Many people are becoming more and more aware to attend their GP in the first instance when seeking professional mental health support.  This is a great practice we encourage in terms of initially looking after one’s mental wellbeing.  I think we can also confidently say that your GP will, most likely, complete a mental health care plan and a referral to a Psychologist.  Again, potentially, another very good step.  However, it also depends on your GP’s knowledge, experience and connections to the mental health services around them.  Without knowledge and connection to the right provider, you might be end up having to source your own Psychologist.

We want you to know, while Psychological Therapy may be the correct service type for you, there are also many other alternatives. This post explores the true diverse nature of services available, the differences between them and how to check professional registration and rebate statuses of those you are looking to work with.

Each day we will introduce a different mental health support type to you. It is important for you to know each profession so you can make an informed decision about the care of yourself or a loved one.

At A Path To Follow, we support communities members to find and engage in specialised mental health support. Please reach out if you require support with finding an appropriate and reputable mental health specialist for your or someone you know.

Psychologist

A Psychologist is a professional trained in the science of how people think, feel, behave and learn. Psychologists work to assess and provide therapy for people struggling with mental health or psychological issues by helping them to understand how their own brains work and its relationship to their feelings and behaviours. Psychologists are regulated in Australia, meaning that for someone to call themselves a Psychologist they must be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and be listed with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. (APHRA) A registered Psychologist will have had 6 years minimum university training and supervised experience.  They can be general providers, with sound knowledge across a broad range of mental health challenges and/or illnesses, or they may specialise in a certain area or areas.  A Clinical Psychologist will attained further qualifications to enable them to participate in research, teaching supervision, etc.  In practical terms their therapy is based in session to session talking, without their role extending to outside session work on behalf or for the client.  For more information on the different forms of Psychology, see here.

Medicare and Private Health

Psychologists offer Medicare rebates. The gap (amount you will pay), will vary from professional to professional.  Some may offer Bulk Billing if you hold a Health Care Card or Pension or can prove financial hardship.

Private Health: Check your fund, type and level of cover.

Psychiatrist

A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has undergone additional training to be qualified to practice Psychiatry and must be registered with the Medical Board of Australia via APHRA.  They have the capacity to complete thorough Assessments, especially for those more serious and complex mental health challenges. A person may have both a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist as part of their care team. While the Psychiatrist may prescribe and manage medication, the Psychologist may use evidence based talking therapy models to assist the client.

Medicare and Private Health

Psychiatrists offer Medicare rebates. The gap (amount you will pay), will vary from professional to professional.  Some may offer Bulk Billing if you hold a Health Care Card or Pension or can prove financial hardship.

Private Health: Check your fund, type and level of cover.

Social Worker

Social Workers are trained at university in human behaviour, families, social justice and human rights. They can assist people with a range of challenges that may come about for reasons other than mental health challenges. At this stage Social Work is not a registered industry in Australia at the moment. There is a peak body, Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), but membership with this body is voluntary. At the very least we advise people to ask if their Social Worker would be “eligible” to become a member with the AASW; this ensures they meet the same requirements that paying members have to. Social Workers can provide counselling to individuals in addition to advocacy, referrals and the coordination of services for their clients.

Medicare and Private Health                                                                                                                                              No, not at this time.                                                                                                                                   

Mental Health Social Worker

A Mental Health Social Worker is a Social Worker with additional qualifications in mental health that prepares them to deal with issues relating specifically to mental health challenges and/or illness. Mental Health Social Workers generally have experience in assessing and diagnosing people experiencing mental health related stress and other life challenges.  Mental Health Social Workers are accredited via AASW.

Medicare Yes

Private Health No

Counsellor

A Counsellor works with clients to promote mental health and wellbeing, enhance self-understanding and resolve identified concerns via talking therapy. In Australia you do not have to be registered to practice and there are many different counselling qualifications available. We recommend that you check if your Counsellor has completed a postgraduate qualification in counselling (this tells us they have completed additional training).  We also suggest you look at to see if your Counsellor is registered with The Australian Register of Counsellors & Psychotherapists.   Counsellors registered with bodies like PACFA and Australian Counselling Association (who are listed on the above register) are expected to participate in ongoing professional development and supervision, including their own counselling, to stay current with developments in their profession and to ensure safe, ethical practice.

Medicare and Private Health                                                                                                                                           

No

Youth Worker

Youth Workers assess individual clients’ needs and offer practical supports a young person might need. They may refer to rehabilitative, counselling and/or support services for young people, help them get connected to a GP or remain engaged in education. Youth Workers are usually employed in youth related services, rather than in stand alone businesses. They often have the ability to outreach to education and other public settings. Youth Workers do not have to hold tertiary level qualifications but can attain a diploma level qualifications via a TAFE like environment. We suggest you see if your Youth Worker is registered with the Youth Workers Association.

