Our owner/director Linda has been busy over the past two weeks attending two professional development trainings to add to her skill set which will benefit all of Linda's clients at TaylorMade.  

First up in early August, Linda attended a two day training learning a new and exciting trauma treatment approach, Deep Brain Reorientation.  This was training was conducted by the Deep Brain Reorienting organisation.  Linda was fortunate to meet the founder of this new approach, well-respected psychiatrist, Dr Frank Corrigan, at the training

This was followed by Linda attending a three-day parenting coordination training this week with Parenting Coordinator Australia to become a Parenting Coordinator (PC).  This is a relatively new concept in Australia to help separated parents to implement parenting plans or parenting orders.  Being a PC complements Linda's current role working as a Regulation 7 Family Court Consultant and Family Report Writer.  

Linda is very excited about implementing both skills into her practice and seeing the benefits for clients.  

DBR aims to access and process traumatic experience by tracking the original sequence of physiological responses that occurred when the deep brain had been alerted to a threat or an attachment disruption.

Deep Brain Reorienting was developed by Dr. Frank Corrigan mainly for the treatment of attachment shock; but it can also be applied to the processing of other unresolved traumatic experiences.

To find out more, contact LInda or check out the Deep Brain Reorienting website - https://deepbrainreorienting.com/

Parenting Coordination (PC) is a child centered process for conflicted, separated and separating parents. It is a form of dispute resolution and child development education for parents, to help them.implement their Parenting Orders or Parenting Plan.

To find out more, visit our Parenting Coordination Page

Landen is an Indigenous boy born in Alice Springs. Landen is from the Warlpiri tribe, and his skin name is Jakamarra.  Landen is the older brother of Cruz, 8, Zaya, 6 and Jahda-Mae, 2.

Landen is very passionate about boxing and is the Australian champion for 34-36kg.  Landen is dedicated to the sport of boxing and his training with the Arrernte Community Boxing Academy. He goes to training every day Monday-Friday, and when a boxing camp is on, he also attends Sunday sparring sessions. 

Landen also has a huge love for football. Landen was picked to represent the NT side, but due to COVID-19, it was cancelled.

Prior to boxing, Landen did Taekwondo for a few years, and he achieved getting his black belt.

Outside of sports, Landen enjoys spending time with his family and friends and playing his games.

We hope to continue to support Landen for many years to come.  

We will continue to provide updates on Landen's progress and any of his upcoming fights.  

After two pretty full on weeks with the Road Boss Rally Ararat (Vic) to the top end (NT), Linda Taylor and I are heading back to Melb - the fast way - straight down the Stuart Highway and we're nearly home now. I’ve put some notes together here to describe our journey before I forget and get caught up in everyday life again. It’s a reminder that stepping outside of our comfort zone is dangerous (literally, sometimes) and scary but also super exhilarating and satisfying.

We’re still not sure, but my former work colleague Nic Kilah told me the RBR Super 22 would be “easy” (I’m pretty sure it’s in writing somewhere Nic). In hindsight and speaking to the right people I now understand that in RBR lingo, "Super" translates to "hardcore". From the moment we hit the tracks in Ararat to start RBR we realised that we had completely underestimated what we were up against. But then again, even if someone had tried to explain this diagram👇 to us prior to the event we wouldn't have got it anyway. I've also added a map of our journey - it's quite surreal to look at it and say "yeah we drove that last week".

So there I was, cursing Nic in our FIRST BLOODY HOUR of a two week long rally as I was throwing The Last Samurai into low range 4wd to get down the steep and rocky track. All while advising Linda to 1. close her eyes, 2. hold on tight, and 3. lean right so we didn’t roll. And to be fair it did get easier cause it’s relative > flipping over on a slightly inclined surface is better than flipping off a steep hill. This was our introduction to rally life, and it wasn't until the final days that I discovered that there was mild bemusement about us starting on the most difficult course, like, ever, in the history of RBR.

Well, kind've for fun, kind've for the challenge, to take some roads less travelled, and to raise some money for GIVIT. And every couple of years I have been known to participate in a “great idea” that at some point turns into “what the actual fuck did you sign me up to?” convo by my rally partner (soz Linda). Being two girls who sit in front of screens for most of our work days it was certainly a change of outlook for a few weeks. And we’re pretty sure that everyone - now 100 of our closest RBR buddies - who saw us wander into the Ararat Golf Club on day one with our floral dresses and flip flops we’re convinced we wouldn’t make it to the Top End alive (spoiler - WE DID).

