A Path to Follow

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Boost Your Calm: 15 Easy Mindfulness Tips for Children

In the whirlwind of teenage life, finding moments of calm can be a game-changer. Mindfulness offers a way to manage stress, boost focus, and cultivate a sense of inner peace amidst the chaos. Whether it’s through quick breathing exercises, incorporating gratitude into your daily routine, or simply taking a moment to be present, these mindfulness tips are designed to fit seamlessly into your busy life. Embrace these practices to create a more balanced and serene approach to everyday challenges. Start Small: Begin with just a few minutes of mindfulness each day. Even a 3-5 minute practice can make a difference. Use Guided Meditations: Try apps or online resources with guided meditations designed for teens. They can help you get started and stay focused. Practice Deep Breathing: When feeling stressed, take a few deep breaths. Inhale slowly through your nose, hold for a moment, and exhale gently through your mouth. Mindful Moments: Incorporate mindfulness into daily activities. Pay attention to the sensations of eating, walking, or even brushing your teeth. Body Scan: Take a few minutes to focus on different parts of your body. Notice any tension and try to relax those areas. Gratitude Journaling: Write down a few things you’re grateful for each day. This practice helps shift focus to positive aspects of your life. Mindful Listening: When having conversations, really listen to what the other person is saying without planning your response while they’re talking. Digital Detox: Set aside time each day to unplug from screens and social media. Use this time for mindfulness activities or just to relax. Visualisation: Picture a calming place or a positive outcome to a stressful situation. Visualising a peaceful scene can help reduce anxiety. Stretching or Yoga: Engage in gentle stretching or yoga exercises. These activities can help you connect with your body and ease tension. Mindful Walks: Go for a walk and pay attention to the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Focus on each step and the experience of walking. Set Intentions: At the start of your day, set a positive intention or goal for yourself. This can help you stay grounded and focused throughout the day. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. When things don’t go as planned, remind yourself that it’s okay to make mistakes and that you’re doing your best. Create a Mindfulness Routine: Find a time of day that works best for you and stick to it. Consistency can help you build and maintain your mindfulness practice. Share with Others: Discuss your mindfulness practice with friends or family. Sharing your experiences can enhance your practice and build a supportive community.

Understanding Lived Experience Mental Health Peer Support

Lived Experience Mental Health Peer Support   A Mental Health Peer Worker is employed based on their personal lived/living experience of mental health challenges and recovery. They are commonly being employed in hospital and community settings, often alongside the employment of Carer Peers, who tend to support the families of those experiencing challenges. A Path To Follow’s Model Of Peer Support APTF uses a model of Lived Experience Peer Support, where APTF Peers use their living/lived and professional experiences to support the peer journey. Inherent to this model are the foundational principles of Intentional Peer Support’s Framework: From Helping to Learning Together – we don’t see peers as needing to be fixed or us as the experts, Individual to Relationship – we see our work together as a partnership where both peers have a responsibility and From Fear to Hope and Possibility we don’t subscribe to a traditional risk based model, rather we use one that sees the meaning behind risks as a source of opportunity to learn and grow, in a safe and supportive manner. We acknowledge this system is quite different from the medicalised model we have all grown up with; you as a patient/client seeing an expert. We are all experts within our own lives and APTF was founded, and is directed by Kirstie, with substantial knowledge and experience of the system as a consumer, carer and professional. APTF Peers use a mix of perspectives and experiences to advocate and walk beside young people and their families, enabling participation in supports while remaining connected to their communities. This model of service is not a crisis service but does offer a flexibility outside what many mainstream services are able to offer. Support is customised according to needs; including various session locations and contact times, who is included in the service, referrals to other services, shared care with other services and so on… Sometimes we just want to be heard. That is a great place to start with us. Reach out for your FREE consultation to see how we can assist.

A Path To Follow’s Peer Support Framework

APTF uses a model of Lived Experience Peer Support, where APTF Peers use their lived and professional experiences to support their peer’s journey. Inherent to this model are the foundational principles of Intentional Peer Support’s Framework: From Helping to Learning Together – we don’t see peers as needing to be fixed or us as the experts, Individual to Relationship – we see our work together as a partnership and From Fear to Hope and Possibility we don’t subscribe to a traditional risk based model, rather we use one that sees the meaning behind risks as a source of opportunity to learn and grow, in a safe and supportive manner. We acknowledge this system is quite different from the medicalised model we have all grown up with; you as a patient/client seeing an expert. APTF believes we are all experts within our own lives and APTF was founded and is directed by Kirstie, who has substantial knowledge and experience of the system as a consumer, carer and professional. We use all of those perspectives to advocate and walk beside you, enabling you to participate in the supports you require and remain connected to the community that is important to you.

