Our team at the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre are always happy to answer any questions you may have about the Centre.
However, we’ve answered some of our most common questions below.
Do not hesitate to contact us on 4243 9800 or email us to find out more.
The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is a place for women to heal and rebuild their lives if they have or are experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence.
Our range of services supports women in living secure and independent lives.
Our Centre offers a variety of free healing, practical and connected support services under one roof at our unique and specialised women-only space in Shellharbour.
The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is not a crisis service.
If you need urgent assistance, please call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or the Police on 000.
You can self-refer (by calling us or dropping into the Centre), or a GP, health provider or other community support provider can refer you if you are or have experienced domestic, family and sexual violence.
Please get in touch with us for a confidential conversation about your needs.
Once you contact us, our Intake Officer will call you.
Please make sure you have a safe, quiet space You can find out more about what our intake process involves here.
The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is a service for women who have experienced or are experiencing domestic, family and/or sexual violence and are ready to start healing and recovery therapies.
To be eligible you must:
If you meet this criteria, you will also have an appointment on the phone with our Intake Coordinator, who will discuss your strengths, resources and goals.
If you are unsure if you are eligible, please call us, and our experienced team can discuss this further with you.
The purpose of the initial appointment is to assess what support is safest and most beneficial at that time.
The initial appointment is not an interrogation or a test; it is a holistic conversation at the woman’s pace. Women are not required to share details of their trauma. In fact, staff often advise against discussing specific traumatic experiences at this stage, as retelling such events can be distressing and is not necessary for planning effective care. Women can choose to provide a broad overview of their experiences or answer simple yes-or-no questions.
The Centre welcomes women from all walks of life and acknowledges that their experiences are shaped by trauma, health, culture, and community.
Each woman’s story is heard with respect and cultural sensitivity, focusing on the support that is the safest and most helpful.
In some cases, trauma-focused therapy may need to be deferred, especially during periods of acute mental health distress. When this occurs, staff will discuss alternative support options and encourage women to return when their circumstances improve.
You can read more about our intake process here.
The intake officer will contact you within a week.
The waitlist for each service or group may differ, but we will give you an indication of what it is when we talk to you.
We are open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
We are closed on weekends. But you can email us out of hours.
All our services are free of charge.
Our specialist workers are available to provide practical help and support to women who are experiencing or have previously experienced domestic, family and/or sexual violence and are ready to heal and recover from the violence and abuse.
Our service works with women to identify and meet their individual needs and goals.
Services include trauma and violence-informed counselling, practical support or casework, legal advice, financial counselling, employment guidance and Centrelink advice.
We provide a range of free healing therapies tailored to your specific needs in a safe, supportive and empowering environment in the Centre.
Our list of therapies and groups will continue to grow as we build new partnerships. They currently include massage therapy, a self-care group, a self-compassion workshop, a movement for mental health group, and social connection groups such as our music group and walking group.
While our services are for women over the age of 18, children are able to accompany mothers or carers to the Centre.
If you have children, you may wish to attend appointments in our specially designed room, which has a view into our safe playroom to allow you to keep an eye on your little ones.
We do suggest, however, that you get care for your children if you are able – that simply allows you to focus fully on yourself whilst at the Centre.
Yes. The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is a safe place for women to heal and rebuild their lives after experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence.
All services are private and confidential.
All our services, groups and workshops are available to women who are eligible to access the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre.
For therapeutic groups designed by our mental health practitioners, you will need to talk to our Intake Officer to see if they will work for you.
For our social connection groups and activities, we encourage women to give each group a go to find out what works for them.
To be eligible you must:
If you need urgent assistance, please call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or the Police on 000.
Otherwise, please take a look at the Resources page on our website, where we list a number of agencies and services that can help outside of business hours.
We’re unable to provide safe accommodation on-site but we may be able to recommend an appropriate service for you.
Our Resources page also lists a number of services that will be able to help.