Medicare and Private  Health                                                                                                                                                                                          No

Hypnotist

Hypnosis, also known as Hypnotherapy, involves inducing a trance or dream like state of relaxation that is used to treat a variety of disorders. By deliberately inducing this relaxing state the brain is far more open to therapeutic suggestion and can have positive effect on attitudes, perceptions and behaviours.  Hypnosis is a self-regulated profession and is often referred to as a “complementary” health service. It can be of assistance with issues such as giving up smoking or losing weight. Hypnosis is a practice that attracts strong views; either for or against. We prefer to not buy into that and suggest you check if your Hypnotherapist is registered with Hypnotherapy Council of Australia. This ensures some professional development occurs and regulates practice for those who register with them.

Medicare                                                                                                                                                                               

Where performed by a professional who is eligible for Medicare already, hypnosis may be eligible in some instances for rebate. Check with professional.

Private Health

Check your fund, type and level of cover (there are a limited number of funds who cover hypnosis at present time).

Mental Health Nurse

A Mental Health Nurse is a registered medical nurse who specializes in working with people who have mental health challenges and/or illness. Mental Health Nurses complete further study that is recognized by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. A mental health nurse helps their patients to manage their lives and the different aspects within mental health, but also physical, social, cultural and spiritual needs. Mental health nurses can help in providing a plan for recovery, help in education of mental illness and treatments, support meetings with doctors and other health professionals and link with other mental health supports. Mental Health Nurses can work within hospital, private or community settings.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      Medicare and Private Health

Mental Health Nurses can offer Medicare rebates in many circumstances. Some may offer Bulk Billing if you hold a Health Care Card or Pension or can prove financial hardship.

Private Health

No

Mental Health Peer Worker or Mentor

A Mental Health Peer Worker/Mentor is someone employed based on their personal lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery and/or their experience of supporting family/friends with their mental health journeys. Currently Peer Work is not a regulated profession in Australia and in some states, there are even no frameworks or guidelines provided.

With the Royal Commission Into Mental Health Report about to be released early in 2021, I expect this will change. What can you do to try and ensure your Peer is safe, professional and has the experience required?  If they are part of a reputable organisation, the organisation will have made sure they have the appropriate training, experience and support. You can still ask the following questions (which I recommend for private peer workers) to them, this is up to you.

What framework is your Peer business based on? Here you are looking at something like a Intentional Peer Support Framework or a Recovery Orientated framework.

What qualifications do you hold?  Here you are looking for a tertiary degree in a mental health related field, plus some lived experience training OR a diploma qualification and some lived experience training. Lived Experience training might be termed “Peer Support” or “Lived Experience” training. Any additional training, such as Mental Health First Aid, Emotional CPR, etc, is a bonus.

What do you do to maintain your own wellbeing when working with people who have mental health challenges?  Here you are looking for professional supervision at a very minimum.

What legislation, etc, is a crucial part of your business?  Apart from the basics of Privacy, OHS, etc. You would like to know that your Peer knows about legislation such as the Mental Health Act, Informed Consent, Disability Act.

We hope that you have enjoyed reading our explanations of the different Mental Health Professions. Please know that we did our research, but the above descriptions are ours. Thanks to Kyle for his research of the professions. Did we miss one you would like to share?  If so, let us know.

Are you signed up to our Newsletter?  If not, you can do so here.

The post What’s the Difference? Mental Health Professions Explained. appeared first on A Path to Follow.

Join Us

APPLICATIONS EXTENDED UNTIL JAN 29TH 2021

After much pondering, mixed with a fair dose of frustration and followed by a renewed determination, I have decided it is time to take APTF into the Not For Profit world? We need like minded and supportive people to join us on our Board of Directors. Is that you?

Why?

Long story short? Yep, of course, no one really likes the long story.

Short story is that I want to be able to throw our very valid and worthy hat in the ring when it comes to government and related funding opportunities. Currently most of the these grants are only open to those organisations who are incorporated.  I cannot continue to devote so much time to securing sponsorships and donations and I choose not to continue to hit up those same type of people who enabled support to our clients this far.

Once I began my preparation, I also ran headfirst into another reason; the flip side of a reason I was actually avoiding the NFP status. I have loved the independence and autonomy of having my own business and not having to answer to anyone else.

Then I got lonely and then I got real. Not only is it selfish and unrealistic to think I can achieve our vision on my own; it ignores a core strength of my work ethic. I love team and I love leading and participating within them. Through registering as a NFP I get to gather and collaborate with a team of individuals with like purposes and philosophies around mental wellbeing.

Interested?

We need to fulfil the mandatory roles of President, Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer. There are also general Director positions available. We welcome ALL people who can fulfil the stated criteria to apply and especially welcome young people, and people with lived experience of mental health challenges or carers thereof.

When?  Nominations to be on the Board of Directors closes COB January 29th 2021.

First Meeting- Feb 17th (time tbc)

Where?  Via Zoom

How?  Email your nominations to kirstie@apathtofollow.com.au

Advertisement

Board Code of Conduct

Nomination Form

Never miss out on your news, sign up here.

The post Marching into 2021 with a Not For Profit Purpose appeared first on A Path to Follow.

