Hi everyone,
Here is our last Newsletter and Schedule of 2015, as per usual more great work from the team!
Enjoy Folks, All the best!
John M.
Monday, 30 November 2015
#Dignity - Stories From Gateway Members
Hello Everyone,
Up next in our member's #Dignity stories is a lovely piece by Gateway Member Mary.
Mary: The Warm Welcome
I was in a bad ‘aul place. I felt disconnected and alone. Not knowing where to turn, someone suggested gateway, a community project which was something different, and definitely something new for me.
As I got off the 16 bus and headed for Mount Drummond I was feeling nervous and excited at the same time. Excited that this might be a place for me and also nervous that I mightn’t fit in.
Making my way through the gates and past the trees [I could see a colourful sign for gateway in a window on the ground floor.Looking in I could see people laughing and chatting around a big table. Filled suddenly with anxiety, I turned to leave.
I didn’t get far however before one of the project workers came out to ask my name. Her welcoming approach put me at ease and I relaxed enough to follow her in for a cup of tea, where much to my relief everybody was just as kind and friendly.
Five years on I’m proud to say that I’m still a member of Gateway. It’s my second home, a place where I can relax and be myself.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were warm welcomes like this everywhere?
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
#Dignity - Stories from Gateway Members
Howdy all,
We will be posting member's stories from Gateway's #Dignity Workshop on the blog here.
It's really great inspirational stuff - have a read, see for yourselves!
Up first is 'The Stigma of Being Human' by Kevin.
Becoming very withdrawn at age 15, I was in a mind state of fear and negativity. I couldn’t punch my way out of a paper bag. I was very passive & would not or could not go to a doctor. I was in a prison of the mind.
Then Success! At age 30 I finally found my feet with a course in Amenity Horticulture. The identity of being both a student and gardener agreed greatly with me, giving me a role in this theatre of life, and the confidence to start thinking about how I could make positive progress on other areas.
For the first time since I was a child I had the confidence to go to the barber shop and take part in the everyday conversations held there. Up until then my father had always cut my hair at home. I remember feeling a glow, a halo, around my head coming out of the barbershop that day now that I had an identity, a trade of my own. I even began to advertise in newspapers as a gardener and got work maintaining private gardens.
Looking to develop even more, aware that something was still amiss, I made up my mind to see a shrink. I think the use of the word shrink for a psychiatrist is to do with the shrinking of an oversized ego through therapy, I read that somewhere.
In any case the Doctor got down to business. After a few years in therapy, my progress was, to my mind poor as I still didn’t seem able to go out and socialise in the everyday world as I had hoped.
Looking back I believe the Doctors straight talking approach gave me a fair crack of the whip and I found his diagnosis helpful – throwing light on my life story up to that point. I learned I was a solitary person with an emotionally withdrawn personality. This did make sense to me. I was advised that ‘I had to work on it,’ – a very sensible piece of advice.
Things eventually started to improve for me when I joined GROW Mental health, and over the years GROW,Gardening, Music, Gateway, Positive Psychology have all conspired to improve and enrich my like making it worth being human, worth living.
We will be posting member's stories from Gateway's #Dignity Workshop on the blog here.
It's really great inspirational stuff - have a read, see for yourselves!
Up first is 'The Stigma of Being Human' by Kevin.
Kevin: The Stigma of Being Human
Becoming very withdrawn at age 15, I was in a mind state of fear and negativity. I couldn’t punch my way out of a paper bag. I was very passive & would not or could not go to a doctor. I was in a prison of the mind.
Then Success! At age 30 I finally found my feet with a course in Amenity Horticulture. The identity of being both a student and gardener agreed greatly with me, giving me a role in this theatre of life, and the confidence to start thinking about how I could make positive progress on other areas.
For the first time since I was a child I had the confidence to go to the barber shop and take part in the everyday conversations held there. Up until then my father had always cut my hair at home. I remember feeling a glow, a halo, around my head coming out of the barbershop that day now that I had an identity, a trade of my own. I even began to advertise in newspapers as a gardener and got work maintaining private gardens.
Looking to develop even more, aware that something was still amiss, I made up my mind to see a shrink. I think the use of the word shrink for a psychiatrist is to do with the shrinking of an oversized ego through therapy, I read that somewhere.
In any case the Doctor got down to business. After a few years in therapy, my progress was, to my mind poor as I still didn’t seem able to go out and socialise in the everyday world as I had hoped.
