A Hunter Valley-based organisation that runs retreats for survivors of child sexual abuse has been accused of failing to properly train staff, and making bizarre allegations about satanic cults.
Heal for Life is run by Liz Mullinar, whose own memories of childhood abuse prompted her to establish the foundation, which advertises a 90 per cent success rate.
Several former carers at the Mayumarri centre near Cessnock have told the ABC's 730 program about routine self harm, poor training and false recovered memories of ritual abuse.
“The allegations on 7.30 Report were made by a small number of carers or employees who all but one had been asked to leave Heal For Life or made redundant” said a statement from Liz Mullinar.
Former Heal for Life Guest and Carer Annie Nothnagel spoke to Jill Emberson this morning.
Annie was guest in 2010 and became a carer after training in 2011, leaving the organisation in April last year.
“The practices are very unsafe and a lot of self harm has come from the practices,” she said.
Heal for Life has said that an independent investigation has already been conducted into Heal for Life’s practices. Read the report here.
“The QIP review was very favourable and we have implemented the small number of recommended improvements” said Mullinar’s statement.
Nothnagel was not a part of the independent investigation, saying she was not ready to speak up at the time– she regrets that decision now.
“I was still very frightened about what would happen if I spoke up,” she said.
“Some of the things that came from the assessment were untrue; we were not supported through most of the process”
“These situations could have been avoided if support given to carers and facilitators was there and adequate”
“We’re not professionals... we went there to heal for ourselves and were chosen to go on to do carer training.
“That carer training did not prepare us sufficiently.”
Read the full statement from Liz Mullinar and the QIP review into Heal for Life’s operations on the mornings blog.
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