With a Bachelor of Communications under her belt, Selina Anne recounts that her accomplishment is a major milestone in her life and one that has taken persistence and determination to achieve.

Selina Anne recalls that she was halfway through her second year at university getting 6’s and 7’s when everything in her life started to unravel.  “I found myself without a stable home after the end of a long-term relationship and to make matters more difficult I was quite ill, with what I later found out to be Grave’s Disease”.

Selina Anne shares that it was during this time that she found Micah Project’s ‘Street to Home’ service who helped her to move into Brisbane Common Ground when it opened in 2012.  Selina Anne states that it took her about a year to believe that she could stay in one place after a period of prolonged instability and catastrophic life events. “I truly believed that there was no way to land on your feet once things got that bad”.

“Everything I tried to do at that time which I had previously done to earn an income, such as writing, publishing or modelling were thwarted by circumstances beyond my control and despite my best efforts, it was hopeless.  A real low point”.

Selina Anne’s face brightens as she continues, “Then, the angels… I call them the angels, swept in and picked me up.  I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have a second chance”. 

Selina Anne explains the next battle was to get well physically and emotionally and that being in one place was instrumental for getting grounded again. “It took me about a year and a half to get my health back.  I did yoga, played music every day and did other things to help me recover and recalibrate”.

“I think I’ve turned into a really interesting musician.  I haven’t played live, but plan to now that I’ve finished my degree”.  I’ve learnt so much from my experience; it’s been a real challenge.  I’ve learnt about boundaries, healthy interactions and new ways of relating. I appreciate the little things, understand my limits and know I’m responsible for my choices. I now have a better framework to engage with other people, a degree and music, which I always wanted to do”.

“I’m now thinking I could do a second degree in Social Science. The degree I just completed was a combination of Law, Arts and Behavioural Science – but I’d like to expand on what I’ve learnt – there’s so much more to life”.

“Talk about new beginnings, this has been the ultimate new beginning…I just feel so incredibly fortunate and I want to do justice to this opportunity. I often think…how do you thank people that have changed your life so completely and restored your trust in humanity so you can dream again?”