🕯️ Honouring Lives Lost, Inspiring Change: A Conversation with Waratah CEO Melissa Callanan

leigh milne
May 4
3 min read

In the latest episode of the Transcending Trauma radio show and podcast, I had the honour of speaking with Melissa Callanan, CEO of Waratah, the Southwest’s leading domestic and sexual violence support service. This conversation was not only a powerful reflection on the upcoming Candlelight Vigil in Bunbury on Wednesday, May 7th, but also a heartfelt tribute to the tireless work of the Waratah team — a place close to my own heart.

As a previous recipient of domestic violence services and later as a former domestic violence and sexual assault counsellor at Waratah, I know firsthand the courage it takes for women and children to seek help, and the life-changing impact of compassionate, trauma-informed care. Waratah didn’t just change lives — it helped save mine.

🕯️ About the Candlelight Vigil

The Candlelight Vigil is held annually on National Family Violence Remembrance Day, to honour the lives of those lost to domestic and family violence. This year’s vigil will take place:

📍 Bicentennial Square, Bunbury🗓️ Wednesday, May 7th, 2025🕠 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Together, we will light candles, hear powerful stories, and reflect on how we can each take responsibility for building a safer, more respectful society. For the first time, a male ally will speak at the event, sharing what it means for men to step up, speak out, and hold each other accountable.

As Melissa powerfully shared:

“If we don’t stop and think about this issue, we won’t act to change it.”

💜 Waratah: More Than Crisis Support

Waratah’s services extend far beyond crisis counselling. They provide:

Free, trauma-informed counselling for women, children, and survivors of sexual abuse
Advocacy and practical support for issues like housing, safety, and legal matters
Outreach education in schools and communities, including consent workshops and respectful relationship programs
Tailored programs like Caring Dads and group-based healing such as therapeutic sewing and knitting groups
Support for diverse communities, including culturally and linguistically diverse clients and First Nations women

Waratah operates on a no-wrong-door model — meaning you don’t need a referral or mental health plan to access help. And yes, they can assist with transport and interpreting services if needed.

As Melissa shared:“Our role is to nurture agency and safety — not override it. Every person deserves to feel safe, supported, and in control of their own healing journey.”

🔊 Why We Must Keep Talking

One of the most powerful insights from the interview was the role of community. Healing doesn’t happen in isolation — and nor does prevention. We spoke about:

The devastating prevalence of domestic violence: One woman is killed every nine days by a current or former partner in Australia.
The intergenerational nature of abuse and the importance of early education.
The urgent need for allies — particularly men — to challenge harmful behaviours and support respectful masculinity.
The impact of trauma-informed workplaces, and how employers can make a real difference through flexibility, empathy, and understanding.

And above all — the importance of simply being present.

“Trauma isn’t contagious,” Melissa reminded us, “but silence can be. Sometimes the greatest support we can give someone in pain is to sit with them, quietly, without judgment.”

🎧 Listen to the Full Interview

This episode is an educational, and empowering listen — and a privilege to record.

🎙️ Listen to the episode now on the Transcending Trauma podcast📍 Available on all streaming platforms or via www.transcendingtrauma.com .au💜 Please share this episode to help spread awareness and compassion.