The Dawn is a neuroaffirming, trauma-specialist service on Dharawhal Land that works with adolescents and adults who are experiencing mental health concerns and a history of trauma.
The Dawn works with individuals who may be struggling with the following impacts of trauma:
Anxiety and Depression
Panic attacks, flashbacks, dissociation and nightmares
Self-harm and suicidal thoughts
Substance abuse and addiction
Overwhelming emotions
Body Image issues and Disordered Eating
Difficulties with relationships
Some common mental health diagnoses of clients The Dawn is skilled in working with include PTSD, Complex-PTSD, Personality and Dissociative Disorders.
Common experiences for clients The Dawn has experience working with:
Childhood abuse (sexual, physical, emotional, neglect)
Domestic and family violence and coercive control
Sexual assault
Sex Trafficking
Physical assault
Sex workers who have experienced workplace trauma
Religious trauma and experiences in cults
At The Dawn we embrace diversity, and are more than comfortable working with First Nations people, individuals of diverse cultural and language backgrounds, and those who have experiences of sexual and gender diversity. We understand that you are more than an acronym or a label!
—Trauma & Mental Health Specialist Service—
“We heal from trauma when we feel safe enough to share our story with a safe and empathetic witness to our pain.
We heal from trauma when we understand the nature of our distress, and paths to self-soothe.
We heal from trauma when we are empowered through connection and embodied attunement to our inner world.
We heal from trauma when we can meet all of the parts of us that exist in our rich tapestry of life with self-compassion.
We heal from trauma when we live a life not defined by what happened, but by who we became...”
It’s always darkest before the dawn…
The Dawn practices therapy that acknowledges and validates the impact of societal and systemic structures of power and control that exist beyond the individual.
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EMDR
EMDR is a trauma therapy which focuses directly on the memory, and is intended to change the way that the memory is stored in the brain, thus reducing and eliminating the problematic symptoms and increasing more helpful behaviour.
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Parts Work
Within each of us are parts - wounded parts and parts working to protect us. The goal of parts work is to develop an embodied sense of self that can compassionately hold your emotions, vulnerable sensations, and resolve inner conflicts.
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Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Manage high distress, difficult emotions and complex behaviours, and challeging relationships.
Dharawal Country
The Dawn is grateful to provide services on Dharawal Land.
We acknowledge the traditional owners and pay respect to Elders past and present.
We mourn the lives, traditions and ongoing culture that was lost in the Appin Massacre of 17 April 1816 on Dharawal Land.
Picture: Minerva Pools, Dharawal National Park. A sacred women’s place.
