DragonFly's Rest with Leanne Oshea

DragonFly's Rest with Leanne Oshea Specialising in Grief & Bereavement Counselling and Education

19/08/2026

Using the words death and dying is important because they are clear, honest and respectful terms that help people understand and talk openly about the end of life. Saying “passed away” can sometimes make the subject feel less direct or make it harder for people to understand what is actually happening.
Using the words death and dying can create opportunities for honest conversations about a person’s wishes, feelings, care and support. It can also help reduce the fear and stigma surrounding death and allow people and families to feel more prepared and supported during this difficult time.

There is something very special that happens when people come together in a support group.As a facilitator, I have the p...
18/08/2026

There is something very special that happens when people come together in a support group.

As a facilitator, I have the privilege of witnessing it often.

I see people arrive carrying stories, emotions and experiences that can sometimes feel too heavy to hold alone. I see the courage it takes to walk into a room, sit alongside others, listen, and perhaps when the time feels right; share.

Grief matters. When we give our grief words and allow it to be witnessed without judgement, we make room for our stories, for understanding, and for genuine connection. Through gentle questions, grief literacy, meaningful metaphors, and shared reflection, we can begin to better understand our grief and feel less alone in what we are carrying.

Support groups remind us that being heard matters.

I witness people nod when someone else finds the words they have been unable to find themselves. I see the relief that can come with the realisation, I witness sadness, laughter, silence, vulnerability, courage and extraordinary kindness.

Although people may come together because of a shared experience or similar loss, every person's story is different. We each grieve in our own way. There is no expectation to feel the same, cope the same, or navigate grief in the same way or within the same timeframe.

That is part of what makes a support group so meaningful.

It is not about having all the answers or trying to fix what cannot be fixed.

It is about sitting beside one another.
Listening without judgement.
Sharing when it feels safe.
Learning from one another's experiences.

And offering a little warmth and understanding during a time that may otherwise feel incredibly lonely.

As a facilitator, I may gently guide the conversation, offer grief education, ask thoughtful questions and introduce reflections or metaphors that help people explore their experience.

But the true heart of every support group is the people within it.

The compassion, understanding and connection I witness between people continues to remind me of something very important:

We were never meant to carry grief entirely on our own.
Sometimes one of the greatest gifts we can offer another person is simply the feeling:

“You don't have to carry this moment alone.”
❤️
Leanne

Every Monday at Dragonfly’s Rest, you’re warmly invited to join us for Qigong at 9am with Fay from The Five Elements .$1...
17/08/2026

Every Monday at Dragonfly’s Rest, you’re warmly invited to join us for Qigong at 9am with Fay from The Five Elements .

$15

Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that brings together gentle movement, conscious breath, and meditation to cultivate and balance our life energy, or qi. It is a beautiful practice that supports health, wellbeing, inner balance, and a deeper connection with ourselves.

Each Monday, we come together in community to slow down, breathe, move, and share in the wisdom of this ancient practice.

All are welcome. Come as you are and begin your week with connection, presence, and gentle movement.

14/08/2026

Bookings are now open for "Death Literacy as Community Practice"​

What if caring for people at the end of life was understood not only as a health service responsibility, but as a shared community practice?
In this thought-provoking presentation, Dr Kerrie Noonan explores the concept of death literacy—the skills, knowledge, confidence and social networks that help people navigate dying, death, grief and caregiving.
Drawing on more than three decades of research, innovation and community development, Dr Noonan will examine how death literacy is built through everyday relationships, lived experience and collective action. Positioned in a public health framework, she will share insights from the development of the Death Literacy Index and the growing international Death Literacy movement, exploring how communities can become active partners in supporting people through end-of-life experiences.
This session invites audiences to reimagine death literacy not simply as individual knowledge, but as a community resource that strengthens social connection, reduces fear and isolation, and enhances our collective capacity to care, grieve and support one another through life’s most challenging transitions.

Dr Kerrie Noonan is Adjunct Associate Professor/Senior Research Fellow at the Public Health Palliative Care Unit, La Trobe University and Director of the Death Literacy Institute. Her research spans public health approaches to palliative care and bereavement, death literacy, compassionate communities and the development of the death literacy index. Kerrie is Vice President of AHFA and Public Health Palliative Care International.

​This information session planned take place on Tuesday 15-September 2026 from 7pm to 8.30pm AEST

Book now to reserve your spot at this online information session.
https://shorturl.at/mxAza

Yesterday, it was an honour to speak at a CANsurvive - supporting all cancer journeys event in Busselton and connect wi...
14/08/2026

Yesterday, it was an honour to speak at a CANsurvive - supporting all cancer journeys event in Busselton and connect with such a wonderful group of people.

