Self-awareness & compassion.
Dad’s House was written from a place of self-awareness and compassion.
My parents separated a few times throughout my life and the final clean break was when I was twenty. I had seen it coming for a while and at times had hoped it would… Yet, I still found the experience painful.
I grappled with the change in my family but also with the fact that I was finding it hard. I often thought to myself ‘Things are better this way… You should be fine.’
I’ve always been one to reflect on internal things - an avid reader of self-help books and an advocate for vulnerable conversations - and it was through self reflection that I began to find compassion, both for myself and for everyone impacted by family separation.
I realised that I had bought into narratives that underplayed the effects of divorce, ‘Everyone’s parents are separated… It’s not that bad.’
Whilst I believe that everyone’s stories are different and resilience triumphs in most cases, it often isn’t without impact.
Changing the conversation.
When my parents first separated I was thirteen and I remember researching ‘symptoms of depression’ and texting my Mum ‘I think I’m depressed.’ Research echoes my experience, highlighting impacts on mental health and relationship patterns.
I wrote Dad’s House to start conversations, foster empathy and create space for understanding.
In researching the impacts of separation I found incredible support services offered through organisations like Relationships Australia, but it dawned on me that I had no idea they existed prior, because I didn’t allow myself to acknowledge that I might need or want support.
It’s my hope that the film will encourage audiences to look inward with compassion and take what they need from the story - whether that’s a mindset shift, the feeling of being seen, awareness of support resources or more empathy for an experience that’s widespread.
I believe that supporting those affected by divorce begins with changing the conversation - opening it up with curiosity and compassion. For me, that change starts with storytelling.
