08/06/2026
The strongest message from last week’s AddictionZ 2026 on the Gold Coast?
People don't experience addiction, trauma and mental health challenges in isolation – and treatment shouldn't either.
AddictionZ brought together clinicians, researchers, healthcare providers, government representatives, community organisations, peer workers and lived-experience advocates from across Australia and New Zealand to share knowledge, challenge thinking and explore new ways to improve outcomes for people seeking support.
Representing Avive Health were Catherine Fitzsimmons, Partnerships Manager QLD, and John Knights, General Manager Strategy and Lived Experience.
One theme echoed throughout the conference: recovery is often most effective when we look beyond a diagnosis and understand the whole person – their mental health, lived experiences, trauma history, family relationships, physical wellbeing and support network.
Key conversations focused on:
– growing demand for integrated mental health and addiction treatment
– the importance of trauma-informed and lived-experience-informed care
– ongoing service gaps for veterans and people living with complex trauma
– stronger collaboration across healthcare, community and advocacy sectors
– innovative approaches that improve access, continuity of care and long-term recovery outcomes
These conversations directly inform the work we do across Avive Clinic Brisbane, Avive Clinic Mornington Peninsula and Avive Clinic Melbourne (opening mid-2026), where we support people experiencing addiction, co-occurring mental health conditions and trauma through inpatient, day program, outpatient and telehealth pathways.
Most importantly, the conference reinforced something we see every day: when people have access to the right support, at the right time, recovery is possible.
Thank you to the Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association Inc., presenters and attendees for creating such a valuable forum for learning, collaboration and connection.
If we connected during AddictionZ – or if you'd like to learn more about Avive Health's addiction, trauma and veteran-focused treatment pathways – we'd love to continue the conversation.
📍 Avive Clinic Brisbane – Windsor, QLD
📍 Avive Clinic Mornington Peninsula – Mount Eliza, VIC
📍 Avive Clinic Melbourne – Melbourne, VIC
📧 [email protected]
📞 1800 284 830
