Healing hearts and minds at Macquarie
Director of Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Andrea Taylor, Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Aboriginal Clinical Lead Michelle Lawrence and Macquarie Hospital Service Director/Site Manager Elisabeth Manning
A traditional healing garden provided comfort for mental health consumers and visitors to Macquarie Hospital, while honouring the connection between land and the Indigenous custodians.
Situated on the lands of the Burramattagal people of the Darug nation, the garden—which has traditional medicinal plants— pays tribute to their wisdom and traditional healing practices. The traditional healing garden not only serves as a place of cultural significance and healing for the First Nations community but also offers a peaceful and reflective space for the hospital staff and consumers. Mental Health Drug and Alcohol
Aboriginal Clinical Lead Michelle Lawrence said the traditional healing garden was as a vital resource for the First Nations Recovery Group within the hospital’s community. “By incorporating traditional medicinal plants, the garden becomes a living symbol of healing, both physically and spiritually,” she said. “The First Nations Recovery Group’s consumers can actively engage with the plants, learning
about their historical uses and medicinal properties, which have been passed down through generations.
“This empowering experience not only
enables individuals to reconnect with their cultural heritage but also helps promote a sense of belonging and pride in their Indigenous identity.”
12 NSLHD 2023 Year in Review
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