Its ok not to feel ok, even at Christmas!

Not everyone is full of the joy of the season, Christmas can a lonely time.

Lets look out for each other - It is OK not to feel OK!!! If you or anyone you know may be struggling at this time please reach out Listen to or talk to someone. It will really help!!

If you don't have anyone to reach out to 1 Life Tel1800 247 100 and the Samaritans 1850 60 90 90 are there to listen 24/7.

Wishing you all a safe Christmas.

Christmas Meet Ups 2013 – Gateway Members

Monday 23th December 2013	Thursday 26h December 2013
Member: Ciaran Member: Joe Time:  2.00pm Where:  Moda  Rathmines	Member: Geraldine Member: Rose Time: 2.00pm Where: Moda  Rathmines
Monday 30th December 2013	Thursday 2rd January 2013	Monday  6th January
Member:Michael Member: Oliver Time: 2.00pm Where: Copan  Rathmines	Member: Tom Member: Mary Time: 2.00pm Where: Moda   Rathmines	Gateway back open :-)

Meaning of Madness; Critical and Creative Perspectives – 13th and 14th of November 2013 in University College Cork

A Two-Day Conference organised by the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery & the School of Applied Social Studies University College Cork, in association with the Critical Voices Network Ireland.

Mental Health Press Release   -   Mental Health Conference Prog
The conference offered opportunities to consider:

• Meanings of madness
• Broadened understandings of expressions of madness
• Creative approaches to engaging with and responding to madness

This conference, now in its fifth year, is unique and was free for all participants and it involved people from diverse backgrounds (self-experience, survivors, professionals, academics, carers) presenting, discussing and debating critical and creative perspectives on and beyond the dominant bio-medical approach. The 2010 conference saw the launch of the Critical Voices Network Ireland (CVNI), a network of people interested in considering and developing responses to human distress, which are creative, enabling, respectful and firmly grounded in human rights. The conference will include an open forum to discuss the on-going work of the CVNI.

Keynote Speakers :
Liz Brosnan has just completed her PhD through a Government of Ireland scholarship at the University of Limerick. Her research explored User Involvement in Irish Mental Health Services. Liz has both personal and professional experience of dealing with "madness".
Gail Hornstein, Professor of Psychology, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, USA. Her research and writings – grounded in an understanding of the mind, based on lived experience – challenge fundamental assumptions about ‘mental illness’ and treatment.
Irene van de Giessen, Expert by Experience employed at the Admiraal de Ruyter Hospital, Vlissingen, the Netherlands and Owner of the Convalescent Talent Agency.
John Read, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool, UK. He has written extensively in the area of trauma and psychosis.
Doug Ross, artist, founding member of Renew. Personal experience of sustained recovery from addiction and psycho-spiritual distress.
Teresa Tuohy, Health Research Board funded PhD Candidate at Trinity College Dublin. Her research title is ‘Mothers’ Voices: A study of mothering with women experiencing mental health problems’. Teresa has many years’ experience working in mental health practice, education and recovery.

Listen to the Keynote Speakers here.

RTE Hearing Voices Documentary

Jacqui Dillon hears voices. In her head. Lots of them.Voices that sound as real as you or me. Voices that wake her up. Voices that tell her to go to sleep. Voices that disagree with her, and voices that encourage her. And the voices have been there for as long as she can remember.So

Twenty years ago Jaqqui's experience of her voices drove her to psychiatric services.... and that's where the story really begins because it was when she was told that the voices weren't real, and that she was lying about her past that she really began to get mad. And that's when Jacqui realised she had to learn to live with her voices and understand why they were there.

This is a story about hearing voices and about learning to live with them. A story about how your past shapes your future until you start to understand it .

Jacqui Dillon is the national Chair of the Hearing Voices Network in England. She is Honorary Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of East London.

Narrated and produced by Leeanne O'Donnell
Production Supervision by Liam O'Brien


Listen here.

December 2013 Newsletter

December members' letter

 

December schedule

WRAP

 

Health Fair

 

l

by D12LCDP

November schedule

November 2013 Newsletter

Invitation

Gateway Focus Group

 

October schedule

October 2013 Newsletter

October members' letter

WRAP Training 15th October 2013

Hearing Voices Workshop

 

Global Village - Two hour programme for World Suicide Prevention Day

SOS would like to share the following podcasts from the Global Village Show on Newstalk that took place on Saturday 7^th September.  The show was hosted by Dil Wickremasinghe and Our CEO Caroline McGuigan, a guest panel also joined Caroline & Dil to discuss the very important topics around mental health and suicide.

