Meridian ACT

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Meridian ACT Meridian was established to provide services and supports to people impacted by HIV.

Today, Meridian delivers health and wellbeing services for the HIV community, LGBTIQA+ people, their families and allies. Meridian offers counselling, peer-led activities, health-promoting events, training, education and service navigation. Meridian also offers regular free s*xual health outreach testing services and a service of outreach supports and referrals for s*x workers and people who use drugs.

Is stress a frequent part of your life? That’s a common feeling, with rising cost of living and housing stress affecting...
21/10/2026

Is stress a frequent part of your life? That’s a common feeling, with rising cost of living and housing stress affecting many of us, not to mention anything else!

Thankfully, there are strategies we can use to help relieve these difficult feelings. While it won't fix the problem, it can help you face the challenge with calmer mind.

📦😮‍💨 One technique to try is box breathing:
1. Breath in for a count of 4.
2. Hold the breath for a count of 4.
3. Breathe out for a count of 4.
4. Pause for a count of 4.

🔁 Repeat until you’re feeling more grounded.

If you find this doesn’t help after several minutes of practice, we encourage you to contact a crisis service. We have a list of them at www.meridianact.org.au/crisis_contacts_and_other_supports

If you’re using this strategy frequently about the same issue, consider contacting our counselling service or one of the many orgs around Canberra, depending on the nature of the issue. If you’re not sure where to turn, Meridian staff may be able to direct you to the relevant service.

See q***r stories on the big screen at the Capital Film Festival 5 days of cinema (21 to 25 October) at Dendy Cinemas Ca...
21/10/2026

See q***r stories on the big screen at the Capital Film Festival
5 days of cinema (21 to 25 October) at Dendy Cinemas Canberra and the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA).

Here are our picks:
Bitter Christmas · Coward · Jim Queen · Big Girls Don’t Cry

Learn more about the films and book tickets at capitalfilmfestival.com.au

The 3rd Wednesday of October is International Pronouns Day, which seeks to make respecting, sharing & educating about pe...
20/10/2026

The 3rd Wednesday of October is International Pronouns Day, which seeks to make respecting, sharing & educating about personal pronouns commonplace.

Pronouns are words used instead of the names of people, things or ideas. The most common pronouns in English used to refer to someone who isn’t the person speaking or listening are she/her, he/him and they/them, but these aren’t the only ones. As language and social understanding continue to evolve, some people use other pronouns, or combinations of them.

Respecting someone’s pronouns is just as important as respecting their name. The same way you’d likely feel insulted if someone kept calling you by the wrong name and didn’t make the effort to learn the right one, deliberately or carelessly using the wrong pronoun shows that you don’t respect a person.

Want to learn more about pronouns, how to use them and what to do if you make a mistake? Check out our fact sheet at www.meridianact.org.au/what_are_pronouns

A lovely person recently sent the following message to our Peer Navigator:"I really enjoyed our conversation the other d...
20/10/2026

A lovely person recently sent the following message to our Peer Navigator:

"I really enjoyed our conversation the other day and appreciated having the opportunity to talk with you. I felt very comfortable speaking openly with you, and it was good to connect with someone who understood where I was coming from."

Sometimes, it's the little things that truly make a difference, like having someone to speak to who truly understands.

📅 Mark your calendars with upcoming events at Meridian & around Canberra!At Meridian over the coming fortnight, we have:...
18/10/2026

📅 Mark your calendars with upcoming events at Meridian & around Canberra!

At Meridian over the coming fortnight, we have:
🧪 19 October, 4:30 to 6:35 pm: Get free & confidential STI testing for LGBTIQA+ communities at our STRIP Clinic. Bookings required.
💲 3 November, 2 to 5pm: Get free & confidential help around loans, debts, bank disputes, insurance matters & more at Care Consumer Law's monthly Mobile Debt Clinic.
⚖️ 3 November, 2:30 to 4:30pm: Get free one-off legal advice from Legal Aid ACT at the monthly LGBTIQA+ Legal Advice Service at Legal Aid ACT's offices (2 Allsop St, Canberra).

Find out about these & more at www.meridianact.org.au/events

SpringOUT events:

🏳️‍🌈 24 October, 10:30 to 11:30am: Drag Storytime with Courtney Act
🏳️‍🌈 24 October, 5:30 to 7pm: In conversation: Courtney Act and Paul Yore
🏳️‍🌈 24 October, 7:30pm to late: Spring Fever Retro Disco, a fundraiser for Diversity ACT
🏳️‍🌈 25 October, 1 to 3pm: Drawn in Drag: Sketching with FLESH Q***r Life Drawing
🏳️‍🌈 30 October, 9:30 to 11:30pm: Alias Cabaret – Vice
🏳️‍🌈 31 October, 11am to 5pm: SpringOUT Fair Day at Glebe Park

