20/11/2025
“The Trauma No One Talks About in the NDIS"
I’m seeing more and more NDIS participants breaking down in tears, feeling unheard or caught in endless paperwork that makes them feel like they’re being punished for needing support.
We talk so much about “choice and control”, but many people are living the opposite.
Constant reassessments.
Funding cuts with no explanation.
Requests for evidence that go far beyond what people can physically or emotionally provide.
And decisions that ignore clinical reports from the very professionals NDIS tells them to see.
This isn’t just admin.
It’s trauma.
People with disabilities are being left scared to ask for help, terrified they’ll lose the little support they have. Families are burning out. Support networks are collapsing. Participants are blaming themselves for “not being disabled enough”, or feeling like they have to prove their worth every year.
As a Support Coordinator, I see the impact every day, the panic before planning meetings, the sleepless nights waiting for decisions, and the shame people feel when they’re forced to relive the hardest parts of their life just to justify basic support.
If you work in the sector, you’ll know this all too well.
If you’re a participant or a carer, you’re not alone.
And if you’re within the NDIS system reading this, I truly hope these stories are being heard.
We need a scheme that supports people, not one that traumatises them.
Our community deserves better.
Support shouldn’t come with trauma attached. It’s time for a reset.