Engage Aotearoa

Author Archives: Admin

Posts by 'admin' on the Engage Mental-Health News and Events Blog are shared on behalf of third parties to help make information about mental-health news and events easier to find and do not necessarily reflect the views of Engage Aotearoa or Community Mental-Health Resources Trust. News and events posted with the tag 'Engage Updates' are written by and/or about Engage Aotearoa.

New Articles from BMC Psychiatry and Psychosis

March 10, 2014 8:59 pm ⋅

Self-reported stressors among patients with Exhaustion Disorder: an exploratory study of patient records
Hasselberg K, Jonsdottir IH, Ellbin S, Skagert K
BMC Psychiatry 2014, 14 :66 (5 March 2014)

Improving communication and practical skills in working with inpatients who self-harm: a pre-test/post-test study of the effects of a training programme
Kool N, van Meijel B, Koekkoek B, van der Bijl J, Kerkhof A
BMC Psychiatry 2014, 14 :64 (4 March 2014)

The effectiveness of integrated treatment in patients with substance use disorders co-occurring with anxiety and/or depression – a group randomized trial
Wüsthoff LE, Waal H, Gråwe RW
BMC Psychiatry 2014, 14 :67 (5 March 2014)

Person-based cognitive therapy groups for distressing voices: a thematic analysis of participant experiences of the therapy
Katherine May, Clara Strauss, Adrian Coyle & Mark Hayward, (2014)
Psychosis, 6/1, 16-26

First Person Account: Providing safety in the midst of psychosis: an interpersonal dimension of recovery
Larry Davidson & Amy Johnson (2014)
Psychosis, 6/1, 77-79

First Person Account: Fallacies of a family member: recovery in progress
Sabrina Hassan (2014)
Psychosis, 6/1, 80-84

Posted in: Online Resources, Recovery Stories, Research ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Free Webinar: Guidelines for the Practice and Training of Peer Support | 20 March 2014

March 10, 2014 7:55 pm ⋅

What:  A free webinar titled The Road to Recovery: The value of MHCC’s Guidelines for the Practice and Training of Peer Support in strengthening your organization’s policies, programs and practices. (ENGLISH ONLY)

When:  Thursday, March 20, 2014 5:00 am, New Zealand Daylight Time

Duration:  One hour

Peer support is an important factor in the process of recovery. People who have experience with mental health problems or illness can offer support and encouragement to each other when facing similar situations. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) recently released Guidelines for the Practice and Training of Peer Support to outline the important aspects of formalized or intentional peer support. The guidelines focus on the empathetic and supportive role of a peer support worker in fostering hope, empowerment and recovery.

Join the free webinar on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, to learn how you can use these Guidelines to bring the power of formalized peer support to your organization or community.

Register here for free

Guest Speakers:

  • Steve Lurie, Executive Director, CMHA (Toronto)
  • Kim Sunderland, Executive Director, Peer Support Accreditation and Certification (Canada)
  • Wendy Mishkin, British Columbia Schizophrenia Society, Victoria Branch
  • Karen Henze, Programs & Operations Manager, NISA/Northern Initiative for Social Action
  • Roy Muise, Program Coordinator & Peer Mentor, NS Certified Peer Support Specialist Program

For more information go to the MHCC website.

Or contact:
Liz Wigfull, Knowledge Broker
Mental Health Commission of Canada
Office: 1-613-683-3744
Cell: 1-613-857-4890
Email: lwigfull@mentalhealthcommission.ca

Posted in: Online Resources, Service-User Movement ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Take It From Us: Challenging Schizophrenia Myths | 11 March 2014

March 10, 2014 7:06 pm ⋅

This week on Take It From Us the crew is promoting Schizophrenia Awareness Week (9-15 March 2014). Schizophrenia is potentially the mental illness diagnosis that holds the most stigma. The goal of Schizophrenia Awareness Week is to raise awareness, and to challenge the outdated myths around this condition. Join Take It From Us with guests Claire Cox of Supporting Families in Mental Illness and Philippa Coyle, Mind & Body Consultants on Tuesday the 11th of March 2014.

Listen live on 104.6FM at 12.30pm or online www.planetaudio.org.nz

OR if you missed the broadcast, listen for the next seven days @: www.planetaudio.org.nz/takeitfromus

And don’t forget the Take it From Us Facebook page @ Facebook.com and type ‘take it from us’ in the search box; email takeitfromus@mail.com for any feedback and comment/suggestions for shows.