Supporting them in the acceptance and exploration of ALL emotions, inclusive of those feelings that don’t feel great is extremely important to their development; it will provide them with crucial life long mental wellbeing tools. While as parents we are somewhat primed to mend that tantrum or flood of tears with a temporary fix, doing only this enhances the risk that they will not be able to identify, explore and express how they are feeling independently, without us to navigate that world for them.

Why?

8 people a day die by suicide in Australia. 6 of those are men; men who are still told it is not manly to talk, it is not masculine to share or seek support for their mental distress. I wonder, out of those 6, how many were taught that it is ok to feel, explore and express their emotions… For those who want a nicer rationale, this image below from Kids Help Line is a great one.

Our babies are born with a unique toolkit to communicate their emotions. They cry, they smile, they giggle, they frown. Somehow, as they grow, we (as a community) often fail to help them replace those basic communication methods with a language to match.

Our children then become teenagers grappling to manage their emotions, let alone describe them. Our teens don’t become adults and suddenly evolve into a human with a customised boxed set of emotional intelligence skills. We need to teach it. Of course it is easiest to learn and teach as a baby grows, but you are never actually too old to learn this skill.

I like to refer to this communication set as Emotional Language, but you could hear it referred to as Emotional Intelligence or Emotional Agility.  I can hear you saying, ok, if this is a learned skill and I don’t have it, how am I supposed to teach my kids?  Great point.  That is why the rest of this post is about sharing some tips and resources I have found useful in guiding our boys to develop their own Emotional Languages and for us, as their parents, to continue to develop ours.

What?

Start early. When that toddler cries, ask how that feels inside them. Physically, you might help them point to the part of the body where they can identify the upset? You might assist them to identify the source of their emotion and then talk about how it makes them feel.  Help them find the right words, if they cannot.

“Oh, so you feel mad that the dog ate the cat’s food and that is why you are frowning? Point to your forehead.

“You feel sad now that your brother has gone to school and that is why you are crying?” Point to the tears.

Ok. Language part. Tick.  What now?  Well, certainly comfort them or reinforce boundaries with them, but try to make the focus talking with them.  Don’t rush or hush their emotions away. Teach them acceptance of their all their emotions; especially the anger, the fear, the loneliness. Teach them emotions are transient and not to be feared. If there emotions are triggering negative behaviours, apply this learning to the behaviour, not the emotion.  Eg:  “I can see that you are frowning. I can see that you are crying. I can see that your fists are clenched. I can see that you must feel very angry. It is perfectly normal to feel angry. Everyone feels angry sometimes. It is not ok to hurt people when we are angry though. Let’s talk about other ways you might feel better when you feel this again.”

Help to brainstorm strategies for emotions that are distressing.  Could a run on the spot help?  What about screaming or punching into a pillow?  What about loud music and our favourite dance? Deep breathing or meditation might bring some calm?  Encourage them to try the strategies. Perhaps even practice with them.

So, there you are; Teaching Emotional Language. Simple isn’t it?  Oh, hang on. Then…

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

And as you repeat over the years, adapt your emotional language to your child’s age and developmental level.

You want this Emotional Language Toolkit to form the basis of all your communications. It doesn’t need to shine bright like a diamond, but it does need to be practiced and nurtured along the years. A child, a teen, an adult who then experiences mental distress and potentially a full and chaotic brain, will be able to reach this language with more ease, communicate it to seek the support they need and require. May it prove to be as positive in your family life, as it has in ours.

Resources

Other great resources for developing Emotional Language.

Kids Help Line

Beyond Blue

Tuning Into Kids  -my favourite emotion research and practical strategies go to.  Great parent groups that are run by Tuning Into Kids, but also many other organisations now.

Tuning in to Kids and the value of emotionally connecting with children

The post Emotional Language Development appeared first on A Path to Follow.

This is an edited transcript of an interview our Social Media Volunteer, Kyle, completed with his school Well-Being Leader, Stella. Kyle attends Hestor Hornbrook, an education setting that achieves a positive balance between a student’s educational and mental well-being needs. Stella and Kyle chat about the differences between mainstream and alternative education settings and Stella’s role as Mental Well-being Team Leader. Big thanks to both Stella and Kyle for sharing this with us.

Who are you and what is your role at Hester Hornbook?

Rebecca Stella is the Well-Being Team Leader at Hester Hornbrook Academy. The Hester Hornbrook classroom is that of 1 Educator and 1 Youth Worker to approximately 12 students. Stella’s role is to coordinate the Classroom Youth Workers and oversee that student well-being needs are being supported. Stella provides supervisory support to the Youth Workers about well-being issues and certain crisis intervention strategies. In addition, Stella ensures she forms personalised relationships with students and is available to talk and provide support directly.

Why did you choose to move into the Mental Health field of work?

Stella started her career at the City of Port Phillip however she quickly saw this line of work wasn’t for her. She has experience working with young people with disabilities through the Joint Councils Access for All Abilities (JCAAA) program. There Stella found her passion for working with young people.

