Lindy lives in northern New South Wales with her husband and two dogs. In her spare time, she loves to read, write children’s books and go to the beach. After a lot of thought, her journey sharing her lived experience of suicide with others, began in 2015.
Lindy is bereaved by the suicide of her brother and she has cared for others close to her, in crisis. Lindy has also experienced her own challenges. Over time, Lindy has shared her story with others in order to assist those who have a lived experience of suicide. She also works to help to raise awareness of how those who may be dealing with their own experiences, can be helped by others with a lived experience of suicide.
Lindy does this because she is passionate about doing what she can to help reduce the rate of suicide in the community and to support others experiencing the emotional distress associated with the effects of suicide. The desire to use her own experiences to help prevent others having to deal with the loss of a loved one is her motivation.
Lindy works in voluntary capacity as a Peer CARE Companion (a lived experience support worker) for The Way Back Service in Tweed Heads. The Way Back Service is a program offered by Beyond Blue throughout Australia. More recently Lindy has also begun working with Roses in the Ocean, an organization which specifically provides support, opportunities and training for those with a lived experience of suicide, to have a voice in a variety of roles within the community.
Her motivation to be a member of the Lived Experience Panel for Suicide Prevention Australia is to not only make a difference but to ensure that others appreciate that those with a lived experience of suicide, can make a difference in supporting others in crisis. Our voice can be powerful and meaningful.
The message of hope that she would like to offer others is:
No matter how bad things may seem there is always a way to make things better. Take courage… ask for help if you need it…your life matters.