There is a very real grief that comes with the loss or change of our health. It can affect our sense of self, our relationships, our hopes for the future and the way we move through each day. Navigating that grief is huge for those experiencing illness and for the family and friends walking alongside them.

This is something I have come to understand deeply over the past two years, supporting my husband through his second cancer journey. It has reinforced for me just how important connection, compassion and community are.

Yesterday, we laughed, we cried, we shared and we created space for deeper awareness and understanding of ourselves and one another.

We explored the importance of personal choice, of listening to what we need, and of finding ways to protect and nurture our spirit and energy. Because even in the midst of uncertainty and sorrow, there can still be moments of joy, hope, gratitude and connection.

Perhaps that is part of the journey, learning to hold both joy and sorrow at the same time, while continuing to believe in and hope for the best possible outcome.

Community events like CanSurvive are so important. Caring for the wellbeing of people navigating cancer and significant health challenges isn't something that belongs only to those directly affected. We all have a role to play in creating communities where people feel seen, supported and less alone.

I left Busselton feeling grateful for the openness, courage and generosity of everyone who shared the space. Thank you for allowing me to be part of such a meaningful day.
❤️
Leanne

13/08/2026

Grief can be exhausting, confusing and isolating, and sometimes its weight can take us by surprise. Our free grief support sessions offer a supportive space to share what you’re going through, or simply listen. With a qualified counsellor there to support you, sometimes just being with others who understand can bring comfort. Please share with anyone who may benefit.

Laurissa Knowles Ceremonies & Counselling Pat Kelly Counselling

Links:
Grief support session - sudden death - Bunbury
Grief Support Session - sudden death - Busselton
Grief support session - Bunbury
Grief support session - Busselton

Grief is an ocean.In the beginning, it can feel wild and unforgiving. It pulls you under without warning, turns you arou...
12/08/2026

Grief is an ocean.

In the beginning, it can feel wild and unforgiving. It pulls you under without warning, turns you around until you no longer know which way is up, then throws you back to the surface, exhausted and gasping for air. Just when you think you have found your footing, another wave arrives and carries you away again. There is no rhythm to it, no timetable, and no way of knowing when the next wave will come.

But with time, the ocean begins to change. There are moments when the water becomes calm and still, when you realise you can float again. Slowly, you learn how to breathe in this new world. You discover strength you didn't know you had and begin to find pieces of yourself among everything that has changed. The grief hasn't disappeared; you have simply learned how to carry it, how to move with the water instead of always fighting against it.

Then, sometimes without warning another wave comes. A song, a photograph, a familiar place, a memory, an anniversary or perhaps nothing you can name at all and suddenly the water rises around you again. It can feel as though you are right back where you started. But you aren't. You know this ocean now. You know the wave will eventually pass, and you know that somewhere beyond it there will be calmer water again.

Perhaps that is one of the hardest truths about grief: the waves never completely stop coming.

We don't simply "get over" the people we have loved deeply. Their absence becomes woven into who we are, just as their love remains woven into us. Over time, the waves may become gentler and farther apart, but when they return, we allow ourselves to feel them.

And so we keep floating. We breathe when we can, rest when the water is calm and hold on when the waves are high. We learn that strength isn't about never being pulled under again. Sometimes strength is simply knowing that, when the wave comes, we will eventually rise to the surface, take another breath and keep going.

Not all grief begins with the death of someone we love.Sometimes, grief begins with a diagnosis that changes everything....
10/08/2026

Not all grief begins with the death of someone we love.

Sometimes, grief begins with a diagnosis that changes everything.

A role or identity that no longer feels like your own.

A relationship that is still there, but no longer feels the same.

A future you had imagined that quietly slips away before anyone else even realises it has gone.

Grief is not defined by death alone.

It lives in the space between what was, what we hoped would be, and what can no longer be.

When we recognise these quieter, often unseen losses, we give people permission to grieve what mattered to them.

And in doing so, we help them feel seen, understood, and less alone; long before a funeral ever takes place.

08/08/2026

🎶 Behind the Song | Australia's Final Playlist

As Dying to Know Day comes to a close, we've been privileged to hear the stories behind some truly meaningful songs.

From songs that brought comfort and security, to those that celebrated a life well lived, honoured cherished memories or simply invited everyone to end with a dance, every choice reminded us that a final song is never just about the music.
It's about the people, the memories, the values and the conversations that help others better understand what matters most to us.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who shared their story with us today, and to everyone who added their song to Australia's Final Playlist.

If you haven't chosen your final song yet, there's still time.

1️⃣ Add your song to Australia's Final Playlist on Spotify.
2️⃣ Share a post on social media telling us why you chose it.
3️⃣ Include so your story becomes part of the conversation.
Because when we share what matters most, nobody knows becomes .

Address

31 Ryelands Drive
North Boyanup, WA
6237

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 12pm

Telephone

+61407995978

Website

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