Looking back I believe the Doctors straight talking approach gave me a fair crack of the whip and I found his diagnosis helpful – throwing light on my life story up to that point. I learned I was a solitary person with an emotionally withdrawn personality. This did make sense to me. I was advised that ‘I had to work on it,’ – a very sensible piece of advice.
Things eventually started to improve for me when I joined GROW Mental health, and over the years GROW,Gardening, Music, Gateway, Positive Psychology have all conspired to improve and enrich my like making it worth being human, worth living.
Educating Gateway - Planning for Gateway's Future
Howdy folks,
We will be running a planning workshop in the near future and would like you to get involved. Please see the attached flyer, we have 18 places available for this one so if you are interested, don't delay - let us know and we'll put your name down on the list.
Cheers Folks
Cheers Folks
Monday, 23 November 2015
Important Conversations Group
Hi Folks,
Our next important conversations group will take place on Thursday 3rd December in Parker Hill from 5pm to 7pm, and will deal with the themes of Connecting and Gateway Networking.
Pizza and refreshments will be provided on the night. We have 18 places available for this one folks, so if you are interested in attending please let us know in the office and we will make sure your name is put down for it.
All the best folks,
John M.
Our next important conversations group will take place on Thursday 3rd December in Parker Hill from 5pm to 7pm, and will deal with the themes of Connecting and Gateway Networking.
Pizza and refreshments will be provided on the night. We have 18 places available for this one folks, so if you are interested in attending please let us know in the office and we will make sure your name is put down for it.
All the best folks,
John M.
Thursday, 19 November 2015
Launch of the D12 Community Mental Health Forum - invitation to the community
The Dublin 12 Community Mental Health Forum is celebrating its official launch as part of a new initiative to progress positive mental health and recovery across the Dublin 12 community Wednesday 25th November from 10.00-12.00pm...
To celebrate the official launch of the Dublin 12 Community Mental Health Forum (D12CMHF), members and workers in the community are invited to join the Laughter Lunch with very special guest comedian and poet John Moynes, will take place on Wednesday morning, 25th November from 10.00am-12.00pm in Father Kitt Court, St Agnes Road, Crumlin Village and will include a light lunch. The launch will also hear from guest speakers Orla Barry, Chief Executive of Mental Health Ireland, and former Director of Mental Health Reform. Ms Barry will be joined by William Finnegan, a local person with lived mental health experience and D12 CMHF member. See launch booklet below:
The D12 CMHF was established in November 2014 by a number of community, statutory and voluntary organisations in Dublin 12, Rathmines and Tallaght working collaboratively to promote positive mental health and advance recovery in the local community.
Take a look at the blog for more information here: D12 Community Mental Health Forum
click here for google map
To celebrate the official launch of the Dublin 12 Community Mental Health Forum (D12CMHF), members and workers in the community are invited to join the Laughter Lunch with very special guest comedian and poet John Moynes, will take place on Wednesday morning, 25th November from 10.00am-12.00pm in Father Kitt Court, St Agnes Road, Crumlin Village and will include a light lunch. The launch will also hear from guest speakers Orla Barry, Chief Executive of Mental Health Ireland, and former Director of Mental Health Reform. Ms Barry will be joined by William Finnegan, a local person with lived mental health experience and D12 CMHF member. See launch booklet below:
The D12 CMHF was established in November 2014 by a number of community, statutory and voluntary organisations in Dublin 12, Rathmines and Tallaght working collaboratively to promote positive mental health and advance recovery in the local community.
Take a look at the blog for more information here: D12 Community Mental Health Forum
click here for google map
Monday, 16 November 2015
UCC Cork conference 'Critical Perspectives on and Beyond the Therapy Industry' WEBCASTS
Last week a group from Gateway attended the UCC Cork conference 'Critical Perspectives on and Beyond the Therapy Industry' in University College Cork, Ireland on 11th & 12th November 2015. It was both a stimulating and fun experience and great to go again as a group. Thanks to DCC for helping us to fund this trip through a small community grant.
For those who are interested and fancy learning more, the organisers have just uploaded the keynote presentations online, click on the link here to see the webcasts and other information relating to the conference this year: http://www.cvni.ie/index.php/this-years-conference
Enjoy!
Fionn
For those who are interested and fancy learning more, the organisers have just uploaded the keynote presentations online, click on the link here to see the webcasts and other information relating to the conference this year: http://www.cvni.ie/index.php/this-years-conference
Enjoy!
Fionn
Wednesday, 11 November 2015
CAN2 Event
Hi All
Please see attached invitation to the next CAN2 event on Tuesday 24th of November.