Stella grew up with 8 siblings so working with young people seemed to come naturally to her. Soon after her work with JCAAA Stella completed her Youth Work Degree and decided this was the field she wanted to continue in. With her degree under her belt she linked in with St.Kilda Youth Services; an organisation who offers education for high risk young people. Through her work at St.Kilda Youth Services Stella’s passion for working with young people further increased. She saw first hand how young peoples’ experiences of mental health problems was impacting their educational options. Supporting students to manage mental health challenges first, helped them with school engagement, continuing their education and achieving their education goals. Stella found, and continues to find, great satisfaction in working with kids. She enjoys helping them realise their potential and watching them develop in their journey. Stella especially loves seeing the students with mental health obstacles find themselves.

Rebecca Stella-Well-being Coordinator at Hestor Hornbrook Academy

What is alternative education in comparison to ‘mainstream education’ and what are the benefits?

The main difference between Hester Hornbrook and mainstream education is the unique balance and prioritisation of supporting both student well-being and education. When getting to know young people who want to be a part of Hestor Hornbrook it is not simply about academic achievements and goals, it is about all aspects of a young person’s life. Hester Hornbrook looks to push young people to strive for their greatest educational potential, whilst also acknowledging a lot of young people have massive barriers to actually accessing that education. These barriers often lie within mental health, disability and/or other external challenges in a young person’s life, such as drug and alcohol challenges and trauma. Stella also reports Hester Hornbrook works really hard to build relationships with students on a more personal level; understanding problems that occur outside of academia.

In the future do you see alternative education becoming the normality?

Yes, more and more so. Because of recent events with COVID-19 community are beginning to understand that education can’t be delivered simply as a one dimensional program. Delivering only the academic side of the curriculum, as remote learning has done, has proved to have some negative effects on young people’s mental health. It has truly shown that well-being is an integral part of education and the development of young people. Alternative education often allows young people to open up more about their obstacles because of the personal relationship students share with educators. By making alternative education more accessible and known, it will allow more young people who may be suffering with mental health challenges to speak out and open up to their educators.

What do you say to those people who say that alternative education doesn’t provide as thorough a curriculum as mainstream schools?

Hester Hornbrook truly does attempt to provide the best possible education, starting with the great and professional educators who often have worked in a mainstream setting before and who have a great deal of experience.  Combining that experience with the well-being focus of Hestor helps young people who had not been engaging in mainstream education to still gain a high quality education. Hestor Hornbrook is able to provide education specific to a student’s needs, based on the level they are at. This structure is accompanied by a flexible mode of study that allows them to move at a pace they are comfortable with; something mainstream education struggles to provide in keeping a steady pace for the general population.

What resources do alternative education providers provide that mainstream education providers don’t give?

Post care is probably the greatest asset Hester Hornbrook provides in terms of additional resources. Hester Hornbrook has a 12 month period after a young person graduates where an Alumni worker supports that young person in all their well-being needs.  During that time there is also a Careers worker who consistently supports the young people to find a path beyond Hester Hornbrook. Generally students who are preparing to leave are identified about 6 months ahead of time. In that period the school works extremely hard in supporting the young person to achieve the goals they have set. This can include other pathways in the Hestor program and opportunities for scholarships that can help in overcoming barriers.

What is the most challenging part of your role at the school?

The dynamics of classrooms can be quite challenging. Having a group of people, who outside the classroom would have potentially never met, all together in one place and ensuring everyone’s safety and comfort, takes good planning and management. However, this is something Hester Hornbrook manages really well and is able to instil this sense of respect amongst all the students. Everyone at the school knows they are there for their own reasons and that knowledge really creates an environment of understanding and little judgement. Another challenging thing of course is letting go of our students after they graduate and having to say goodbye. That bitter sweet moment of seeing a young person who you have worked so hard and closely with mature into the person they are when they graduate. You just hope you have done enough to really help them out of the circumstances they were in when they first came to the school.

Comparing to mainstream how is diversity within alternative education and how does it work?

In the alternative education environment there are so many different kinds of people coming from all different kinds of circumstances and walks of life. It really gives students, especially those who have come from mainstream education, a chance to operate in an environment free of the stress of being ‘cool’ and having to impress people. Hester Hornbrook truly does its best to actually break down barriers between social groups and provide a place where worrying about all that kind of social standing really doesn’t apply that much at all. Social standing is definitely a factor for a lot of our students who have come from mainstream education. It prevented them from being able to continue in an environment like a secondary school where social standing is something that a lot of importance is placed upon.

The post Alternative education with a well-being focus- A chat with Stella appeared first on A Path to Follow.

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 was coming next. My faith had almost been restored in the system. Unbeknown to me, I was about to have that faith obliterated. My caseworker telling me that unfortunately my time at the Austin was over. There was an opening in the Monash psychiatric ward which was far closer to where I lived. In addition to this, the Austin had a long line of people who live far closer to Heidelberg than me.

Help or Harm?

Arriving at the Monash with my parents and having to watch them leave me in another unknown place, that this time seemed far more intimidating, was horrifying. I was taken to my room, half the size of my room at the Austin, and this time I was sharing. As someone with anxiety I had trouble sleeping that night, extremely paranoid by the boy lying across from me. I didn’t even know his name.

