Last year, Visionwest’s Wellbeing Centre supported client whānau with 5,658 counselling sessions. 864 sessions were also provided to children in six local schools. For the Wellbeing Centre staff, the most rewarding aspects to the past year are the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from clients and the number of sessions that were able to be delivered at a time of unprecedented need.
Sandy’s Wellbeing Centre Letter
One of those clients was Sandy* who wrote this letter of thanks to the Wellbeing Centre and wider Visionwest staff – the letter has been edited.
My neighbour told me about the Pātaka Kai food support service at Visionwest, so I went with him one day. Not only did I receive food help, I also received further support by being introduced to two lovely staff members who kindly listened to my story despite my flowing tearfulness and babbling words.
Events unfolding from the start of 2023 created havoc in my life. I realise that situations and/or events vary from one person to the next and others may have gone through worse, but for me this was big. Specifically, the flooding and its severity which impacted us all in unique ways.
For me personally, my car got written off which came as a shock to me. The replacement I purchased turned out to be a faulty “lemon” and created ongoing distress for me (as a pensioner). It was while later, when I was at Visionwest talking to Becks, that I became aware that I could get help from Visionwest’s Flood Support. I didn’t realise that I would qualify because it was my car that was destroyed by the floods, not my home.
I was also referred to the Counselling Service [Wellbeing Centre] which has had a tremendously beneficial impact on me! In hindsight, it’s fair to conclude that depression had crept over me and led to me being “on edge” and very tearful over any little thing I had to cope with.
The wisdom and lack of judgemental attitude led to hugely positive interactions with Liz, my counsellor, and helped me to overcome my “lack of value” perspective on life which affected my self-worth. The need to access a counsellor for a longer term is huge for someone like me and so Visionwest’s consideration of each individual person’s needs was incredibly valuable as it will be to every person who visits the Wellbeing Centre.
To be honest, my interaction with your staff leaves me aware of a kind, caring nature which makes me feel like I do have positive, valuable things about me. This helps restore my willingness to communicate and interact with other people again, instead of remaining cut off, living alone, and without contact with other people.
I hope this is helpful to let you know that your staff and your organisation have “saved” my life from utter despondency thanks to the help I have received to date.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Sandy.*
*Sandy is not her real name. While permission to use Sandy’s* story and real name was given, we have decided not to use it for privacy reasons.