WorkCover – dealing with work related injuries

D was a young and vibrant woman. She moved to a new town and was really exited about her new role for a large corporation. She was proud of herself to be able to start working with a great team. Little did she know how profoundly would this experience change her…
When I first met D she requested for our sessions to be facilitated via phone as she preferred for me not to see her. She had difficulties getting out of bed in the morning, showering and eating breakfast were a big challenge for her. D had a 3-year-old daughter under her care. Her daughter stopped going to daycare (due to financial difficulties) and was spending most of her day watching TV. On D’s WorkCover Certificate of Capacity the diagnosis stated: “Major Depressive Disorder due to bullying and harassment”, unfortunately I had to agree with this diagnosis.
As our work progressed, D started setting small goals for herself: shower everyday, cooking for her daughter, trying to leave the house at least once a week. With time we were able to address what had happened in her workplace and how she became my client. When D was able to deal with her daily routine, we also started addressing her beliefs and goals moving forward. D had some good days and then a fall would come. Black clouds would appear in her mind and she would feel like all her effort was for nothing. And then again she would get up and start again, knowing that each time she fell, she would rise stronger.
I worked with D for more than 9 months but I’m happy to report that D was able to win her battle with depression. When we finished our work together she was working in a new role, helping young aboriginal women.
Of course every story is different and it takes time and commitment to recover. The first step is admitting that we are not coping and reaching out for help. Psychological injuries (workers compensation injuries) are unfortunately very common, but we are here to help, so don’t hesitate to reach out.