CAN2 is a Canal Communities Local Drug & Alcohol Task Force funded initiative to provide training, education, and an opportunity for networking to the staff of the local projects.
Our guest speakers for this event will be:
Dr Claire McMoreland,
Clinical Psychologist from Headway who will talk about Alcohol Related Brain Injury, and
Denis O'Driscoll,
Senior Pharmacist with the HSE Addiction Services, who will talk about how alcohol reacts with other drugs in the body.
As usual we will be hosting our networking lunch from 12.30pm. Hope to see you there!
Please RSVP at your earliest convenience
Kind regards
--
Emma Fox
Project Development Worker
Canal Communities Regional Addiction Service
Oblate View, Third Floor
Tryconnell Road
Inchicore
Dublin 8
Tel: 086 3845565
Please see attached invitation to the next CAN2 event on Tuesday 24th of November.
CAN2 is a Canal Communities Local Drug & Alcohol Task Force funded initiative to provide training, education, and an opportunity for networking to the staff of the local projects.
Our guest speakers for this event will be:
Dr Claire McMoreland,
Clinical Psychologist from Headway who will talk about Alcohol Related Brain Injury, and
Denis O'Driscoll,
Senior Pharmacist with the HSE Addiction Services, who will talk about how alcohol reacts with other drugs in the body.
As usual we will be hosting our networking lunch from 12.30pm. Hope to see you there!
Please RSVP at your earliest convenience
Kind regards
--
Emma Fox
Project Development Worker
Canal Communities Regional Addiction Service
Oblate View, Third Floor
Tryconnell Road
Inchicore
Dublin 8
Tel: 086 3845565
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
Introduction to App Design and Development for Mobile Phones
Hi everyone,
Please find attached a flyer for a course that is starting
on Friday 20th November in Fr. Kitt Court, Crumlin Village, Dublin
12.
The course is an introduction to App Design and Development
for Mobile Phones. It takes place over 4 sessions 2pm-4pm from Friday 20th
November to Friday 11th December. No IT or previous experience is
necessary. Registration is
required and we will be prioritising young unemployed people from the CCP areas of Dublin 4, 6, 6W, 8 and 12.
The office number is 4095082. They will be the
main contacts for registration for this course.
Please give me a call if you’ve any questions,
Regards
Tara
Cork Critical Perspectives Conference Live Streaming
Dear All
Apologies for cross posting.
For those of you not attending the above annual critical perspective conference this Wednesday and Thursday, you may be interested to watch the keynotes which are being streamed live.
Please use the following link https://ucc.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Sessions/List.aspx#status=%5B2%2C5%5D
Alternatively, follow the links below:
09:45 David Pilgrim
An Honorary Professor of Health; Social Policy at the University of Liverpool and Visiting Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton. His career has been divided between working as a policy researcher and as a clinical psychologist in the British NHS.
Live Stream Link
12:00 Dina Poursanidou
A Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, based at the Service User Research Enterprise; Dina has used mental health services since 2008; Member of Asylum, the magazine for democratic psychiatry.
Live Stream Link
13:45 Malcolm Garland
A consultant psychiatrist in Dublin. His team tries to incorporate novel and alternative approaches, including a minimal medication approach and an ethos fostering individuation, not dependence.
Live Stream Link
Thursday 12 November:
09:45 Jacqui Dillon
is a respected speaker, writer and activist, who has lectured and published worldwide on trauma, psychosis, dissociation and recovery. Jacqui is the national Chair of the Hearing Voices Network in England.
Live Stream Link
10:30 Wilma Boevink
An experiential expert, social scientist at the Trimbos-Institute, the Netherlands. Former Professor of Recovery and founder of Tree (towards Recovery, Empowerment and Experiential Expertise).
Live Stream Link
13:45 Rory Doody
A Recovery Development Advocate. He is a voice hearer and engages with his own mental health as often as he breathes! Plagued by inner questions like “who does this serve?” he enquires in the different areas of his work, involving education, case work, service and policy developments, structural change, and good intentions.
Live Stream Link
Plenty of conference information (e.g. programme and Book of Abstract) on www.cvni.ie
Regards
Harry Gijbels and Lydia Sapouna
www.cvni.ie (recently re-constructed and being further developed, thanks to Gordon Lucas)
criticalvoices@working4recovery.com
Apologies for cross posting.
For those of you not attending the above annual critical perspective conference this Wednesday and Thursday, you may be interested to watch the keynotes which are being streamed live.