The show was dedicated to World Suicide Prevention Day that takes place tomorrow the 10^th September.  Please listen back to the below links.

http://www.newstalk.ie/player/listen_back/21/3910/07th_September_2013_-_Global_Village_Part_1

http://www.newstalk.ie/player/listen_back/21/3911/07th_September_2013_-_Global_Village_Part_2

 

 

 

 

Computer Training

ASSIST

WRAP

 

September 2013 Newsletter

September schedule

 

A Ted talk on hearing voices.

'Recovery is not only possible, it's inevitable'.

 Listen to Eleanor Longden here.

WRAP

 

Creative Writing

 

Mental Health Reform's Briefing Paper on Mental Health Services through Primary Care

Mental Health Reform's latest briefing paper, which examines the issue of delivering mental health services through Primary Care. It was written by MHR's Shari McDaid.

 

Extract from the briefing paper:

There is an international trend towards making mental health services available through primary care. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted that primary care mental health services can play a key role in increasing access to treatments for mental health conditions.

Without effective mental health care at primary level, it is likely that inappropriate referrals to mental health services will occur, resulting in inefficient use of resources. The best use of both specialist and primary mental health services occurs when an individual can get the help they need at the lowest level of support appropriate for them. That means accessing support through primary care in the first instance and only accessing specialist mental health services when and for as long as necessary.

You can also download the paper here.

 

 

August members' letter

 

August schedule

August 2013 Newsletter

National Disability Strategry Implentation Plan 2013 - 2015

This new Plan for the National Disability Strategy was prepared and agreed by the National Disability Strategy Implementation Group and submitted to Government on 23 July 2013.

The plan is here.

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) App

Ali one of our WRAP (R) Faciliators in Gateway has told us the good news that there is a new Wellness Recovery Action Plan App.

Click here for a link about the App.

You now can have Wellbeing on the go!

Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers

"I have depression but it doesn't have me. I don't think depression is something to hide or be ashamed of - do you?" Blog about Mental Health called Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers.

SOS - Eden Programme Information

 

Minister Lynch announces publication of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013

Statement by Kathleen Lynch TD

Minister of State, Department of Health and Department of Justice, Equality & Defence with responsibility for Disability,Older People, Equality & Mental Health

Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Older People, Equality & Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch TD, today announced the publication of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013. The Bill was approved by the Government at its meeting on 16^th July 2013.
The legislation represents a comprehensive reform of the law on mental capacity, replacing the Wards of Court system with a new legal framework. For the first time, Irish law will provide for supported decision-making.

In welcoming the legislation, Minister Lynch said “This Bill will provide a continuum of supports to those who need assistance in making decisions that affect their lives. The Bill sets out a menu of options to respond to people's differing needs. Some people may need a small amount of help in obtaining information and in getting to grips with systems. The decision-making assistant option will suit them. The co-decision-making option may be most suitable for someone who needs somebody to make a decision jointly with them. That person will be able to enter voluntarily into a co-decision-making agreement with a trusted friend or relative.

“Many people will be able to use informal arrangements rather than formal agreements and the Bill will provide protection in such cases. In a minority of cases, there is provision for court-ordered decision-making representation. This will be an option of last resort but the reality is that our law must still provide for it. In such cases, the representative will be required to faithfully act as the individual's voice. In all cases, the person's will and preferences will have to be centre stage."

The Bill will:

- replace the Wards of Court system with a legal framework to support people in exercising their decision-making capacity so that they can better manage their personal welfare, property and financial affairs

- change the existing law on capacity from the current all or nothing status approach to a functional one, whereby decision-making capacity is assessed on an issue-and time-specific basis

- provide a range of supports, on a continuum of intervention levels (for instance, decision-making assistance, co-decision-making, decision-making representation, informal support), to support people in maximising their decision-making capability

- provide, in circumstances where it is not possible for a person to exercise their capacity even with support, that another person can be appointed by the Court to act as their representative with regard to specified matters

- provide that the Circuit Court will have jurisdiction on this area giving court-backed protection to the options chosen by people

- clarify the law for carers who take on responsibility for persons who need help in making decisions

- establish an Office of Public Guardian within the Courts Service, with supervisory powers to protect vulnerable persons

- subsume into the Bill the provisions in the Powers of Attorney Act 1996 on enduring powers in order to bring them into line with the general principles and safeguards in the Bill.

