‘nameless dread’ or an inner flatness, agitation or restlessness. It’s normal to feel all of these sensations, as anxiety is our body’s natural response to stress.
Vicarious Trauma – PTSD Awareness Day
With a ‘lived’ experience of trauma after working 17 years in forensics for NSW Police, Esther Mckay helped establish Quest’s acclaimed Moving Beyond Trauma program