The Flourish Collective

05/03/2026

💗💗💗

Meet Dr Lyza Norton – an experienced paediatric dietitian who works closely with families navigating eating disorder recovery. She is also the expert of our eating disorder prevention program Nourish, Nurture, Notice, aimed to help parents recognise the early signs and support their kids confidently.

Lyza brings deep clinical knowledge and a genuine understanding of the complexities around eating and food. She’s also an avid cellist and often reflects on how music mirrors what she sees in her work: “My love of the cello is real and also the fear I feel playing in front of people is very real too!”

Loving something and hating something at the same time can exist in all of us, and it’s not limited to a person’s relationship with food. We can hold conflicting feelings about many parts of our lives. That doesn’t mean we’re failing. It means we’re human.

The free Q&A session is a supportive, practical session designed for parents who want to better understand what’s considered typical, what may be a cause for concern, and how to respond early if changes in eating, exercise, or body image begin to worry you.

You’ll meet Lyza and get front row access to ask any burning questions that are sitting at the kitchen table with you. The ones that feel too small. Too big. Too complicated. Too urgent.

We’re encouraging parents to send in questions early, as these will help shape the session and ensure Lyza addresses what matters most to you.

Session Details:
Food, Fear & Body Image: Ask a Paediatric Dietitian – Free Online Q&A
📅 Date: Monday, March 16, 2026
🕒 Time: 8pm (AEDT)
🎟 Free to attend (registration essential)

👉 Send in your question and register for free here: https://edfa.org.au/ask-a-paediatric-dietitian/

22/01/2026

Over the past few weeks at Flourish, two of our clinicians have been facilitating an incredible therapeutic group program centred around Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)🐉🐲. We’re lucky to have a clinician who brings the full immersive setup, including a projector, music, miniature figurines, and more to bring the game to life.

Dungeons & Dragons is a cooperative storytelling game where players work together to solve problems, explore imaginary worlds, and overcome challenges as a team. Each participant creates a character and joins a shared adventure guided by the facilitator (also known as the Dungeon Master). There are no screens, no winners or losers, just imagination, collaboration, and fun.

In a therapeutic setting, D&D becomes a powerful tool for building social and emotional skills. Through role-play, group decision-making, and creative problem-solving, participants practise:

• Communication and listening skills
• Emotional regulation and frustration tolerance
• Confidence and self-esteem
• Teamwork and cooperation
• Flexible and creative thinking
• Building social connections with peers

This group typically runs during our school holiday program, offering a positive and socially enriching activity during a time when young people often benefit from extra connection and routine. Sessions are designed to be welcoming for both beginners and experienced players.

💕A huge thank you to Daniel and Cheya for the care, creativity and efforts they have put in to facilitating such an enriching and inclusive program!💕

14/12/2025

💛 Deep Sadness & Supporting Children After Bondi 💛

We are holding deep sadness for what has happened in Bondi. Our hearts are especially with the Jewish community, those directly affected, their loved ones, and the wider community.

Like adults, children feel big emotions and changes in energy in times like this; you might notice this through words, play, movement, sleep, or behaviour. All of these are normal responses to frightening events.

Here are some ways parents and caregivers can support children:

💟 Reassure safety – Use simple, clear language and gently remind children that they are safe.

💟 Take care of yourself – Share your feelings and changes in energy, and show gentle ways to care for yourself. Children learn that it’s okay to have big emotions and energy shifts, and that there are ways to feel steady again.

💟 Look for the helpers – Help children to notice the people who show up to care, protect, and support others. There are always more helpers than harm.

💟 Invite communication in many forms – Talking, drawing, play, movement, or quiet time: follow your child’s lead.

💟 Reduce overwhelm – Limit news, adult conversations, and sensory overload when possible.

💟 Name and validate feelings & shifts in energy – All emotions and changes in energy are okay. Children show distress in different ways.

💟 Keep routines, with flexibility – Familiar routines help children feel grounded, but allow extra support and rest when needed.

Do you have any other tips that are helpful tha supports your family?

Standing together in love, care, and connection. 💗💗💗

13/12/2025

✨ Flourish End of Year Gathering ✨

We officially called it an end of year gathering… but it was really a mix of laughs, creativity, chaos (the good kind) and some very unique Christmas wreaths 🎄😅

While we were missing a couple of very important people on the day, the rest of the Flourish team came together to celebrate another big year; with great company, lots of reflection, chatter and hands full of flowers.

Turns out the Flourish team has many talents… and floristry may or may not be one of them 😂 But we had the BEST time creating, laughing and enjoying being together outside of work.

Huge thanks to Jules Little Miss Flowers - Fresh & Faux Florist for hosting us so beautifully and for welcoming our enthusiastic creative interpretations 🌸✨

Full hearts, sore cheeks from smiling, and wreaths that may or may not have made it onto the front door 😉

Big love to our beautiful team
💗 Rachel

07/12/2025

All our flourishers know that while we’ve been working on the inside of our beautiful space over the past almost 3 YEARS, our entrance has been pretty neglected!

So at last here is our welcome sign as a start of things to come for 2026! Isn’t it just the bestest! And if you love this, you’re going to love the launch of our new website next week too!!!

Thanks to By Ash Brand Studio for your help to bring the vision together - our colours and symbols bring me so much joy!