Posted in: Online Resources, Recovery Stories, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Chinese Community Asked to Reconsider Disability

March 10, 2014 6:23 pm ⋅

Chinese Parents Support Service Trust (CPSST) is embarking a journey to ask the Chinese community to Think Differently about disability.

“The unlimited love” is the title of the campaign to change attitudes and behaviour that limit opportunities for disabled Chinese people in Auckland. The campaign is funded through the Ministry of Social Development, Social Campaigns Team Family and Community Services.

The campaign will utilise Chinese media, such as Chinese Voice Radio AM936, Skykiwi (most popular Chinese website in New Zealand) and Chinese Herald (newspaper) to introduce a series of local and national disability services. These include, Autism NZ Inc, Blind Foundation, Deaf Radio, Circability, Elevate Christian Disability Trust, Mental Health Foundation’s Kai Xin Xing Dong project, Independent Living Services and many more. Beside that, Philip Patston and Dr. Huhana Hickey also shared their inspiration about their work in the disability sector.

Eva the CEO of CPSST hopes by introducing disability services Chinese people can gain an understanding of the services available for them. “ We hope more dialogue among Chinese community about disability by introducing the disability services”.

According to The New Zealand Disability Strategy One in five people, in New Zealand report having a long-term impairment. This can be born, incidents, health issues or require later in life.

(The Unlimited Love has been running on every Saturday for 13 weeks on AM 936 from 10am to 11am).

http://cpsst.org.nz/

Posted in: Asian Communities, Disability Issues, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , ,

Survey Open: NZ Study Explores Experiences of Antipsychotic Medication

March 4, 2014 1:06 am ⋅

The Experiences of Antipsychotic Medication Survey is now open for responses from NZ adults over 18 who take or have taken antipsychotic medication.

Find out more at www.teamstudy.co.nz

A full Participant Information Sheet is available on the website.

Please share this invitation to take part with your networks.

TEAMS

Contact

Miriam Larsen-Barr
Ph: 09 373 7599 ext 86890
Email: mbar114@aucklanduni.ac.nz

.
Posted in: Psychiatric Medication, Research ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Research: Mental Health Service Users – Perspectives of both Employees and Employers

March 4, 2014 12:07 am ⋅

Sarah Gordon is leading a project investigating the critical factors that have enabled, and more particularly sustained, open employment of mental health service users from the perspectives of both employees and employers. Please find attached the information sheet about the project which provides more detail. They have just commenced the recruitment stage of the project and are wondering if you might assist us with sending the attached research advertisement out through your networks.

What Works Information sheet

WHAT WORKS research advertisement

Dr Sarah Gordon, PhD, MBHL, LLB, BSc
Service User Academic
Department of Psychological Medicine
School of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Otago, Wellington
PO Box 7343
Wellington South
New Zealand

Posted in: Employment / Work, Online Resources, Research ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Results Released: NZ Mental Health Service Users Research Priorities

March 3, 2014 10:53 pm ⋅

Researchers from the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Wellington, have released the results of a study that explored what NZ mental-health service-users and tangata whai ora view as priority research areas. Lived experience perspectives on research are important because they help to ensure that the human sciences are studying what matters most to those who are most affected by the research results.

The present document (link below) provides a summary of the results of the study. This includes the demographics of the 153 participants who responded, the top rated and reported general areas of mental health research, the top rated topics of mental health research overall and the highest rated topic within each area. The responses of Māori participants have been analysed and reported as part of the full dataset and as a separate Māori specific dataset. Participants made the most of the option to comment in their own words throughout the questionnaire and this provides a real richness to the data. Hence, through this summary document we have reported a significant amount of that material in support of the descriptive results. We encourage you to disseminate this results summary widely, including through the communication channels of consumer and tāngata whai ora networks specifically, and to promote them whenever, wherever and however you can.

http://www.pwa.org.nz/assets/Resources/Aotearoa-New-Zealand-Consumers-Tangata-Whai-Ora-Mental-Health-Research-Priorities-results-summary.pdf

Posted in: Online Resources, Research ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

Recent Research from Psychosis Journal

March 3, 2014 9:31 pm ⋅

Psychosis, Vol. 5, No. 3, 01 Oct 2013 is now available on Taylor & Francis Online.

