A safe place to find a new lease on life

JACK sits nonchalantly on a couch casually strumming his guitar. Without even realising it, he's playing Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water.

In the blink of an eye, the 10-year-old changes tunes, from one to another and another.

The repertoire of songs for Jack (not his real name) would astound even the most accomplished guitarist.

Jack then turns to a set of djembe drums sitting on the floor and begins belting out a rhythmic beat.

For this brave young lad, music is not only his passion, it has also been his saving grace over the last few months.

Jack and his six-year-old sister Hannah (not her real name) have witnessed some heinous acts of violence in their short lives ... visions that no person should ever see or experience.

Most of the violent acts against their mother Sarah (not her real name) by her former partner cannot be published; they are just too horrible.

Jack refused to play his guitar throughout the six years his mother endured emotional, verbal and physical abuse at the hands of this man.

It was almost as if the retreat of playing the guitar was somehow taking his attention away from supporting his traumatised mother.

But since Sarah found the strength to leave the violent relationship and seek solace and counselling for herself and her children, Jack has allowed himself to feel comfortable enough to return to the instrument he loves and has mastered at such a young age.

Much of the credit for Jack picking up the guitar again can go to the counsellors at Ballarat support agency WRISC. 

Music and art play a big part in the therapy offered by WRISC in its children's program. 

Through the specialised therapy, child victims of family violence situations can become comfortable enough with the counsellors to open up and talk about their feelings and their experiences.

Although it was a struggle for Sarah to convince her children to attend counselling, she believed the WRISC program had again "switched on the light" in her son.

"For me, the kids' therapy is like Christmas. My children come out of each session with a new lease on life, new vibrancy and new ideas. Each time they come out, it's like unwrapping a Christmas present, one layer at a time," Sarah said.

"For such a long time, (Jack) lost his smile, but after such a short time in counselling, he has again found his laugh and his and (Hannah's) laughter is the best sound any mother can hear."

Now Sarah and Jack want to share their story to encourage other parents and children in similar situations to seek support and counselling from such organisations as WRISC.

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