Content warning: This story discusses mental health challenges, childhood trauma, and domestic violence. Reader discretion is advised.
At Inclusion Tree, we’re privileged to witness the incredible growth our participants achieve over the years. Recently, we sat down with Daniel, who shared his personal impact statement about life before and after receiving NDIS support. He told us about his journey from isolated hermit to a life of independence, connection and freedom.
Daniel lives with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), a stress-related mental disorder characterised by emotional dysregulation and negative self-beliefs; this includes things like shame, guilt, prolonged feelings of terror, worthlessness, and helplessness. People living with CPTSD often experience a range of abuses during childhood; for Daniel, he was exposed to domestic violence, sexual abuse, and workplace bullying.
He describes living with CPTSD as “walking a tightrope at a great height. It takes all your energy, concentration and effort to move forward. Many times, I wobble; many times, I have fallen from a great height.”
Before NDIS support, Daniel’s days were consumed by fear, anxiety, panic attacks, and traumatic flashbacks. The simplest tasks felt impossible.
“There were times that I just didn’t get out from under the doona,” Daniel recalls. “Didn’t have a shave, didn’t have a shower, didn’t brush my teeth… I’ve gone a day or two without having done anything like that. It was like a magnetic field where it just pulls you down.”
Daniel’s mental health struggles also began to manifest in the real world. Because he could go days without getting out of bed or lacking the mental energy to care for himself and his home, his living space fell into what he describes as “a state of squalor and unhygienic”. His home also filled him with a deep sense of shame.
Isolation for Daniel also became a compounding issue; he moved from Newcastle to help escape traumatic memories, which meant he was now in a new community without any connections.
“Mental health just compounds it,” he explains. “If you’re not doing anything, not working, it’s hard to get those contacts. Without having a place to go and talk to people regularly, it’s very isolating.”
With his home in disarray, he pushed away anyone who wanted to visit, not wanting them to see the state of his living situation. This aversion also extended to support workers and coordinators; if they came to his house for a meeting or catch-up, he would talk to them outside and not let them in. As you can well imagine, how crushing that sense of isolation would be in a new area, finding it hard to make connections and the ones you do make aren’t able to be welcomed into your home; the loneliness would be devastating.
But luckily, this all began to change once Daniel connected with the NDIS and started receiving quality support that met his needs, and he began to see his life improve.
With his funding, Daniel could access cleaning support from Kane. Daniel describes him as “A really nice guy. He’s so polite [and] nothing is ever a problem.” Thanks to Kane’s help, Daniel can stay on top of his housework, which has given him a real sense of pride in his home.
This pride has also given Daniel a sense of control over his life, which has allowed him to start inviting friends and family over, something that in the past would have been unthinkable. “My mother’s coming this week. There’s no way I would have ever invited her to stay over before. My stepbrother stayed overnight recently on his way up north. Cleaning is just so important.”
Daniel also lives with Type 2 Diabetes and, in the past, struggled with excessive weight; at his heaviest, he weighed 149.7kg. This, coupled with high blood sugar, resulted in constant brain fog, lethargy and blurred vision; when you combine this with his mental health disorder, it makes for a toxic mix of sedentary living and a spiralling mentality.
But luckily, with help from his cooking support, Tyler, Daniel has been able to maintain a healthy diet. Tyler is a talented young chef who trained at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Japan, and he can make varied meals that provide all the nutrients Daniel needs while also adhering to his Keto diet, which has been Ideal for managing his diabetes.
“The thing with keto is that you can eat as much as you want, really… It’s only good fats, low in sugars and low in carbohydrates,” Daniel explains. “Tyler makes enough food for me to feel satisfied. He’s just so talented.”
“I’ve been able to have it for several years now,” Daniel says. Thanks to his diet change, increased activity, and regular exercise, he’s been able to drop his weight to around 80kg. His blood sugars are also now well maintained, giving him the energy to get out of the house and clear his vision as well as his mind. “Keto is the best diet to accompany Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 due to its low carbs and sugars and weight loss,” he says.
Daniel’s Support Worker, Paula, has become an invaluable part of his life and has been central to his mental health improvement. Together, they were able to attend a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) course where they learnt skills, reinforcement strategies and knowledge that help Daniel on the road to improvement.
“I look forward to Thursdays as I feel a sense of personal growth and productivity,” Daniel shares. “It’s the day all the mental health skills I have learnt come together.”
Paula supports Daniel and helps with anything he needs, from dividing his medications for the week to researching community engagement opportunities. She will also go above and beyond to make sure he is still reaching his goals, things like exercising with him when he needs “a nudge,” as well as providing transport to appointments and scenic locations. She even helped him create a therapeutic garden in his backyard.
“We’ve really clicked,” Daniel says. “She doesn’t judge. She does it in a way that’s kind of like, ‘Well, come on, what about we get some exercise and get out of the house?’ She gives me a bit of a nudge, but it doesn’t feel like she’s controlling me.”
Thanks to Paula’s efforts, Daniel also attended 22 hours of Art Therapy through Victims of Crime NSW Counselling. Daniel found this form of therapy amazingly effective.
“Art therapy has been used in mental health for years,” Daniel notes. “It’s amazing… I’m unloading lots of stuff which I wouldn’t normally do. It’s hard to get stuff from years ago out, and it’s amazing how you can just do it.”
One of the most rewarding additions to his life has been his cat, Smoochy, whom he adopted from an animal rescue with Paula’s help. Having a constant companion around the house has also done wonders for Daniel’s mental health; it also helps that she’s very affectionate.
“I’d be lost without her,” Daniel says simply. “She’s very affectionate… she rolls over and wants to be rubbed on the tummy. She’s like a dog.”
Dainel also uses an electric motorised tricycle to get around without relying on others. This freedom to go where he wants, whenever he wants, is another little piece of independence he has earned for himself. Doing simple things like visiting parks, running errands, and reaching appointments not on the bus network may seem mundane, but doing them on your own without needing others is the real victory. The most important part of the extra mobility is being able to visit the beach, also known as his “meditation.”
“It gets rid of the cobwebs and makes you think a bit better,” he says. “Most of Ballina is flat and there are lots of shared pathways going around the beaches. I’m not a person who will just walk around suburbia. But if you’re near the beach or in bushland, that’s where I prefer to go.”
When Daniel reflects on his journey with the NDIS, he can see clearly how it has impacted his life.
“It’s changed my life completely. I was a basket case before the NDIS.”
He hopes people understand that the support he receives isn’t just practical assistance; it’s the foundation that allowed him to build a better life, one where he is healthy, proud of his home, clear-minded, and Independent.
“I am eternally grateful for the help from the NDIS,” Daniel writes in his impact statement. “All my supports are invaluable and critical to helping me to have A Life Worth Living.”
We acknowledge the connections of First Nations People of Australia to the land, sea and community on which we live and work. As custodians of this sacred land we respect and acknowledge Elders, past, present and emerging.
