country couple

[kdr]

Hi everyone. I am new to this. My wife and I have moved from the country to Perth and are finding it hard to make friends. But aside from that, I am in a darts team and have my work to keep me busy. My wife is my main concern. She is very quiet and suffers from depression and anxiety. All I want in life is for her to have a female buddy or 2. We live in the Swan Valley area. any ideas? Any other lonely females in the area. Trying to google lonely brings up dating and singles websites. Nothing for simply lonely people. We are in our 50's, healthy and friendly.

[white knight]

Hi kdr, welcome

Being an anonymous forum you wont be able to meet friends for her here.

Id suggest lught sport like badminton volley vall, table tennis or maybe sewing groups.

Try the lical council. Even volunteer work at the Salvos.

Good luck

Tony WK

[Croix]

Dear Kdr~

Welcome to the bb Forum. Moving to a new place is always a problem unless one is joining others - such as family. When one has anxiety and depression to contend with too it can become very hard.

I do have a couple of suggestions - please excuse me if you have thought of them already.

The first is the GROW organization

https://www.grow.org.au/wa/

This is quite a large organization which caters specifically for those with MH issues. It can be described as a friendship group or therapy depending on your outlook.

The other suggestion is that perhaps you wife might like to do some volunteer work. The opportunities are endless, from animals to Art. Like minded people are thick on the ground and people's efforts are much appreciated. Like GROW it normally does mean leaving the house, which while that might be taxing to start with can pay dividends.

Please understand you are very welcome hare and can talk as often as you would like. You wife may like to join herself, there are many here with her afflictions and it does make one feel less isolated when there are common experiences.

Croix

[kdr]

Thanks for that.

[kdr]

Thanks Croix. Really helpful. I need to change the way I suggest the activities you described.

[Croix]

Dear Kdr~

Well if you need to slant things to make them seem less like therapy here's another couple of suggestions:

Soroptimist International of Western Australia

http://www.soroptimist-wa.org.au/

A womens' benevolent society, not related to MH at all.

Western Australian Museum

http://museum.wa.gov.au/about/volunteering

Everything from back of house data entry to dealing with the public to maintaining a submarine exhibit.

HTH

Croix

[Quercus]

Hi Kdr,

There is a "woman's health care place" (google that) not far from the Swan Valley. That do art therapy, walking groups, support groups for anxiety and depression (alternates each semester) as well as counselling if needed.

But best of all they have a wall of pamphlets and flyers of local support options as well as some for local classes and clubs.

The local libraries run low cost courses often (hubby did one on beekeeping). And have book clubs.

The leisure centres and sport centres run classes for fitness but also some do card games and chess competitions. And of course there is the CWA (yep they are in the more "rural" suburbs of Perth too).

If your wife (and you) miss the community feel of the country a lot of the small towns within an hour of Perth are worth a visit. Grab a local paper and there is usually a list of clubs and meet up groups (everything from Garden Clubs to Men's Sheds to the volunteer firies and SES).

There are a lot of groups and ideas on the local facebook pages (but that's not my thing so sorry I can only suggest that to look at). And if you look at noticeboards in your local area a lot of the suburbs run events such as movies on the oval and the like.

There are lots of options... I hope you can both find support in your new community.

Nat