Responding Together

The title, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”, is the 2026 theme for World Mental Health Day (10 October).

Change, loss and grief are a normal and natural part of life. Even the youngest children can experience changes to their daily routine, family plans, or circumstances and even death of a parent or sibling. Learning to navigate these experiences from an early age can greatly influence how young people and adults deal with them in later life.

Working with children and young people across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, the Sisters of Saint Joseph saw the impact family change, loss and grief were having on their students. So, in 1996, Sr Clare Koch, with the support of Professor Anne Graham AO and Pat Sutherland developed Seasons for Growth, an education program designed to teach young people, 6-18 years of age, a positive approach to managing these experiences.

The program delivered to small peer-based groups by trained adult “Companions”, draws on the rich metaphor of the seasons and uses safe, creative learning activities that help the young people to develop new ways of thinking about and responding to their circumstances. Participants, by voicing their own experience and listening to that of others, grow in self-awareness and empathy and learn skills for coping with their emotions and life’s stressors.

It is coincidental that in this month when Pope Leo XIV has asked we pray for those engaged in mental health ministry within the Church, that we also celebrate 30 years since the launch of the Seasons for Growth program. Since 1996, Companions working in diverse settings, in schools, parishes, and social service agencies have delivered the program to over 500,000 children and young people. Other programs, using the same seasons metaphor, have also been developed for use with adults, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (Seasons for Healing) and with young people managing the aftermath of natural disasters (Stormbirds).

Today these programs implemented by MacKillop Family Services, continues to deliver these programs as MacKillop Seasons, giving honour to its heritage and providing the ongoing support needed for Companions to deliver the programs across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.

As we celebrate this 30^th anniversary, let us take up Pope Leo XIV’s invitation to pray for those involved in mental health ministry in the Church, and in a particular way, pray for those whose insight and expertise led to the development of the programs, the researchers and writers who have kept the program fresh and relevant for today’s context, and for the countless women and men who have worked as trainers and Companions in the programs making a real difference to the lives of countless individuals. And finally let us pray for the staff of MacKillop Seasons in gratitude for all they are doing to grow resilience and strength within the community.

Mary Ellen O’Donoghue rsj