Please use the following link https://ucc.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Sessions/List.aspx#status=%5B2%2C5%5D
Alternatively, follow the links below:
09:45 David Pilgrim
An Honorary Professor of Health; Social Policy at the University of Liverpool and Visiting Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton. His career has been divided between working as a policy researcher and as a clinical psychologist in the British NHS.
Live Stream Link
12:00 Dina Poursanidou
A Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, based at the Service User Research Enterprise; Dina has used mental health services since 2008; Member of Asylum, the magazine for democratic psychiatry.
Live Stream Link
13:45 Malcolm Garland
A consultant psychiatrist in Dublin. His team tries to incorporate novel and alternative approaches, including a minimal medication approach and an ethos fostering individuation, not dependence.
Live Stream Link
Thursday 12 November:
09:45 Jacqui Dillon
is a respected speaker, writer and activist, who has lectured and published worldwide on trauma, psychosis, dissociation and recovery. Jacqui is the national Chair of the Hearing Voices Network in England.
Live Stream Link
10:30 Wilma Boevink
An experiential expert, social scientist at the Trimbos-Institute, the Netherlands. Former Professor of Recovery and founder of Tree (towards Recovery, Empowerment and Experiential Expertise).
Live Stream Link
13:45 Rory Doody
A Recovery Development Advocate. He is a voice hearer and engages with his own mental health as often as he breathes! Plagued by inner questions like “who does this serve?” he enquires in the different areas of his work, involving education, case work, service and policy developments, structural change, and good intentions.
Live Stream Link
Plenty of conference information (e.g. programme and Book of Abstract) on www.cvni.ie
Regards
Harry Gijbels and Lydia Sapouna
www.cvni.ie (recently re-constructed and being further developed, thanks to Gordon Lucas)
criticalvoices@working4recovery.com
Staring into each other's eyes...
Hello Everyone!
Here's a bit of member-written content, supplied by Gateway Member Nessa J. It's a piece on the Dublin leg of The World's Largest Eye Contact Experiment. Sounds really interesting! Enjoy!
Staring Into each other’s Eyes…
With kind permission and by mutual consent, I was allowed to share facetime with two total strangers. By appointment at 5pm on an October evening, a random group of likeminded individuals collected at the top of Grafton Street as part of the World’s Largest Eye Contact Experiment. This was the Dublin leg of similar gatherings taking place in many cities across the world. Treacy O’Connor was responsible for organising the Dublin event using facebook.
On arrival, the paving was arrayed with blankets, mats and potential partners. There was certainly an international feel and ease about this arrangement which so naturally occurred. Instead of the sometimes aggression you encounter in centre city, a palpable calm descended as if by magic while people paired up. Firstly, I sat down and stared into the eyes of a big-eyed open-hearted long-haired tall girl for a prolonged session that well-exceeded the one minute. The effect was actually remarkable.
Principally, there was no talking, some smiling, plenty of deep stare, and surprisingly little looking away. The air was lovely and fresh down there on the ground in the shadow of St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre. She quite simply let it be.
The speed of my personal refection must have kick-started as I turned over a rapid succession of thought in the girl’s gaze. At the end, I actually felt I had dumped on her whereas she seemed okay about it. As for herself, I had of course no idea what she was thinking about! She assured me it was quality.
My second dalliance took place with a sandy-haired ‘schoolboy’ who likewise had plenty of experience at providing this kind of care. Despite the cameras, an ambulance and a bloke next door explaining how his life is, like, really busy - at which we laughed through our eyes ‘that guy obviously doesn’t know the rules here’.
I left with the distinct idea that this world is really changing for the better; these people must do this kind of thing a lot; and we must do this more often , which is the same thought all rolled into one if you think about it. My evening was transformed by the sudden and unexpected connection.
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Monday, 2 November 2015
Music in Mind Vocal Group at Gateway
Hello everyone!
So…any singers among you lot???
Our new Music in Mind Vocal Group will be starting on Wednesday the 18th! Fancy having a go?? I’ve attached the flyer for this event to this email.
Have a look, see what you think. Let us know if you’re interested and we’ll get your name down for it.
All the best folks,
John M.
So…any singers among you lot???
Our new Music in Mind Vocal Group will be starting on Wednesday the 18th! Fancy having a go?? I’ve attached the flyer for this event to this email.
Have a look, see what you think. Let us know if you’re interested and we’ll get your name down for it.
All the best folks,
John M.
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