As well as having a roomie, the sleeping quarters happened to be situated next to the “reflection rooms”. The reflection room is where a child would have to spend a number of hours reflecting on your actions after self-harming. Yes, after a child has made a physical step towards self-harm the protocol was to have them put into a room and forced to reflect. Placing a child at further serious risk, after they have just been through a traumatic experience, in a room alone, only seeing the faces of the nurses that pop their head at the small window to check if you’re still alive every 15 minutes, is one of the many parts of this system that is broken!

A child inside of a Psychiatric Ward should feel safe and confident they will be looked after and supported no matter their actions. Instead of this support and safety, the leaders who gave me my introduction spoke about the reflection room like solitary in a prison, trying to deter patients from self-harming by showing the consequences, rather than deterring patients from self-harm by doing genuine hard work on their illness or problem with professionals.

Expect the unexpected…

I had no idea what was going to happen now. Expect the unexpected. Fortunately, I was allocated a good case manager at Monash… He recognised staying would do more harm than good for me. He recommended I return home on a “weekly visit”.

I’d like to say that was when everything started to improve, but really it was just a different location for the continuation of the roller coaster ride I was on.  Part 2 of my Journey will explore my experiences after leaving hospital; at home, school, with my mates; impacting us all.

The post appeared first on A Path to Follow.

I feel it would be highly hypocritical of me, given this is a Lived Experience Service, to only share my tools and strategies of past wounds from which I have healed. I feel it would also be highly hypocritical of me given my assertive community voice in decreasing mental health stigma and helping people to heal through sharing their very real and common experiences, to now hide behind mine. 

The real story behind mental health challenges is not always pretty, is often raw and yes, it can be frightening. What it is often not (despite media representation), is violent or threatening, contagious or life changing for a bystander. What it is, is a strikingly common, lonely existence often hidden behind the closed doors of those you know. Not for me, not for my family and not for my community; not anymore.

Mental Health Challenges: Then

I remember parts of my first experience of *dissociation; some memories, but mostly feelings. Ben, a toddler, and Kyle, a few months old. I remember my sister-in-law dropping me flowers. I remember looking at my feet as breast milk splashed on the flower. I remember smiling and saying goodbye.

I remember being on the bed, phone to ear trying to answer Anthony’s questions.

Where are the boys?  I don’t know.

Did you put them to sleep?  I don’t know.

Tiredness. So tired, too tired, too scared to check on the boys. I could not have done something, could I? I could not check. I needed to sleep. The quiet, warm fog weirdly comforting.

Of course, they were ok and of course I did not hurt them. I had put them down for naps and there they remained, I think, until Anthony got home. That dissociation, like this time, only lasted a short time. The subsequent fog, the disconnection from life and fatigue lasted well over six months. This was my first introduction to serious mental health challenges.

Mental Health Challenges: Now…

In the blink of an eye, all sense of time, place and self, gone…

I may have even gone to IGA in my dressing gown. Yep, my very own customised dissociation.

Some part of me knew I needed help. But *Self and the spoken word had suddenly evaded me; they were simply buried so deep I had no immediate access. There were no words for my boys; that it was happening again. No, not again.

I text my mate, he respected my request to not call. I texted my Psychologist. She called.

“Right. Back against something hard. Feet planted. Got it?” Unusually assertive, she went on, “who am I talking to?”

I didn’t know, I only knew for certain it wasn’t Self.  I can’t clearly remember the rest of the conversation, common with a period of dissociation, but she reached Self enough to convince her/me that hospital was not the answer. Most parts of me, from my lived and professional experiences, actually already knew that. But there was a part of me that just wanted to sleep, didn’t want to talk, didn’t want to think and really didn’t care.

An appointment was made for the next day and I went to bed. No one noticed Self wasn’t with me; I’ve gotten good at that.

Holding onto Self

I awoke the next morning like someone had siphoned every sniff of petrol from my tank. My mind was a fog, my body leaden and my voice unable to verbalise. Self was back, but she was totally and utterly exhausted.

Son to school? Couldn’t drive.

Shower? Couldn’t move.

Eat? Desperately hungry but didn’t want food.

Strangely I was not overly panicked by the experience, as I had previously envisaged I would be when I thought about it happening again. Apparently, my body had kept score. Like having a baby, my body had recorded that it had been here before.

Like last time, my body had decided to put a stop to what my heart and mind could not; emotional and physical over-commitment. It became clear pretty quickly that I needed to re-prioritise my commitments and that doing it now, while my body (not my heart and mind) was in control, was the only way to do it. Fortunately, any negotiations with my heart and mind would be rendered useless by my body’s utter lack of functioning: movement (slow and limited), voice (by written word only), mind (one thought at a time, on only one subject at a time).  In a somewhat detached fashion I communicated my reduced capacities to my two volunteer organisations (knowing that once my heart and mind revived, I would grieve this and a part of me would take over and keep me doing what had brought me to this current state).

My first experience of dissociation evoked a consistent experience of feeling present but not here. Of watching our two little (now big) boys and their dad living life. I was watching on, trapped within my silent and invisible bubble, disallowing me from entering their world. This time is eerily similar, but nowhere near as extreme. I am currently only becoming distressed when a part of me feels frustrated, sad or angry at my total lack of energy to engage. I am still in their world and I can still feel (but not yet reach) that passion and determination to continue toward their world.