Mental Health System Experiences

I Survived I am not ashamed. I will not sit quietly any longer. I am not ashamed to tell you my story. To tell you of my hospitalisation, where I experienced the very best and very worst of our mental health system, A system plagued with misunderstood children trying to be heard, A system full of passionate nurses working to help these children, A system that has failed so many in the worst way, A system that denies care to some of those who need it most, A system full of doctors who might tell me that my urge to kill myself and the voices in my head are just a product of my drug use and my friends that I “have to pull my socks up” and “just be positive” And that night I lost my faith, I said “I’m no longer believing in a system that tell me that my problems are just fake”. Kyle’s Journey-Part 1 My first brush with Emergency Mental Health That night I was brushed off and told to go home; “sleep it off”. Turned away by the system that is supposed to be there for those in need. Scared, suicidal and exhausted I left the hospital that first night with my mum feeling as though nobody even wanted to understand what was going on in my head. I left the hospital in the most chaotically peaceful state that one could find themselves in. Chaotic in the way that I was scared, sad. I felt betrayed by a system I always knew was not perfect but felt at least could do its job. The peace I found when I left the hospital was not that of serenity and calm, but rather a peacefulness within my brain that I had given up on myself, on my life. I no longer had anything to worry about because soon I would take my own life and this would all be over. My Family; My Life Line The coming days was a series of naps mixed with tantrums, panic attacks and whatever self-harm I could bring to myself without being caught by the watchful and caring eyes of my parents. I was compelled by the voices in my head to take my own life, that by me being gone, so would all the pain and destruction I bring to myself and those around me. That wasn’t my family’s plan though; they pushed me; they saved my life. The compassion and love I received from each of my immediate family members gave me some strength to continue on through my life, which at this point seemed to be a never-ending maze of sadness and sorrow. It wasn’t all up from there though; my time in the system had only just begun… I spent about a week at home before my first home visit from an outreach Psychiatric team (CATT). After a half hour talk with the two incredibly good men working for the outreach program it was decided that I should be taken back into hospital for further assessment and treatment. At this stage they thought I was experiencing early onset psychosis. A somewhat broken system with shining lights I was taken back to the same hospital I had been sent away from just the week before, although this time I was treated far better because of the call ahead by the outreach team. I spent one long night in the emergency room getting bits and pieces of sleep, an incredibly sarcastic smile and “back again?” from the mental health clinician who had turned me away last time. I was made to feel like a burden, like the bed I was taking was unjustified and could be better used somewhere else. And do I agree the bed that night could have been used better for someone else with a physical health problem? Yes, in an ideal world, a supportive and professional mental health system could stand alone and could have prevented my first and second presentation to emergency. We already tried the other options we had; private, public… Too risky, not risky enough… In an ideal world there would also be an emergency room just for mental health issues; in turn allowing the specialists from each hospital to focus on their actual specialist area, creating more opportunity for doctors to genuinely be able to treat an illness and traumatic incidents. Experiences, such as mine, might decrease exponentially. Austin Awesome The next morning I was transported to The Austin’s Children’s Psychiatric Ward where I would spend the next 4 days. As I arrived in the psych ward any cord in my jumpers and pants had to be removed, as well as all my shoelaces. My bag was searched and my Phone was taken. I remember looking at my parents. The look of distress on their faces, especially mum’s, made the situation even scarier. I spent my first night literally trapped inside a panic attack; crying and just wanting to be at home. Despite my troublesome first night and an urgent, pleading phone call to my parents to bring me home, my experience at The Austin, for the most part, was extremely positive. They boasted modern facilities, including a bedroom for each child, a small school and a decent sized outdoor area with tennis courts. There was a great games room with a pool table, massage chairs and gym equipment. As well as these facilities the case workers, nurses and doctors were incredibly good and clearly trained and experienced at dealing with and helping teens with mental health issues. The Austin provided me with an amazing team that, in my short time there, truly helped me and gave me some good strategies for dealing with my mental ill health. Unfortunately, these gems are very rare and can only benefit very few children, for too short a time. After 4 days at the Austin I felt as though I had started my journey to recovery and was looking forward to what

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