When Arthur retired from his 35-year-career as a semi-trailer driver hauling loads across the country, he envisaged a quiet retirement in his Gold Coast home of 34 years with his wife, Beverley.

Instead, he was faced with neighbours from hell and tensions simmered until he felt like he couldn’t take it anymore. Arthur lived through a suicide attempt and the impacts of his recovery journey have reached far and wide.

After being hospitalised he was apprehensive to return home, which led to a referral to RFQ’s Capstone program as a way to create a sense of community and safety through weekly engagement activities.

“They let me come home while I was in hospital twice, but I didn’t feel safe at home. Because of the situation with the neighbours I just didn’t want to be there, I wanted to go back,” Arthur said.

“We felt like prisoners really, like our safety was taken away and our sanctuary had gone,” he said.

Arthur and Beverley have been married for 63 years and Bev has been instrumental in assisting Arthur through his recovery journey, encouraging and supporting him to attend Capstone.

“Arthur was a little bit anxious about going, but my feelings were fear for the future because I didn’t know how I was going to be able to handle without some help, so I was all for whatever was thrown on the table – we would take up the offer,” Bev said.

“It [Capstone] has helped me cos’ in a way I was pretty aggressive. I’m so changed now, I can’t believe it in myself that I just have settled right down with everything,” Arthur said.

Beverley said the changes have been so noticeable, both by herself and those around them.

“The art of communication has increased ten-fold plus! Arthur has never been a big communicator, he has been quite passive aggressive as well in his life;using me as the mediator all the time and that’s been quite difficult – there is a time in your life when that becomes really hard,” she said.

“At Capstone there is no judgement, all the staff are so professional and there is no talk about ‘why’ you are there, it’s a social activity – it’s the active part of therapy that works,” Bev said.

“Arthur and I have done more together now than we ever have in 60 years. We think we know about life, but really we don’t know the extensions and branches that go out from our daily lives. We knew nothing about mental health, nothing whatsoever,” Bev said.

The Capstone community is one Arthur and Bev have embraced wholeheartedly, with Arthur using his new-found communication skills to have conversations with other participants and Bev bringing along her delicious baked goods to try and encourage younger participants to share their skills.

“We are living in a much calmer environment now Arthur isn’t focused on the little things that irritate him. It’s all ceased, the house is so calm and easy to live in now.”

Kereti Maniapoto, Recovery Support Worker (Advanced) who works with Arthur as part of the Capstone program, said when Arthur was referred to the service, he really struggled to share his feelings. 

“You wouldn’t recognise the guy he is today – he can talk about his failures, he commits to every group he attends wholeheartedly, and he has grown to be a leader and mentor within the group,” he said. 

“Arthur is calmer, he knows he is valued within our group – he knows he is valued, and that value sits with him and has moved him forward in this journey with RFQ,” Kereti said.