GIDGET HOUSE OPENS... AND BRINGS SOME EXTRA LOVE FOR MUMS AND DADS
IT is a rare thing to find two State Ministers and a local member in a room and feel compelled to report on the love there.
Gidget House Dubbo was officially opened this week, in the company of NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, NSW Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women Bronnie Taylor, and Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders. All three alluded to personal stories where organisations like Tresillian and Gidget Foundation Australia have played a role in their off-camera lives.
Gidget House has opened so that expectant and new parents experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) can now access Gp-referred, free psychological counselling sessions locally.
“The true essence of our organisation comes from fear, from denial and from shame. These are the three words that one in five expecting women or women with new babies will experience; and one in ten new fathers,” Gidget CEO Arabella Gibson said during Tuesday’s opening.
“The thing is, with postnatal depression and anxiety and with early intervention you can get better and you can go on to live a happy and fulfilled life. To us that’s really important because it helps keep families together, keeps them resilient, it keeps them strong,” she said.
Tresillian CEO Robert Mills also spoke of no stigma attached to reaching out to Tresillian or Gidget House.
“It’s just somewhere you can come, it’s somewhere safe you can talk to people, talk to other families and professionals about what you need moving into the future,” he said.
“There’s also lots of local knowledge about what services are around. We know the lay of the land and who’s available for support.”
Dugald Saunders spoke of growing up seeing his mother work in the family and children’s health field and being involved with Tresillian since its beginning.
“The amount of response and feedback you get from people not just in Dubbo, but much further out, is that this is making a huge difference to their lives. That’s the big tick. With Gidget being on board now, it just provides another service and another way of connecting.”
Minister Taylor praised Minister Barilaro who gave her the green light to pursue a Gidget and Tresillian partnership.
“He said if you really want to do this, then go out there and let’s work. He really cares,” she said.
“Having a baby should be one of the happiest and special moments in (your life) but that isn’t always the reality. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, it’s important you do reach out,” Minister Barilaro said.
If you are in need of urgent help, please call your local hospital or Lifeline on 13 11 14.