In addition, the Bill will, at Committee Stage, incorporate provisions relating to Advance Care Directives, which will be provided by the Department of Health. These were drafted on foot of a Government Decision on 12 March 2013 with the intention of including them in the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill at Committee Stage.

Underpinning these provisions, the Bill sets out the following guiding principles, which will apply to each and every intervention under the proposed legislation:
- there is a presumption of decision-making capacity.
- no intervention will take place unless it is necessary having regard to the needs and individual circumstances of the person.
- a person will be treated as unable to make a decision only where all practicable steps to help that person make a decision have been taken without success.
- any act done or decision made under the Bill must be done or made in a way which is the least restrictive of a person’s rights and freedoms.
- any act done or decision made under the Bill in support or on behalf of a person with impaired capacity must give effect to his or her will and preferences.


The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013 is here.

Some Gateway Members took part in a Citzens Jury and these are the findings

Eden Programme

 

July Speaker - Jennifer Kelly about Mindfulness.

Many thanks to Jennifer who came in to speak to us about Mindfulness yesterday and here is the poem she read out. We really enjoyed having Jennifer in.

Autobiography In Five Chapters

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost... I am hopeless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I'm in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in... it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

I walk down another street.

Portia Nelson
From: Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

The Irish Times - After the Asylum

Three people, three lives, three stories.

For more information click here.

Press Release - Immediate Release 11/07/2013 Mental Health Reform

Mental Health Reform welcomes new counselling service in primary care

Mental Health Reform welcomes today’s (11/07/13) launch of the Counselling in Primary Care service that will enable adult medical card holders throughout the country to access time-limited counselling through their GP.

In response to the launch, Dr. Shari McDaid, Mental Health Reform's spokesperson, commented: “One of the strongest messages to come out of the consultation that fed into the Government’s mental health policy A Vision for Change was that people in mental or emotional distress want alternatives to medication, including access to counselling and psychotherapy.  The consensus at that time was that psychological therapies should be considered a fundamental component of basic mental health services. People who use mental health services and their family members have consistently told us that they want access to psychological therapies.”

Dr. Shari McDaid continued, “The roll-out of a national, free counselling service accessible through primary care is a welcome step towards meeting the need for alternatives to medication for mental and emotional distress. We view this as a positive measure to improve mental health in Ireland.”

“It will be important to monitor the impact of the service closely to see how far it goes to meeting the need for counselling services in primary care. Evidence shows that a majority of clients who seek psychotherapy would require 20-45 sessions in order to recover. The Counselling in Primary Care service provides short-term counselling with a maximum of eight sessions and there will still be a need for longer-term therapy for some clients.”

“The Counselling in Primary Care service also will not cater for individuals with moderate to severe mental health difficulties who will be required to seek access to psychological therapy through the mental health services. The Inspector of Mental Health Services reported in his review of services for 2012 that most people receiving mental health treatment are being offered a more traditional, medicalised version rather than that propounded in A Vision for Change. It is important that all the community mental health team staffing due in 2013 comes on stream this year to enable greater access to psychological therapies for people using mental health services as well”, Dr. McDaid concluded.

For more Information please contact:

Lara Kelly at lkelly@mentalhealthreform.ie

087 6189715

 

 

 

24 Hour Emergency Services for Mental Health & Suicide

 24 hour emergency numbers for mental health and suicide.

1 Life 1800247100 or text HELP to 51444

24 hour suicide prevention helpline & text message service for anyone in suicidal distress.

Samaritians   1850 60 90 90

24 hour, 7 day, confidental helpline for people in distress/despair.

Conference on preparing for Ireland’s forthcoming ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

On the 17th May 2013 Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) and the Centre for Disability Law & Policy, at the National University of Ireland Galway jointly hosted a conference on preparing for Ireland’s forthcoming ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

A video of the conference has now been uploaded to the DFI website – Click here to view full conference!

The conference included presentation from Prof. Theresia Degener (Professor of law and disability studies at Evangelische Fachhochschule RWL - University of Applied Sciences in Bochum, Germany) who spoke on her experiences as a Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and what is involved in the ratification process. See presentation by Prof. Theresia Degener here.

Also presenting were Agnes Van Wijnen (Independent Developer and Adviser on Disability Policy & Strategy, and Researcher in Disability Studies) who spoke on her experience being involved in grassroots initiatives involving organisations representing people with disabilities, campaigning for ratification. See presentation by Agnes Van Wijnen here.

