Whether you’re dealing with acute or chronic illness or facing a health crisis, we offer techniques to support and guide you to better manage life’s challenges.
This approach can support you, your family and those who love you
In this busy world, where can you turn to when you are dealing with chronic pain and illness? Or when you are confronted with overwhelming challenges which can threaten your health and way of life?
The Healing Group welcomes all those who are facing life-threatening, chronic or other significant health issues, including anxiety, depression, grief and loss.
In offering a safe space to explore your options we hope to show you how you might make your own breakthroughs. Our new and revised programme is specifically designed to guide you through a range of healing and meditation techniques that can function as a valuable adjunct to
Western-based medical approaches.
The Healing Group is held fortnightly on Thursdays, from 11am to 12.30pm
Each session includes:
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Guided meditations – no experience necessary
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Explanatory talks – with time for questions you may have
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Discussions and group sharing – so valuable to connect with and learn from each other
…Followed by tea and cake and time to chat
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The structure of each session is relaxed and informal. Every session is complete in itself but also sequentially builds on previous ones.
Tara Institute is a Buddhist Centre but you don’t need to be Buddhist in order to benefit from the Healing Group programme. Our approach is simply to introduce you to a variety of avenues - both ancient and contemporary - promoting health and well-being.
MEET OUR TEAM
Kathi Melnic
Having studied and worked as a volunteer in counselling, palliative care, and grief and loss, Kathi has spent many years supporting people suffering with chronic health conditions and emotional issues, drawing on the deep insight Eastern and Western philosophies offer.
William Liew
As a pharmacist for most of his working life, William has a wealth of experience in discussing with patients their diagnosis and treatment, and providing advice and emotional support, aided by his long-time meditation practice.
Welcome Kerry Whitlock
A very warm welcome to Kerry - a woman of many trades! Kerry works in a managerial position in the nursing sector, is the Director of Tara Institute, a longterm Buddhist practitioner, and now offering her experience and insight as one of the presenters in the Healing Group.
Thanks so much Kerry for joining the Healing Group team!
The Healing Group Team.
A Testimonial from Kerry
Having attended the Healing Group in 2025 as a presenter, I have been both amazed and deeply impressed by the group’s openness and willingness to learn and explore the concept of healing across a wide range of modalities. Each session is warm, friendly, and genuinely supportive, creating a safe space to explore the blocks and obstacles that can affect our health, inner peace, and happiness. The sense of trust and shared intention within the group makes it a truly special environment for growth and healing.
Welcome Judy Maine
A very warm welcome to Judy - Judy has kindly accepted to join the Healing Group team of presenters and has recently stepped in to help when some of the team have been away. She has a wealth of experience in teaching and therapeutic meditation techniques for addressing issues that we generally all have!
Thanks so much Judy for joining the Healing Group team!
The Healing Group Team.
Healing Group 2026 New Programme
Healing Life
Healing has a great deal to do with the mind. Our new programme is not so much about presenting new material, as about how we relate to our life experience moment by moment. This year the emphasis is on creating a conducive space in which we can move beyond concepts and personally connect with ideas we may already know. Hearing about something is not enough, and even inner reflection has its limits. Meaningful change arises when we have the conditions to embody and integrate these insights at a deeper level.
Healing is not a quick fix, but a lifelong journey. It is an evolving process of awareness, compassion, and integration—a work in progress that reveals greater shifts over time.
The value of these sessions lies in having the time and space to take stock of where we are in our lives - to acknowledge what is currently manifesting for us, including the challenges of illness and disturbing emotions, while also benefitting from the mutual support that comes from open discussion and shared experience with others in the group.
As the sessions unfold, we are invited to recognise the conditioning and behavioural patterns that shape our responses, and shape our life - the unacknowledged or blocked emotions that can contribute to ongoing pain and imbalance.
By exploring each topic, we examine these darker, often hidden aspects of our lives. As Carl Jung observed, “Only the one who goes through this darkness can hope to make any further progress.” This insight speaks directly to the healing process.
Our darkness or ‘shadow’ may reveal itself through projections onto others, mood swings, addictions, neuroses, and/or physical illness. With awareness, compassion, and support, we will investigate how these patterns operate within us and explore ways to soften and loosen their hold, creating the conditions for greater well-being to emerge.