05/12/2025

🎄Flourish Christmas closure dates 🎄

As we edge closer to Christmas, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our wonderful Flourish community for your continued support throughout 2025. It’s a privilege to walk alongside you and your beautiful families. 💗

We’d also like to thank our incredible Flourish team, their dedication, kindness, and unwavering commitment never go unnoticed. We feel so grateful to work alongside such remarkable humans. 💗

Flourish will be taking a well-earned break from the 19th of December and will reopen on the 5th of January.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays🎄

30/11/2025

🌿 An Update From the Flourish Team 🌿

We’re excited to share that Flourish has introduced a new Service Acceptance and Informed Consent Agreement. This updated agreement will be signed by all new and current clients as part of our commitment to providing safe, transparent and high-quality care.

If you can make it in a little earlier to your next appointment that would be amazing! There may be some bumps along the way, so hang in with us as we try to make this as smooth as possible. Not much has changed, mostly we documenting all the things we do for your clarity! The agreement is long because it covers all the aspects of our supports, your fabulous clinician will chat with you about it during your appointment. Your feedback is appreciated too!

This update is one important step in our broader service improvements as we align with the updated Psychology Code of Conduct. Our goal is always to support you with clarity, respect and the highest professional standards, while keeping the warm, welcoming Flourish experience you know.

If you have any questions or would like to chat through the changes, our lovely team is always here to help. 💗

Thank you for being part of the Flourish community.

24/11/2025

It’s a day of mixed feelings here at Flourish: equal parts love, laughter, and “oh no, they’re really leaving!” Our baby bulls, Randal and Sally, who arrived on death’s door after their mums abandoned them, are packing their bags (okay… we’re packing for them) and heading off to a friend’s farm.

Why? Well, Sally has recently discovered she has Olympic-level fence-jumping abilities and insists on checking whether the grass is actually greener on the other side. Spoiler: he will absolutely keep looking until he finds out.

These two have been absolute legends - playful, boisterous, full of sass, and most recently acting as our very own bull-shaped security team during Cyclone Fina. If cows could wear security badges, these two would’ve demanded them.

We adore them, we’ll miss them, and we’re so proud of how far they’ve come. But it’s time for them to start new adventures, make new friends, and hopefully stay on the correct side of their new fence.

Wishing Randal and Sally lots of fun (and safe fence jumping) in the big wide world!!💗

24/11/2025

💗 The welfare recovery centre is now open at marrara sports stadium for anyone in need of extra support after Cyclone Fina 🌀

The Welfare Recovery Centre is now open at Marrara Indoor Sports Stadium.

If you live in Darwin or Palmerston and need support after Cyclone Fina, you can visit the centre to get help and information all in one place.

Services available include:
- Red Cross for psychosocial and wellbeing support
- Department of Health for environmental health, food and water safety information
- Multicultural Council NT with support for culturally diverse communities, including help navigating services and linking with insurance
- NTG Welfare Group with information on relief grants, eligibility and how to apply
- Staff who can connect you with Power and Water information and local council support

⏰ Open daily 8:30am–4pm until extended until Wednesday 3 December 2025.

📍 Marrara Indoor Stadium, 10 Abala Road, Marrara

🌐 For updates, visit https://securent.nt.gov.au/recover-from-an-emergency/ex-tropical-cyclone-fina

📞 Cyclone Fina hotline 1800 888 901

23/11/2025

🌿 Flourish Reopening Update

We’re pleased to let you know that Flourish will be open again tomorrow for appointments, as long as it’s safe for you to travel.

Provided it’s safe for you to venture out into the post-Fina jungle, we look forward to seeing you! If not, telehealth appointments are available (messy, hair and PJ’s are welcome!).

Just let us know if neither is possible for you and we can reschedule or pick up at your next scheduled appointment time. Your safety and wellbeing are our top priority.

All of our team are safe. One team member won’t be able to make it in tomorrow, so we’ll be calling anyone affected to reschedule those appointments.

Take care, move gently, and we’re here if you need us. 🌿

23/11/2025

🌪️ Cyclone Fina Update: Flourish: 1, Fina: 0
Everyone hanging in there?

Cyclone Fina has swished past Darwin, but we’re still in a warning zone because apparently she likes to keep things interesting and travel very slowly. Palmerston did fairly ok, but Darwin roads are a bit of a mess with powerlines down. Big love to those without power or dealing with damage. Secure NT says stay off the roads, so we’ll be hanging tight for a bit longer by the looks of it!

As for us, Flourish and the therafarm survived the storm with only a couple of cheeky leaks some huge puddles and one dramatic tree down in the carpark. And the animals. … Absolute champions.

🐄🐂 Our bulls, Randal and Sally, took their security roles VERY seriously and jumped the fence to guard the Flourish entrance like two overcaffeinated bouncers. River the goat hung out with the chooks (unclear who was supervising who), Chocolate and Vanilla the baby cows were in an adorable cuddle, and Winnie… well, Winnie did her usual: stayed inside, supervised, and slept under my feet.

Stay safe, stay kind, and keep checking on each other. We’ll update you once Fina officially decides she’s done with us. 💗

20/11/2025

🌧️ FLOURISH CYCLONE UPDATE 🌧️

The current cyclone watch has now been upgraded to a cyclone warning, and for everyone’s safety we will be closing Flourish immediately.

All appointments are cancelled until further notice. We will contact everyone to reschedule once we can safely reopen and confirm the situation.

Our priority is the safety of our clients, our team, and our community.

Please take care, follow the official advice, and make sure your cyclone preparations are in place.

We’ll update you again as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Stay safe, everyone 💗

— The Flourish Team