One person’s highlight is another’s nightmare - just ask Linda as we both had our preferences. We encountered 6,000km and 14 days of: soft sand, really really soft sand, super slippery slopes, corrugated gravel (agreed - the worst!), driving through crocodile-infested creeks, and shitloads of red dust. We had super early starts, we pitched our tents in darkness, we drove part way along the famed Finke desert race track, we took wrong turns (NEVER the navi's fault 🙄), we opened and closed countless gates, we saw the beautiful Australian landscape change every day as we pushed further north.  And all along the way we were warmly welcomed by school children, random interested/amused bystanders (pic below of woman who stopped us in the street to donate to GIVIT), and station owners and sport clubs who let us on their properties and provided food and shelter. 

With bush camping combined with early starts I have never seen so many consecutive sunrises in my life - lucky they're beautiful. And my car - The Last Samurai - is officially a bush car with battle scars to prove it (if anyone encounters a mud flap at the Brunette Downs racecourse - please hold onto it - it’s mine). But most importantly, we helped to raise $429,000 for GIVIT an RBR record. Plus a bonus extra $25K in Alice Springs for local communities.

Our sponsors who supported us in many ways were Linda Taylor and TaylorMade Counselling based out of West Melbourne (give her and her team a call if you need mental health support) - also known as the Best Rally Navigator Ever 🚗 🧭 ❤️ with the additional skill of providing real time couples counselling for males driver who weren't properly listening to the directions their female navigators provided (true story 😂). Justin Batten and Brad Davis at Clutch Industries Pty Ltd - supplier of PHC Clutch and overall good guys most of the time. And my employer Linktree who gives us all 20 hours per year of volunteering leave to support our preferred charities and organisations - I used mine for this. And of course to ALL of our supporters who donated and attended our fundraising events leading up to RBR 🫶.

That saying about small packages. Despite being the smallest, lightest, least powerful vehicle in the pack, The Last Samurai car 262 defied many people's expectations (looking at YOU Linda to start with) and survived the 10,000km round trip with minimal issues. Around us cars were catching fire (yep - destroyed), crashing into trees, losing tailgates, losing wheels, breaking axles, breaking fans, breaking engines and breaking anything else that could break (but also being fixed on the spot and it was so impressive to see the skills of many of our rally friends). And despite being a little worse for wear now, she did us - and everyone else - proud. I should also add that this is largely due to the meticulous maintenance regime that Caspar my partner and mechanic imposes on our vehicles - the hard work pays off in the long run. The Last Samurai, I hereby promise I will never trade you in for a newer (gen 4) model even though they look so cool and have mod cons like like bluetooth and display screens.

Always present throughout our journey was the understanding that we were travelling through lands that had been lived on thousands of years prior and continued right up to this day by their ancestors. I'd like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians across these lands and pay respects, recognising the everlasting connection Aboriginal people have to country and culture. Listed below are these groups from the order we passed through. And also with gratitude to the national park guides we met for welcoming us and generously sharing the special dreamtime stories of their ancestors.

Woiworong Wathaurong Djabwurung Jardwadjali Wergaia Ngargad Meru Ngadjuri Nukunu Banggarla Wiragnu Kokatha Arabana Antakarinja Arrente Alyawarre Wakaya Warumingu Warlmanpa Jingli Yangman Jawoyn Warray Wagiman/Ngan’giwumirri Wuningangk Malak Malak Ngombur Limilgan Larrakia Kungarakany

Living in community has its issues and in Alice Springs we learned of two great organisations which provide engagement and support to aboriginal youth, the Arrernte Community Boxing Academy and Spinifex Skateboards. Check them out and support them if you can. In one night RBR helped the Boxing Academy get a bus to transport their team to events which was pretty cool.

So now that this is over (almost!), I will need another ridiculous and impossible challenge to take on in a few years. Running a marathon while simultaneously wine tasting in the south of France - check! Climbing Kilimanjaro - check! Driving up the middle of oz, and back - check! Suggest away!

This journey was taken in memory of my mum, an outback road tripper herself who, should she still be here, would've been following along closely. I'd like to think that she still did from whatever world she is in now. Thanks to Nic for introducing me to RBR, to Jamie Lawson and volunteer team for an unforgettable journey, and to the wonderful RBR 2022 crew who went out of their way to welcome us with open arms. And, finally, my good friend and partner in crime, Linda, for saying yes to this adventure in the first place. It may not have been what was expected but we've got some excellent stories of people, places and experiences which will no doubt be embellished each time we retell them. xxx