BLACK Swan Health plans to start its ‘Buried in treasure’ program next week to help people in the northern suburbs who have compulsive hoarding disorder.
The disorder affects about one in 20 Australians, which could equate to more than 17,000 residents across the cities of Joondalup and Wanneroo.
The 16-week group course, due to start on March 24, could help participants build skills and learn how to change the way they think about possessions.
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READ NOW“There’s a real need for a program like Buried in Treasure, and it is clear in the numbers,” program coordinator Nadia Bamasri said.
“We started in 2015 with only seven participants in Joondalup and Wanneroo – now all the sessions we run are fully booked with a growing waiting list.”
The program disposes of traditional methods, like clearing someone’s home through third party intervention, in favour of a more collaborative approach.
“The program aims to give people support, help and the confidence needed to de-clutter their life and navigate through the confusion,” Black Swan Health chief executive Terina Grace said.
“The usual methods and traditional clean-ups usually have extensive practical and emotional costs.
“Cleaning someone’s home who is a victim of hoarding tendencies is often left feeling robbed and empty.
“A program like Buried in Treasure alleviates the distress of a home clean up whilst addressing the core problems before it gets out of hand.”
There are spaces available in the upcoming program, which is capped at 12 participants.
For more information, call 9208 9587 or email nadia.bamasri@blackswanhealth.com.au.
Visit www.blackswanhealth.com.au for more information about the organisation’s free mental health services, including for depression, post-natal depression and anxiety.