The Indigenous Healing Service (IHS) supports children, young people, adults and families who have experienced and/or been impacted by trauma including, child sexual abuse, family and domestic violence, or grief and loss. The service also supports children who are at risk of, or are, engaging in harmful sexual behaviour or violence towards others.
The service is free and available to families living in South Hedland and Port Hedland, Western Australia.
By using a combination of traditional and contemporary healing approaches the service encompasses physical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual wellbeing. Through individual and group therapeutic yarning, counselling, and community engagement the service aims to:
- Reduce the harmful impacts of child sexual abuse;
- Reduce the harmful impacts of family and domestic violence;
- Support families and communities in keeping children safe from violence and abuse.
The Indigenous Healing Service also provides a range of education programs and community initiatives to help children and young people develop age-appropriate, healthy social skills and strategies to keep them and others safe.
How to access this service
The Indigenous Healing Services is available by referral. Referrals are accepted from any source. To make a referral, download the relevant form below and return it to ihs@mackillop.org.au.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am not sure if this is the right service for me/my child. What should I do?
You are welcome to drop by the South Hedland office, or give the team a call, to have a yarn and ask any questions. Even if it is decided that this service is not the best fit, the team will help you to find other organisations that will be able to offer some support.
How long will I have to wait before I/we get to see someone?
When we receive a referral, the team will usually reach out within two business days to have an initial chat and get a better understanding of what support can be offered. Sometimes there can be a wait time for people to be seen for counselling, and the team will be able to let you know about this when they ring. Whilst people are waiting to be seen by a counsellor, the team will touch base and check in over the phone in the meantime and make sure that you are connected to other services that may be able to support.
What does Counselling/Healing actually look like?
The Indigenous Healing Service team are all about working in a way that helps you/your family to feel safe. Counselling/Healing will look different for different people, and the team are flexible and creative in their approach to providing a safe space for people accessing the service. For some people counselling/healing may involve coming into the office for a chat in the therapy room, but for others it may be about yarning whilst walking at the beach or playing basketball. Some appointments may occur at school or at other private spaces in the community. The office is set up with a range of resources to support people to express themselves through play, storytelling, and art. It is important that people are supported to access traditional healing practices, and the team are guided by family and community in terms of what would be most helpful to support that person’s healing journey.
Can other people come to appointments with me?
We want to make sure that you feel safe, and sometimes it can feel more comfortable to have a support person with you when you attend an appointment initially. You are welcome to discuss this with the team when you make plans over the phone. Particularly when children and young people are being seen at IHS, it is essential that other safe adults in their support network are involved to some degree so that everyone is working together. This will look different depending on the person’s individual needs and circumstances.