Moving Forward

While my external voice and movement is slow, to the point where getting up and down is physically exhaustive, my internal voice and brain appear to be functioning as per normal. I think… Yep, there is the old doubt that creeps in and out still, as there is the sudden and crippling bouts of social anxiety when thinking about seeing anyone outside of my family, but those moments will pass. I know that now. My body has been keeping score and even though my tools are not yet working, I know they are there, ready, when my energy allows it. I hear conversation and my internal voice responds, engages. Then, when I go to verbalise, I just can’t summons the energy past a few words.  Texting, however, writing, however, I can do that.

APTF, even under this blanket of fog and detachment, is as much at the core of my heart, as my family is.   They are intertwined. If you know APTF beginnings, you will already know this. My journey is here to serve a purpose in supporting others in like circumstances, especially my boys, clients and volunteers.

My internal drive and passion is still there; my body is just serving its purpose right now in protecting me from further challenges. This is my journey. I am here to share it so that others will know they are not alone, to know that I am not alone and to increase the awareness of those living near and with us, so that they too, can understand and walk beside us on our journeys.

*Dissociation:  In periods of high stress the brain attempts to protect us by temporarily disconnecting all streams of consciousness from real time and place. 

*Self:  Internal Family Systems Theory’s  premise is we have several parts of our brain that make up our whole being. Self refers to the part that is compassionate and has the best interests of the whole body in mind. The other parts are often generated from past wounds and “painful emotions” and they try to control and protect the person from the pain of the emotional wounds.” “They are often in conflict with each other and with one’s core Self.” ” IFS focuses on healing the wounded parts and restoring mental balance and harmony by changing the dynamics that create discord among the sub-personalities and the Self.”

NOTE: sub-personalities is not a reference to multiple-personality disorder or parts that we are not aware of. They are our internal voices that generate our thoughts, behaviour and speech.

The post Brain takes a break. Body keeps score. appeared first on A Path to Follow.

Who sets the arbitrary line to determine if or when I share my lived experience with my clients? Who decides if I use my lived experience in a way that is safe, for the benefit of our community and in line with best practice?

Great question.

The answer?  You.

And you know what? A person’s rapport with a service greatly influences the effectiveness of it.  Of course it should always be you. APTF provides a customised balance of professional and lived experience in mental health to support clients walking their mental well-being journeys. We recognise the need for consumers to feel supported by a team who can connect and journey beside you; personally and professionally.

My Experiences. Don’t box me in.

There is a growing body of evidence and overwhelming community and professional support for incorporating lived experience in our professional mental health services. That is how we already practice at APTF. I am more than one experience and one perspective. Don’t box me in.

I am a Consumer. I am Carer and I am Professional.

During physical isolation I participated in Tandem and Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC)’s Royal Commission into Mental Health feedback sessions. Tandem represents carers of those living with mental health challenges. VMIAC represents consumers of mental health services.  I was also invited to bring “my perspective” to an Insta Live this week with the Discovery College. As a result of my participation and my Discovery Convo gig I got thinking more about my lived and professional experiences. How they serve my life long passion of supporting others in their mental well-being journeys.

Consumer. Carer. Professional.  Three aspects of my life not looking to alter in the short term. Three aspects of my life I am proud to identify with. Three aspects of my life I know assists other people in their journeys as consumers, carers and professionals.

Professional Limits

A set of often arbitrary and ambiguous codes, discouraging the sharing of lived experience, were pervasive in my time working within the family and health services field. With time, I shared a limited version of my lived experience. The professional scene demanded a somewhat sanitised version, however. A stark difference to how these experiences played out in actuality. I felt disappointed and alarmed at not being able to share experiences that could help those who shared their vulnerabilities with me.

Thanks to VMIAC, Tandem, Discovery College, other like organisations and passionate individuals, we are now looking at a new world. A new future where lived experience may take its rightful place in the mental health service system. A Path To Follow is already here; in the future. Our entire service is based on a customised balance of professional and lived experience in life’s challenges. We recognise there is a need and a place for all experiences to best support our community in their mental well-being journeys.

The Right Balance

But surely not everyone with lived experience is a good fit to provide such support I hear you ask?

I agree and disagree. Fence sitter, I hear you say.  Yep, I agree with that.

With appropriate desire, training, guidance and ongoing support, those with lived experience can support others in their journeys. Without those criteria fulfilled however, there are risks abound, for all parties. That is why at APTF, we provide the right balance of experience and customise a service that best suits the needs of our clients. Our Youth Mentors are not professionals, but they sure as heck have lived experience. They certainly tick off on the passion and desire. They are trained, guided and supported at all times, from both my professional and lived experiences.

I understand risk. I am fully trained and experienced in assessing, working with and intervening in it. We practise with the best interests of clients at front of mind. We use a “do no harm” approach and constantly assess and monitor risk. Where our lived experience can be shared within the do no harm approach and in the best interests of our clients, then we will share.

