Helping women heal

Adamas Nexus support group
Kind. Tenacious. Motivated.

Kristine Hewett is known for her big heart and charitable nature.

Despite working full-time, she co-founded the Adamas Nexus to provide long-term peer support for women survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

There are many crisis services in Canberra, but Kristine noticed a lack of support groups to complement the care provided by mental health professionals.

Adamas Nexus has been running for two years and offers two well-frequented groups a month in central and south Canberra.

The group helps women to heal collectively by helping others and to reignite positive feelings, passion and power, Kristine says.

"The aim is for the groups to become self-facilitated, with the group led by the participants for the participants."

Kristine has overcome her own childhood abuse and says the final stage of healing is using one's personal experience to help other people. She acknowledges that becoming open to sharing was the biggest challenge she had to overcome.

Kristine also volunteers for Orange Sky Australia, where she helps people in need to wash their belongings while everyone enjoys a good chin-wag.

It's a trial to find time for everything she needs to do, but Kristine plans to set up groups for men and people in the LGBTIQ+ community.

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. Adamas Nexus will use its grant to provide an online facility for busy people and others who are not able to attend the group in person.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here