NRL star Joel Thompson shares his story for Yarn Safe

17th December, 2020    |    By  Yard Safe    |     1k

Yarn Safe is a space specifically designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to discuss any mental health challenges they are facing. You can find out more about at: https://headspace.org.au/yarn-safe/


Also check the related topics:  

Mental Health Grog and Other Drugs

Video provided by Yard Safe

WEBSITE   
SHARE

Video Transcription

NRL star Joel Thompson shares his story for Yarn Safe

And here’s Ray pumping it to Thompson. Thompson has scored yet another Dragon’s try.

Culture and identity mean a lot to me. I come from a small community in the far west New South Wales, and I was brought up to learn about my culture, and it taught me a lot about my identity and who I was as a person. I’ll pass that on to my kids as well, and you know, I’ll keep it going on through generations.

I come from a lot. There was domestic violence, there were alcohol or drug issues. You know, growing up around that, it taught me to be resilient and create my own path through hard work and dedication. And through that, I’m lucky enough now to play in the NRL, and I try and pass that on now to the kids I work with in the community.

Now, I was getting into a lot of trouble at school. I was getting in trouble with the police, and I disappointed my grandmother who took me in. I was lucky enough for her and my father to decide for me to go to boarding school. And I went there and got out of my comfort zone, and really worked hard in school to try and make them proud.

Whoa! Here’s a ball that’s gone away suspect, and away to Thompson. Thompson goes all the way!

To be mentally strong now, and the position I’m in now, I had to work hard for it. I didn’t have those coping strategies when I was younger; it’s something I had to work for and learn. I learned them from speaking to someone and not being ashamed about going out there and talking to my cousins or my family and to my friends. Just being more open. There is nothing to be ashamed about speaking about issues that you’re going through, or problems that you’re going through.

Unhealthy coping strategies are drinking, or alcohol and drugs, or bottling up those emotions. Not speaking about those emotions, I think that is something that I used to deal with. I used to drink to forget about what was really happening, and it was the worst thing I could have done.

Some easy things that I do in my life are, I make sure I’m sleeping well, I’m making sure I’m eating well, eating healthy, and I’m making sure I stay fit and exercise.

Yarn Safe is specifically for us Indigenous people to get help, and it’s a place that we can feel safe to have a yarn, and it’s okay to go there and get help.

Video by headspace