The Future

I hope we are about to enter a new world where ALL professionals in the field are able share their multi faceted experiences. Where our clinicians can take the lead of Georgie Harman, Beyond Blue CEO, who speaks with honesty of her lived experience with alcohol and depression.

Hearing the perspectives of fellow consumers and carers in recent times has only consolidated our approach at APTF as the right one for us. The feedback paints a service system where consumers and carers often feel disconnected from the clinicians caring for them. Very much a scene of “them” and “us”. We need to develop a “we” team.  All members on the same page, managing the same challenges, for a common purpose. A person’s recovery needs to take place with their chosen professionals, inclusive of that person’s family and community supports. A service that pays respect to and mindfully utilises lived and professional experience can attain all of that and more.

I am very excited about that!

I am also very excited we are already working within a model, providing services that our community is very loudly saying is needed. Professional and Lived experience; walking beside you.

If you want more information about our services or are in a position to financially support our service, please contact Kirstie.

The post Lived Experience in Mental Health appeared first on A Path to Follow.

Below is a list of services and resources for parents to support their young people through this time of impending self-isolation.

Please be aware that some of the below services may close while others will move to providing online support.  If you are outside of this local area or experience troubles in accessing the below, please contact Kirstie directly.

Get the right information

It is critically important you responding to information that is as current and reputable as possible. At the moment this appears to be via our government sources.

Please be mindful of what comes up on your and your child’s social media stream

Federal Government Updates

Victoria Government Updates

Better Health Myth Buster

Referrals to Services

Local Council Services

There may be some changes to the normal way these services operate, however, they are still operating and are best to be called if seeking specific support.  Generally their eligibility works according to resident’s proximity of where they live, work or play to the service.

Glen Eira Youth Services

Provision of one to one support.

Glen Eira Youth Support Information

Ph:  9524 3676

Kingston Youth Services

Provision of one to one support (call to see if taking new clients)

Kingston Youth Services

Ph: 1300 369 436

Bayside Youth Services

Provision of one to one support

Bayside Youth Services Website

Ph:  9599 4622

Blokes Psychology

Psychology for Males of All Ages.

Highett and Scoresby

https://blokespsychology.com.au/

Local Community Health Centres

Connect Health & Community

Connect Health has counselling for all ages; pre-school to Older Adult.

Connect Youth Services

One to one practical supports and counselling.

Connect Counselling Services

One to one therapy; including Psychology, Social Work and Counselling.

Ph: 9575 5333

Other Mental Health Services

Headspace Bentleigh and Elsternwick

One to one support for young people 12-25 years.

Bentleigh

Bentleigh Website

Ph: 9076 9400

Elsternwick

Elsternwick Website

Ph:  9076 7500

Online Resources

Reach Out

Parents

Self-Help Forums, Fact Sheets, Online Group Forums and one to one support options

Help For Parents

Young People

Self-Help Forums, Fact Sheets & Online Group Discussions

Help For Young People

Go Zen

For parents

American site that has resources around managing stress and building resilience in your children (and yourself).  Below link is to a video series. I recommend the first one.

Go Zen Anxiety and Covid-19 videos

Eheadspace

For parents and young people

eheadspace provides free online and telephone support and counselling to young people 12 – 25 and their families and friends. If you’re based in Australia and going through a tough time, eheadspace can help

https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/

Emerging Minds

For parents

Has reputable resources and options for online training around supporting young people’s mental wellbeing.

Toolkit For Preparing and Supporting Kids Through Community Trauma

Below video is a short video on supporting children through community disasters by Emerging Minds.

https://vimeo.com/394049129

Article on how to talk to your children about COVID-19

The Conversation Article

Sane Australia

For parents

General mental health resources, referral services and fact sheets for all ages.

https://www.sane.org/

Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue General Site

Referrals and resources for adults.

Beyond Blue Young People’s Site

Referrals and resources for adults.

Below is a link to Beyond Blue’s advice for mental wellbeing during covid.

Looking after your mental health during Covid-19

Parent Line

Telephone and online counselling service for parents with children 0-18 years.

Parentline Website

Ph:  13 22 89

Kids Line

Telephone and online counselling service for young people to 25 years.  Also have great FB and Insta Accounts.

https://kidshelpline.com.au/

Ph:  1800 55 1800

Life Line

For cases of mental health emergency and suicide prevention.  Telephone, online chat and text service.

All ages.

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Ph:  13 11 14

Need Financial Assistance?

Emergency Relief Help

Community Information & Support Victoria

https://www.cisvic.org.au/

Glen Eira

Glen Eira Emergency Relief

Bayside Emergency Relief

BAYCISS

Other Useful Information

Learning at home

Scholastic

Scholastic Learn From Home Modules

Twinkl Online School Modules

FREE-for short time-up to Year 10.

The trusted home of teacher-created planning and assessment materials and teaching resources aligned to the Australian Curriculum.

Online Modules

Rebecca Sparrow

I feel like my purpose is to help teenage girls traverse that tricky path from childhood to adulthood. My great passion is helping teen girls (and their parents) navigate high school friendships, have a more positive experience online and understand that despite what society tells them they are enough just as they are.