2026 SESSION PROGRAMME
Each session invites a compassionate exploration of challenging mind-states, including those we may be unconsciously inflicting upon ourselves. By bringing awareness to these patterns—without judgement—we create the possibility of loosening their grip. Healing unfolds not through avoidance of the shadow, but with perseverance, meeting it with honesty, presence, and care.
Weeks 1–3: Foundations of Healing Awareness
Week 1 – Resistance: The Gateway to Healing
Understanding our resistance to suffering and existence as the core obstacle to healing.
“Releasing resistance is the key to healing and awakening”. (Ken Bradford)
Week 2 – Confusion & Unawareness: Seeing Clearly
Exploring how lack of awareness fuels destructive patterns. Turning inward to clarity and what is.
“Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” (C. Jung)
Week 3 – Conditioning & Conformity
Recognising layers of conditioning and the loss of personal discernment. Beginning to
differentiate one’s authenticity – inner presence - from learned behaviour.
Weeks 4–7: Presence and Inner Freedom
Week 4 – Living in the Past or Future
How preoccupation and expectations create dissatisfaction. Learning to be “live” rather than on automatic replay. Finding presence.
Week 5 – Control
Examining the need to control life and others, and discovering the healing power of allowing.
Week 6 – Projection & Taking Things Personally
Seeing how we project unowned aspects of ourselves onto others, and reclaiming
responsibility for our inner world.
Week 7 – Fear
Exploring fear, including around death. Understanding the body–mind connection and
cultivating inner safety through facing reality.
Weeks 8–11: Emotional Pain & Reactivity
Week 8 – Anxiety, Tension & Agitation
The dilemma of worry and nervous system activation. Deepening stillness and silence as medicine.
Week 9 – Depression, Despair & Loss of Heart
The alchemy of sadness – how presence reveals the hidden magic.
Week 10 – Anger, Trauma & Unresolved Pain
Understanding anger as a protective response and a gateway to unhealed wounds.
Week 11 – Resentment & Forgiveness
How holding resentment affects health and relationships. Forgiveness as a healing process, not a demand.
Weeks 12–15: Self-Relationship & Life Challenges
Week 12 – Self-Criticism & Doubt
Exploring the inner critic and its impact on confidence and well-being.
Week 13 – Arrogance, Pride & Failure
Two sides of the same pattern. Releasing vulnerability beneath pride and fear of failure.
Week 14 – Loss and Grief
Honouring the pain of loss and uncovering hidden gains.
Week 15 – Dependency, Martyrdom & the False Self
Recognising emotional dependence and cultivating self-trust. Letting go of self-sacrifice rooted in fear, duty, or idealised self-images. Reclaiming authenticity, inner strength and purpose.
Weeks 16–19: Relationships as the Mirror
Week 16 – Judging & Blaming
How judgement separates us from others and ourselves. Learning to see our own mind reflected back.
Week 17 – Conflict, Discord & Intolerance
Working with relational tension. Moving toward understanding, gratitude, and harmony.
Week 18 – Jealousy & Competitiveness
Transforming comparison and unworthiness into rejoicing and self-respect.
Week 19 – Betrayal & the Shadow Side of Loyalty
Reclaiming integrity, discernment and choice
Weeks 20-23: Desire, Avoidance & Acceptance
Week 20 – Compulsions, Addictions & Obsession
Understanding avoidance strategies and softening fixation.
Week 21 – Boredom, Distraction & Dissatisfaction
Exploring restlessness and desire. Cultivating presence and contentment.
“Forever is composed of nows.” (Emily Dickinson)
Week 22 –Loneliness
From disconnection to belonging. Penetrating the illusion of separation.
Week 23 – Healing as a Lifelong Process
Reflecting on the journey, integrating insights, and cultivating acceptance as the path
forward.
At the Healing Group, you’ll find care and assistance with navigating your various challenges.
There is No Charge – but Donations are Greatly Welcomed.
The Presenters are not paid or compensated for their time, however there are real costs involved in presenting the Programme. So if you are able and willing to contribute (even $10) we are very grateful and it will help to ensure the continuation of the Programme.
Come When it Suits You – but Please Register
You may register online or call the office on 9596 8900. You are making no commitment but providing your email address will enable us to notify you of updates or unavoidable changes prior to each session and send you information regarding special upcoming events.
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To enquire about joining, please email healing.group@tarainstitute.org.au, or click here to register.
We look forward to seeing you there.