Make Up sessions at Acabellas: A suite of illustrative case studies

Please note the following characters are fictitious amalgams of real scenarios

Case Study 1: Going on holidays later in the block

Rejina attends Wednesday night singing and barely misses a week. Last block she went on a holiday and missed the last three weeks of the block. She knew part blocks were not available, so she chose to pay for the entire block and attend an extra session each week before her holiday. She feared the double sessions would feel “too much” but she told her best friend “It was fabulous. I feel so good after two sings and the people are lovely. My holiday will be better because of my wise choice.”

Case Study Two: Arriving back from holiday mid-block

Jemima adores singing harmony on Thursdays at noon in Highton. She won an all expenses paid trip to Istanbul at her local RSL which was scheduled for the first three weeks of the block. She booked in, was away for three weeks, and when she returned, she planned to do two sessions a week. In the end she missed one, but she didn’t care because sometimes she has enjoyed free sessions at Acabellas such as the grief and loss session. She believed in the karmic wheel of fortune that had won her a holiday in the first place. She was heard in the car park saying “I really love the songs and even though I missed a couple of weeks, I joined in easily and had so much fun. Gosh, I am lucky to know about Acabellas”

Case Study Three: Having a rough block

Quinlin booked into the block yet every second week something arose in their life that interfered with their best laid plans. A flat tyre, a cold, and then an absorbing radio programme they simply couldn’t tear themself away from on a Tuesday night. Quinlin had no interest in make-up sessions, preferring the comfort and familiarity of their home group. They considered the block payment worthwhile to get there whenever possible. Quinlin confided to Belinda one night that they felt sometimes like they were wasting their spot. Belinda smiled warmly and said “this is your spot Quinlin, and I want you to feel welcome to come or not come any week. That is what autonomy and wellbeing is all about”.

Case Study Four: Cartwheeling through the groups

Hamble loved to sing. She also loved yoga, working, her family, gardening, and reading. She liked the make-up approach because she could attend according to how she felt on the day. Some weeks she did a double sing on a Tuesday night. Sometimes she missed a week. Sometimes she attended Thursday lunchtime, even though Wednesday was her home group. One week her sister died. Her heart was very sore, so she came to singing twice. That meant she came seven times in a block. She really felt she really needed to. She wondered if she should ask Belinda if that was OK but she felt too sad. She didn’t want to talk about her sister, and she thought Belinda wouldn’t notice. Belinda did notice she was there an extra time and did sense something was different. Belinda was absolutely delighted singing could step in where words could not and was thrilled that Hamble had the good sense to allocate herself a seventh session. It was a great example of what Acabellas is all about.

I could go on and on, as you can tell. Please ask if you need further clarity.