The final speaker on the day, Prof. Gerard Quinn (Director of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at the National University of Ireland, Galway School of Law.) focused on the area of legal capacity reform.  See presentation by Prof. Gerard Quinn here.

For more information on the UNCRPD or for general enquires, log onto our website www.disability-federation.ie or your welcome to contact your DFI Support Officer.

 

 

 

July members' letter

 

July schedule

July 2013 Schedule Gateway by D12LCDP

July 2013 Newsletter

July Newsletter by D12LCDP

Personal Development Course

Personal Development Programme

for people with self-experience of Mental Ill Health.

20 week personal development programme starting on

31^st July 2013

Wednesday and Friday afternoons in Rathmines.

The Modules

·        Personal & Interpersonal Skills (FETAC Level 4)

·        Assertiveness & Confidence Building

·        CV Preparation & Interview Skills

·        Facilitated Training/Information Sessions and Group Work

                         

The fee for this course is €40.00.

 

This course is for people with self-experience of mental ill health and places will be given to people living in Dublin 2, 4, 6, 6W, 8, 12 & 14 first.  

  

For more information contact and to register your interest contact Mary Barnes or Martha on 01 4965558. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Traveller Suicide Awareness Project

The National Traveller Suicide Awareness Project is a community development approach to the issue of Traveller Suicide. The project works Nationally with Travellers and Traveller groups/organisations to support and resource them in their work on developing responses to the issue of Traveller suicide.

The project Mission is to develop and implement a community development approach to addressing the issue of suicide in the Traveller community through acting as a resource both to Traveller organisations and suicide related services in terms of raising their awareness on the issue of suicide in the Traveller community and promoting the development of initiatives to support suicide prevention, intervention and post vention, in a coordinated way.

The long term aim of the project is to reduce the rate of suicide over the next ten years.

For more information click here.

Personal Development Course

Assertiveness poster from GatewayMHProject

Registration 21st June 2013 at 3.00pm in Parker Hill.

Curing Psychosis Workshop

Curing from GatewayMHProject

Listen in to Ivor Browne on Today FM

Ivor Brown on Today FM.  Listen here.

June schedule

June 2013 schedule from GatewayMHProject

June members' letter

June members letter from GatewayMHProject

June 2013 Newsletter

June 2013 newsletter draft 27 may (3) from GatewayMHProject

Tom's Article on Peer Support

Read Tom's article on Peer Support on Mental Health Reform's Blog.

Good news for Gateway - Thank you ESB Electric Aid

Yesterday we recieved a cheque from ESB Electric Aid Ireland!!!!!!

 

Thank you so much ESB Electric Aid for supporting the Gateway Project.

 

Photos to come.

 

 

 

Creative Writing Group - End of Term Celebration

All Gateway Member and Friends are invited to the end of term Creative Writing Group on Friday the 31st of May 2013 from 12.00 - 2.00.


Come along to hear wonderful poetry, prose and fun!







 

Mental Health Awareness Month

Taking Control Course

Personal Development Training

Lecture by Prof Julie Repper

Recovery: transforming the experience of people who use mental health services

Date: Tuesday 28^th May 2013, 6pm-7pm

Venue: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin

Bookings:  Jeni Ryan ryanjen@tcd.ie | 01 8963860

This lecture is open to members of the public and is offered free-of-charge. Pre-booking is advisable.

Julie Repper is Recovery Lead in Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust, supporting the development and evaluation of Recovery focused services; Associate Professor of Recovery and Social Inclusion at University of Nottingham leading the MSc Recovery and providing supervision for post-doc students focusing on Recovery; Service User Engagement Fellow for East midlands and chair of the National Carer Research group (FACTOR); a core consultant on the ImROC project (‘Implementing Recovery in Organisational Contexts’) in England, and on the Genio funded ARI (Advancing Recovery in Ireland)  project in the Republic of Ireland.

 

Julie works collaboratively with people who have lived experience to develop innovative training, research and service developments and is currently Director of the Nottingham Recovery Education Centre and course leader for the Certificate in Advanced Peer Practice at Nottingham University - the first accredditted course in peer support in the UK.   She has written widely around Recovery including (with Rachel Perkins): Social Inclusion and Recovery.  A Model for Mental Health Practice (2003) Edinburgh, Bailliere Tindall and several ImROC papers including briefings on Recovery colleges, Families and Recovery and Peer Worker posts.