Intersex Human Rights Australia

We reflect on a remarkable first year since Bonnie Hart introduced the innovative InterLink psychosocial support service to IHRA. InterLink has evolved to offer both individual and group counselling to people with an IVSC of any age, their parents and carers from throughout Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. In addition, InterLink helps connect people with information, services and peer support through care coordination using lived experience and community understanding.

Natalie Hamam, the Mental Health Practitioner joined the Interlink team a year ago and has been working in collaboration with Peer Support Workers Gwen, Mimi, and Jan to provide essential support with groups and individuals, fostering connections and promoting health and wellbeing. Natalie Haman has expressed high praise for Bonnie’s pioneering program, stating, “Bonnie has established an exceptional online service catering to children, adults, and parents alike, which is truly remarkable.”

A recent participant of the InterLink program shared their enriching experience, saying, “Participating in InterLink has been an immensely rewarding journey for me. The comfort of being around people who understand because they share similar experiences is invaluable. Nat and Gwen facilitated our group with such sensitivity, ensuring that we all derived immense benefit from the program. My subsequent individual sessions with Nat have allowed me to delve deeper and feel incredibly supported.”

InterLink creator and Manager Bonnie Hart has expressed her enthusiasm about the growth and development of Interlink over the past year, emphasizing, “InterLink works because we are community led and actively work to bridge gaps people have accessing knowledgeable services. We can help people address issues related to having any innate variation of sex characteristics in tailored and structured ways that are informed by lived experience.”

InterLink is made possible through the support of the QCGP+ Mental Health Team at the Queensland Council for LGBTI Health.

Congratulations to the Interlink team on a fulfilling year!