Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag Dec 24 - Flipbook - Page 18
Act
If a bushfire has impacted your local area,
you may need to act. Here are some tips for
when you’re in the act phase of PAR:
Follow your action plan.
Leave early if you can.
Actively listen to advice from local
authorities or stay informed by listening
to local radio for warnings or checking
emergency services websites.
If there isn’t enough time to leave and
you must stay, seek shelter. Wear
protective clothing, stay in a bunker or
well-prepared sheltered area, and have a
clear exit point if you need to evacuate
quickly.
Never seek shelter in a bathroom; if you
need to evacuate your shelter, head to
burnt ground away from the fire.
Click here to learn more about what you
should do when you need to act.
Seeking support from Converge
When a significantly challenging event has impacted
your mental wellbeing, we can support you. Once
you’re ready, you can book an appointment with our
expert team via our online booking engine or the
Converge App. If you need urgent support, contact us
on 1300 687 327 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an
emergency, always call 000. We’ll always be there for
you – anytime, anywhere!
Protecting your mental
wellbeing
Bushfires are deeply traumatic. Some people
may lose their houses, and others may
experience extreme loss, like the death of a
friend, neighbour, or family member. As part
of people’s grief and traumatic responses to
these events, any future exposure to
bushfires can be triggering; for example,
information about bushfires in the news,
even if the fires won’t directly affect them. If
a bushfire has impacted you:
Reach out for psychological support from
a GP or psychologist.
• Seek out your workplace EAP, such as
Converge.
Acknowledge that you have been
through a highly stressful experience.
Things will be different for a while, and
you will have strong reactions.
Awareness and acknowledgement are
the first stages of recovery.
Participate in an individual or group
debrief, which can sometimes support
the processing of the event.
If you’re comfortable doing so, talk to
people you trust. Talking can help to
defuse feelings, make sense of things
and build bridges with others.
ONLINE
BOOKINGS
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CONVERGE APP
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