How to Thrive - Round 1 nearly complete...

16 June 2022

The first round of our newly launched program ‘How to Thrive’ has nearly finished.

Our carers have undertaken two face to face sessions and five interactive online sessions.  They have a final follow up online session in a few weeks to reflect, reset their intentions, and make a plan for continuing to utilise the knowledge and skills they have learned into the future.

The final face to face event was a great success and an amazing opportunity for all the carers participating to get together and reflect on their journey so far.  There was singing, dancing, crying, sharing stories of personal growth and achievements, laughing, a few more joyful tears, and an overall sense of community, support, and personal growth.

Both the carers and the ThirveAbility coaches have been blow away by the difference in the carers who have been involved in this program, especially given the short amount of time they have worked together.   

“We all crawled in here and now we’re walking” - Statutory Kinship Carer

 “How to Thrive 101 is a great program because it is all about helping you, reach our full potential and giving ourselves permission to say No I’m not okay… but the good thing about this program it has opened my eyes, my heart to see me. I’m a single grandmother raising 7 grandchildren. So my world is centred around them and there is so much to do. As their primary carer, my needs are non-existent and irrelevant because all my focus is on them. I’m their provider, their security guard, their maid, cook, cleaner, mum, father, nurse, teammate, nan, carer. I’m meeting all their physical, and emotional needs so they don’t have to worry for anything. How To Thrive 101 helped me to see me and to do me. I have compassion for others but had none for me. I hid behind a wall of lies because as carers we are resilient, we are strong, we are long suffering, perseverant and patient… we have all the characteristics to show others but inwardly and silently I was dying.  Do this program, it has changed my life for the better. I love me and I’m going to care for me and give myself time to enjoy life for me. Happiness is an emotion that gives you that lift… but once expressed, felt, given, received it can go just as quickly… but knowing how to Thrive in your emotional lulls as well as the ups and downs is the key to a full and thriving lifestyle. I’m talking about myself… for me acknowledging my weaknesses to myself and then to others was so hard. Even to give myself permission to love on myself… The guilt, the shame I told myself had me always loving on others to make them happy, which in turn made me happy. Happiness is the outward feeling I express but the joy I have now comes from within and this is where my thriving in all kinds of adversities, feelings, emotions, dreams and desire happen. Thriving is a lifelong challenge which will be a part of my everyday imprint. Thriving to me at this stage is to enjoy the newfound me. I will fill the inside of me with joy and from the joy from within will flow rivers of happiness to those around me and it will be genuine, honest and liberating. This has liberated me.” - Statutory Kinship Carer

“I have been rolling the day (How to Thrive face to face event) around in my head and to be honest, I’ve never been a part of such a moving day in my professional career! Thank you 🙏🏻 I’m humbled and better for it!!” - Suellen – ThriveAbility Coach

Please click the video below to hear the personal stories from some of the Carers who have been a part of Round 1:

Measurement and Reporting has occurred throughout Round 1 of the Program.  Carer wellbeing will be measured using the ThriveAbility Wellbeing Measurement tool developed by Dr Peggy Kern, Positive Psychology Researcher at Melbourne University.  On completion of our program rollout, we’ll be able to utilise this expertise for evidenced-based measurement of the carer well-being program.

Round 2 begins on Sunday 17th July with a face-to-face session in Geelong.

Please see our HOW TO THRIVE TRAINING PAGE for more information and to register.

If you require any more information about the Carer KaFÉ ‘How to Thrive’ program please reach out to us on: email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or call: 9416 4292 / 0419 190 868.