Find out about these & more at http://springout.com.au/events/

Other events happening around Canberra that might interest you include:
🎟️ 24 October: Haemophilia Foundation ACT (HFACT) Community Day, www.hfact.org.au/news/event/2026-hfact-community-day-signup/
🎟️ 26 October, 12 to 1pm: 31st Annual Remembrance Ceremony for those who lost their lives to illicit drugs, at the memorial located on the right of Weston Park Road, Yarralumla, opposite the Pescott Lane Junction
🎟️ 27 October, 3 to 4pm: UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health online launch of the Annual Report of Trends in Behaviour 2026: Research relating to Viral Hepatitis, HIV, STIs and Sexual Health in Australia, www.eventbrite.com.au/e/annual-report-of-trends-in-behaviour-2026-tickets-2000925817985
🎟️ 29 & 30 October: Voices of In-Sight by Roses in the Ocean, a 2-day, su***de-prevention workshop for people with a lived experience of su***de who want to strengthen how they communicate & apply their insights, https://rosesintheocean.com.au/what-we-do/workshops/voices-of-in-sight/

✨ We're excited to announce that we're teaming up with TIDES from Uniting to host a free monthly mindfulness & wellbeing...
17/10/2026

✨ We're excited to announce that we're teaming up with TIDES from Uniting to host a free monthly mindfulness & wellbeing group on the first Thursday of every month at a range of rotating locations around Canberra.

These outdoor gatherings will offer an inclusive & accessible space for community members to practice mindfulness, nurture their wellbeing, build social connections & reconnect with nature. Activities will include individual & group mindfulness exercises.

Our first session is from 2 to 3pm on 5 November 2026 at Salthouse Community Centre.

RSVPs are essential, with a max of 10 people per session.

Find out more at meridianact.org.au/touch_grass

The latest survey of Australians living with HIV, HIV Futures 11, paints a mixed but largely encouraging picture.69.7% o...
16/10/2026

The latest survey of Australians living with HIV, HIV Futures 11, paints a mixed but largely encouraging picture.

69.7% of participants reported ‘good’ quality of life; however, this is well below the national target of 95% by 2030.

According to the study:
⬆️ Better quality of life was strongly associated with social connectedness, better general health, higher resilience, higher household income, financial security and living with a partner or spouse.
⬇️ Experiences of HIV-related stigma and/or discrimination in the past 12 months were strongly associated with poorer quality of life.

🔗 Source: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/arcshs/work/blood-borne-viruses/hiv-futures-11

🔦 This month, we’re shining the spotlight on our Inclusive Pathways service, which provides free psychological therapies...
14/10/2026

🔦 This month, we’re shining the spotlight on our Inclusive Pathways service, which provides free psychological therapies and social & emotional wellbeing support for people aged 16+ who are LGBTIQA+ or exploring their identity or s*xuality.

🏳️‍🌈 Inclusive Pathways is built on a dynamic, strengths-based & person-centred model of care to affirm & support people of diverse s*xualities & genders.

🛋️🗣️ It offers culturally safe & trauma-informed support from psychologists experienced in working with LGBTIQA+ communities.

🔗 Find out more, including eligibility criteria & how to refer yourself or a client to Inclusive Pathways, at www.meridianact.org.au/wellbeing

Inclusive Pathways is supported by funding from the Capital Health Network.

Today is Allied Health Professions Day!We’re celebrating the allied health professionals who improve health & wellbeing ...
13/10/2026

Today is Allied Health Professions Day!

We’re celebrating the allied health professionals who improve health & wellbeing across our hospitals, health services, schools, workplaces, homes and communities.

At Meridian, our allied health professionals include psychologists, counsellors and social workers, who work hard to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our community members. We acknowledge and celebrate their incredible work; thank you for the difference you make every day!

🎉 Hooray, it’s Herpes Awareness Day! 🎉Herpes is the most common STI in Australia, making it the popular kid on the STI b...
12/10/2026

🎉 Hooray, it’s Herpes Awareness Day! 🎉

Herpes is the most common STI in Australia, making it the popular kid on the STI block!

🦠🦠🦠❌ Over 75% of people have one of the 2 variants of herpes simplex virus (HSV), commonly referred to as ‘cold sores’ and ‘genital herpes’ (though you can get either version on your mouth or ge****ls).

HSV spreads easily through skin contact. It’s largely benign & often doesn’t show any symptoms. Plenty of people live blissfully unaware they’re carrying the virus.

While there's no cure for the virus, there are effective ways to manage any symptoms you may have. Some people experience pain and discomfort during a herpes outbreak; if that's you, talk with your GP or a s*xual health practitioner.

However, often the worst symptom isn't caused by the virus but by people: the social stigma around herpes.

According to the Herpes Stigma Index by the New Zealand Herpes Foundation, Australia ranks 3rd in the world in reducing herpes stigma. This is great, but we think we can do better.

🏆 You can help us beat Spain & NZ and become #1 by learning more about herpes!

🔗 For a start, check out this wonderful NZ campaign: https://thebestplaceintheworldtohaveherpes.com/

Address

Havelock House 85 Northbourne Avenue
Canberra, ACT
2612

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+61262572855

Website

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