By Megan Stray
More than a decade ago, while working as a kinesiologist in a small clinic beneath my home, I began noticing a pattern that was impossible to ignore.
Young people were arriving not with the usual childhood complaints, but with something far heavier. Seven-year-olds struggling with debilitating anxiety and missing large amounts of school. Ten-year-olds already prescribed antidepressants. Bright, sensitive young girls battling eating disorders far earlier than anyone expected.
Behind every child was a family searching for answers, hoping to find the missing piece that would help their daughter feel safe, confident and whole again. Watching these stories unfold, it became clear that something needed to change.
From that realisation, Heal.ed Tribe was born.
What began as a deeply personal response has grown into a local not-for-profit organisation supporting young girls across the Gold Coast. The first initiative was a small three-day retreat for five girls experiencing eating disorders and their mothers, alongside two teenage girls living in homeless shelters. There was no rigid clinical agenda. The intention was simple: to create a space where young people felt seen, supported and genuinely cared for.
Today, almost eleven years later, Heal.ed Tribe continues to focus on education, prevention and early intervention, helping young girls build resilience and strengthen their mental wellbeing. Every program and conversation is grounded in a core belief that no young person should feel alone in their mental health journey.
The challenges facing young people continue to grow. Experts predict that by 2030, mental health concerns could become Australia’s greatest disease burden, surpassing cancer and heart disease. Yet beyond the statistics are the real stories and quiet breakthroughs that remind us why community support matters.
Because these girls are the women of our future. Watching a young person rediscover hope, confidence and a sense of belonging is powerful, not only for them, but for the families and communities surrounding them.
To learn more or support the work of Heal.ed Tribe, visit healedtribe.org.au
