A naturally warm and empathetic person, Marianne Nothdurft has always felt a pull towards helping others. She has answered that call in many ways over the years, initially training and working as a Registered Nurse before shifting gears to become a Lifeline Crisis Support Counsellor in the wake of a family tragedy.
“I longed to connect with people on a deeper level and didn’t feel I was able to fully achieve that through my nursing. After my father’s suicide, I felt more strongly than ever that I wanted to follow this path. I started with Lifeline and was able to see how powerful it can be to hold space, be present and bear witness to someone’s pain.”
Marianne has done an immense amount of work over the years to understand and work through her own trauma, to move forward in her healing process. Putting in the hard yards following this destabilising life event meant Marianne could ensure she was in the best position to help others.
“I wanted to ensure I didn’t go into the mental health sector seeking to gain something out of it, in terms of dealing with my own emotional pain. This enables me to be fully present to people – creating a connection that allows a person to feel safe, open up and fully benefit from the service. I think people with lived experience have a great deal to offer in the mental health space, but it’s important we make peace with our own trauma first.”
Today, Marianne is Team Leader of The Way Back Support Service (TWBSS) based in Toowoomba and servicing the Darling Downs, West Moreton and South Burnett region. She considers her role, supporting people who have attempted suicide or are thinking of taking their own lives, to be a unique privilege.
“I like to approach my work with people by asking, ‘what has happened to you in your life?’ rather than ‘what is wrong with you?’ There is always a ‘why’ and there is always a powerful personal story beneath the surface. There is so much more to a person than their mental illness and I’ve often found myself feeling very moved and touched once I get to know someone’s story.”
Marianne originally joined RFQ in 2012, before leaving to pursue work in the disability sector. However, the fit was never quite right, and she longed for a greater sense of community and belonging. This aligned for Marianne when TWBSS role was advertised – combining her passion for suicide support with the RFQ culture she knew and loved.
“I feel that I belong here. I really connect with the people who work here – it’s just so easy to relate to everyone. It’s evident that the people who are drawn to working at RFQ genuinely care about making the world a better place for those living with mental health difficulties. I feel very happy to have found this role and be experiencing the true connection with people I was seeking.”
Marianne says the deeper connections she has found over the years have fundamentally changed her perspectives on life.
“What I find truly inspiring is when people continue to show up every day – despite their traumas and mental health struggles. I’ll always remember a client from years ago who struggled a lot with anxiety and hearing voices. It was greatly distressing for her at times; you could see how much it impacted her life. But she was so open, she was willing to give anything a go. Despite these enormous challenges, she showed up to her life every day. To me, that is true courage.”
