Two of the centre’s Family Practitioners, Amy and Katherine, facilitated a Seasons for Growth Program for Adults in March 2025 after attending program training in Sydney under the Sydney North Health Network Project. The two shared some of their own personal stories to help a group of six mothers feel more at ease about their own parental journeys.
Amy, who was born overseas, emigrated when her first child was a baby, and shared her personal insights into the changes and losses she experienced leaving a robust family support system where grandparents played a significant role in a child’s daily care. Many of the participants could relate to Amy’s story, having moved to Australia recently, leaving behind extensive family networks and the accompanying support that family provides. Katherine recalled her parenting journey being quite different; having to quickly adapt and learn new skills, responding to the immediate expectation from others - ‘You’re the mum now’.
The facilitators’ stories led to a rich discussion about the benefits of understanding your own journey, and that of others, particularly when working within the context of different family structures and cultures. The group remarked on the importance of not assuming that all experiences are the same, or felt in the same way, and the value of learning and sharing. All of the mothers in the group had children under five years old, and all expressed how beneficial it was to understand that they weren’t alone in feeling some of the highs and lows of parenting.
Running over 4 sessions, the program led to other opportunities for support as some of the mothers went on to join the centres supported playgroup.
Below are some of the powerful reflections on what they found most valuable from the training:
“Exploring the challenges of motherhood in conjunction with the changes of the seasons”
“Reflections and sharing …... opening up things that I never thought of before……. feels good to hear others’ thoughts”
“This program let me know that change is fine and to take the change as a chance to grow”
“Sharing personal experiences with the facilitator and other participants helped (me) to release and learn from others”
One of the highlights for Amy and Katherine was how well the group engaged. This was their first experience running a group around the topic of change and loss with a focus on parents’ own experiences, in contrast to other groups which were focused on helping adults to build parenting skills.
Following the conclusion of the program, both commented on the benefit of debriefing and discussions, leaving them feeling more prepared for their next group. Going forward, Katherine could see the group sessions being a powerful addition to the offerings at the centre and is looking forward to future implementation.