Below is a resource compiling loads of home ideas shared by her followers.

Rebecca Sparrow Learn From Home Modules

Project Rockit

PROJECT ROCKIT is Australia’s youth-driven movement against bullying, hate and prejudice.

https://www.projectrockit.com.au/

Young People Wellbeing Webinars

Self Care

A collection of podcasts and poetry for however you’re processing or experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Self Care Podcasts

Steps to Self Care

Center for Adolescence Studies on steps to self care at this uncertain times.

Self Care Article

A Path To Follow remains open via online video calls and telephone during this period for young people, parents and small business. See our service pages for more information and remember, our pricing can be subsidised for those experiencing financial hardship.

© A Path To Follow. Not to be reproduced without consent of author.

The post Resources To Assist with COVID-19: South East Melbourne Area appeared first on A Path to Follow.

I don’t know about you, but when the COVID-19 first hit the news, I was “Oh, ok. That is sad for them.” Then, before I knew it, it had entered Australia; people began panic buying, there were laws against mass gatherings but even those smaller organisations, services and clubs starting to postpone their season starts, services & meetings.  Schools were shutting down and then they weren’t…

I wouldn’t say I became panic stricken, but I have been feeling a little uneasy about the uncertainty of it all. Enough for me to empathise with those adults and children whose anxiety might be reignited or even unexpectedly manifest because of the situation.  So, I did what I have learned to do at times of uncertainty; research. It has helped me and I hope that it supports you.

1. Choose your source of information carefully- for both you and your children.  I am not saying that all the crap on social media or mainstream news is not valid, but I am saying that it all has a tilt toward sensationalism.  I recommend, if you are going to follow anything, be it sources like ABC/SBS and https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus  .Even https://kidshelpline.com.au/ has some great information for our smaller people.
2. Be aware of and work on your emotional “stuff” related to the virus first- where we might feel worried about the virus, frustrated at the government’s actions or inaction, uncertain to the point of distraction, we may not be aware that we are allowing these negative emotions to “visit pain on our children.” It certainly ok to feel all of these emotions and express them in a calm manner with our children, but we need to do the actual processing (panicking) of these offline, away from our children. (wherever possible). Let your brain know you are grateful for it alerting you to these feelings and that you “have this; for you and for your children!”
3. “Energy Flows Where Attention Goes”- here we want our energy to remain calm, hopeful and focused on controlling what we can control. You will have the most up to date information from looking at reputable sources, which you will have processed your own reactions and emotions about, so that you can then calmly relate the situation to your children.
4. Repeat the cycle- It’s not easy, but at times like this, when things are altering so quickly you will need to be willing to do this again and again until things settle.

So, what is it we know at the moment?

• Risks are very low for healthy children in relation to this virus and higher for the elderly and those people with existing health conditions.
• That transmission is via droplets from nose or mouth to another’s nose, mouth or eyes.
• Children tend to be awesome germ machines, with often questionable hygiene practices…
• Also, other facts you can get from Australian Gov websites.

What can we control?

• Our hygiene practices (again see the reputable sources for update to information and discuss this)
• Where we go and who we see. If you have those most vulnerable to this virus in your life, think about them in terms of seeing and supporting them.
• Our thoughts; we can continue to participate in activities that motivate positive energy. It might be playing cards with your children, practising mindfulness or even getting out in to the garden or backyard/a local oval and sharing in positive time. We all have the power to control our thoughts at any point in time.

The below two resources are good videos on how to support yourself and your children in these uncertain times. The first contains 3 interviews of which I recommend watching the first one. It is 25 minutes long but has some great tips and strategies. The second is Australian and although based more in the context of the bush fires has some tips which fit this craziness we find ourselves in. It is somewhat shorter also at 4 minutes.

https://gozen.com/coronavirus-anxiety/

https://vimeo.com/394049129

If you are still feeling uncertain, worried or anxious about your situation, please reach out for support.

You are never alone.

Kirstie

The post COVID-19 Craziness – “We’ve got this!” appeared first on A Path to Follow.

This is a question that has puzzled so many over the past decade and lead to some very heated debates.

A recent study has brought to light some statistics that can help us answer this question a little better.

The study shows that in fact social media can have a negative effect on mental health, however if you dive a little beneath the numbers you will find that the way that social media is used and how often it is used is actually what we need to think about when looking at the correlation between social media and mental health. Things such as cyber bullying, lack of sleep and reduced physical activity are the harmful factors that come from the misuse and overuse of social media that can lead to mental health complications.

However despite this I can say that social media is a great tool for connectivity and an amazing innovation if used safely.

My hot tip is to not quit social media but rather simply not allow it to get in the way of important things in your life such as sleep, exercise and the things that make you happy.

Social media should not be a dominating factor in your life. By all means use it to catch up with friends and share what you’re doing with your life; just don’t let showing everyone how cool what you’re doing ruin just how cool it actually is.

To read more on this topic see here and here:

Kyle (our newest volunteer)

The post Let’s Just Blame Social Media, shall we? appeared first on A Path to Follow.