Stepping Stones: A Creative Journey to Empowerment

At Broken to Brilliant, we believe in survivor-led healing, creative expression, and the power of community. Our Stepping Stones: A Creative Journey to Empowerment program, generously funded by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust, wrapped up in late March 2025 after ten transformative sessions of growth, reflection, and reconnection.

Modelled on the Journey's training from Northside Connect but given a Broken to Brilliant flavour. We re-imagined and re-designed it by survivors, for survivors, Stepping Stones offers trauma-informed support and healing through creative and practical tools, guided by peer mentors who have walked similar paths.

The program supports domestic violence victim-survivors in their long-term recovery and helps them rebuild their lives and identities. Beyond their trauma, beyond the story of victimhood—to reclaim their resilience, confidence, and voice.

Each week, survivors gathered in a safe, supportive space, participating in structured sessions that included journaling, education sessions, creative therapies, discussion, and poetry —all designed to gently unlock healing and encourage self-expression.

What did the journey look like?

Week 1 – Getting to Know Each Other & Journaling (4 February 2025)

The first session set the tone—building connection, trust, and safety. Participants received their My Brilliant Journal, explored self-care strategies, and began capturing their thoughts and feelings as the first stepping stone in their journey.

Week 2 – Understanding the Dynamics of Domestic Violence (11 February 2025)

Participants explored the power and control wheel, began recognising patterns of abuse, and integrated their learning through creative techniques.

Week 3 – Boundaries (18 February 2025)

This vital session unpacked personal boundaries—what they are, how to set them, and why they’re essential in healing.

Week 4 – Introduction to Poetry (25 February 2025)

Survivors discovered how writing poetry can be

a healing outlet for self-expression. They crafted their own empowering verses and began shaping their “Ode to Me.”

Week 5 – Children and Domestic Violence (4 March 2025)

This emotionally sensitive session focused on the impact of abuse on children and strategies for reconnecting and fostering resilience. 

Week 6 – Grief and Loss (11 March 2025)

Participants explored disenfranchised grief and secondary loss. The Grief Squiggle activity powerfully illustrated the nonlinear nature of healing. Journaling and mindfulness activities helped to process complex emotions.

Week 7 – Self-Esteem (18 March 2025)

Participants explored how abuse impacts self-worth. Through creative and reflective activities, they began building their self-esteem. This is important as it empowers survivors to believe in their worth and take control of their futures.

Week 8 – Assertive Communication (25 March 2025)

This session gave survivors the tools to find and use their voices. Through role-playing, journaling, and discussion, participants learned to speak up for themselves with strength and clarity.

The Grand Finale: A Healing Overnight Retreat

Session 9: Positive Stepping Stones (28 March 2025)

The program concluded with a powerful two-day retreat focused on celebrating growth and reconnecting with the true self.

Held in Brisbane City, participants reflected on their journey by selecting empowering words from their journals and constructing a Tree of Life that symbolises growth, resilience, and a flourishing future.

We stayed overnight in city apartments. It was great to get away and enjoy a girls' getaway. We drank hot chocolates, marvelled at the view, recorded podcasts and talked into the night.

Session 10: The Empowerment Archetype: A reconstruction of self

On our final day, we enjoyed a group breakfast before getting back into our creativity.

Back in South Brisbane, survivors created symbolic Empowerment Archetypes—dressing life figures in clothing and items representing their future selves. This final creative expression celebrated their transformation and honouring their bravery. The program closed with a Celebration Lunch and a group presentation of their Tree of Life and Empowerment Archetype.

Our Gratitude

This life-changing program would not have been possible without the generous support of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust. We also thank our dedicated facilitators—survivors who paid it forward—and the courageous participants who showed up every week and committed to their healing.

To the incredible survivors: You did the hard work. You confronted pain. You learned. You grew. And now, you shine. No longer stuck in your old story—you are stepping forward into the world as the brilliant, brave, resilient YOU.

Stay tuned for the evaluation results and the podcast, which will highlight the positive impact of Stepping Stones the powerful transformations made possible through this survivor-led program.