Special Issue: Voices in a Positive Light

This new issue contains the following articles:

Editorial
Special edition: Voices in a Positive Light
Dr. Angela Woods, Marius Romme, Dr Simon McCarthy-Jones, Dr Sandra Escher & Ms Jacqui Dillon
Pages: 213-215
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.843021

Special Edition
Illuminating the heterogeneity of voices in a multiple perspectives research paradigm
Summer Rae Schrader
Pages: 216-225
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.845593

Inner speech and narrative development in children and young people who hear voices; three perspectives on a developmental phenomenon
Rachel Waddingham, Sandra Escher & Guy Dodgson
Pages: 226-235
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.845594

A final common pathway to hearing voices: examining differences and similarities in clinical and non-clinical individuals
Kirstin Daalman & Kelly M. Diederen
Pages: 236-246
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.796402

Spirituality and hearing voices: considering the relation
Simon McCarthy-Jones, Amanda Waegeli & John Watkins
Pages: 247-258
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.831945

The recovery process with hearing voices: accepting as well as exploring their emotional background through a supported process
Marius Romme & Mervyn Morris
Pages: 259-269
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.830641

The origins of voices: links between life history and voice hearing in a survey of 100 cases
Dirk Corstens & Eleanor Longden
Pages: 270-285
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.816337

Hearing voices peer support groups: a powerful alternative for people in distress
Jacqui Dillon & Gail A. Hornstein
Pages: 286-295
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.843020

Other Articles
Cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis – training practices and dissemination in the United States
D. Kimhy, N. Tarrier, S. Essock, D. Malaspina, D. Cabannis & A.T. Beck
Pages: 296-305
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2012.704932

Working together: Service Users and researchers in Psychosis research
Sandra T. Neil, Jason Price, Liz Pitt, Mary Welford, Sarah Nothard, William Sellwood, John Mulligan & Anthony P. Morrison
Pages: 306-316
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2012.704931

Book Reviews
Hearing voices – the histories, causes and meanings of auditory verbal hallucinations
Adèle de Jager
Pages: 317-321
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.806571

Sullivan revisited – Life and work: Harry Stack Sullivan’s relevance for contemporary psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis
Jan Olav Johannessen
Pages: 319-320
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.778898

Madness contested: power and practice
Sami Timimi
Pages: 320-321
DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2013.806572

Posted in: Online Resources, Research ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Mental Health Book Reviews and Research from Psychosis online

March 3, 2014 8:50 pm ⋅

Latest book reviews and research from the journal Psychosis.

Book Review: The bitterest pills: the troubling story of antipsychotic drugs
Jeremy Wallace
Psychosis, iFirst, Published online: 07 Jan 2014

Book Review: Demons in the age of light: a memoir of psychosis and recovery
Lou Rawcliffe
Psychosis, iFirst, Published online: 18 Feb 2014

Book Review: Learning From the Voices in my Head
David Ward
Psychosis, iFirst, Published online: 18 Sep 2013

Jumping to conclusions: the association between delusional ideation and reasoning biases in a healthy student population
Karen Cafferkey, Jamie Murphy & Mark Shevlin
Psychosis, iFirst, Published online: 23 Dec 2013

The other side of “madness”: frequencies of positive and ambivalent attitudes towards prominent positive symptoms in psychosis
Steffen Moritz, Liz Rietschel, Ruth Veckenstedt, Francesca Bohn, Brooke C. Schneider, Tania M. Lincoln & Anne Karow
Psychosis, iFirst, Published online: 07 Dec 2013

The origins of voices: links between life history and voice hearing in a survey of 100 cases
Dirk Corstens & Eleanor Longden
Psychosis, iFirst, Published online: 09 Sep 2013

Posted in: Online Resources, Research ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Updates from the Engage Facebook Page

February 26, 2014 2:15 am ⋅
Stay: The Social Contagion of Suicide and How to Preempt It. “We are indebted to one another and the debt is a kind of faith — a beautiful, difficult, strange faith. We believe each other into being.”
Suicide: Facts and Myths – Square.  Suicide is a major public health problem in Australia. About 2300 Australians take their own lives each year. This website has some great info.
http://www.planetaudio.org.nz/ Take It From Us, PlanetFM 104.6 Tuesday @ 12.30pm.
Navigating the Mental Health Wilderness: Steven Morgan’s Journey – Mad In America. Steven Morgan discusses his transformative journey from chronic “patient” to leading mental health advocate.
Addiction is not an Illness. I don’t see addiction as an illness. But some of the things we choose as an addiction are far more physically and emotionally destructive than others.
Have You Ever Taken Antipsychotic Medication? If this sounds like you or someone you know pop along to www.teamstudy.co.nz for more info – you’ll find everything you need there.
10 Ways to Show Love to Someone With Depression. I have struggled with clinical depression since I was a child. It has been a constant companion I have learned to manage and while I am better now than I have ever been, every so often I feel it returning.
Posted in: Engage Updates ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , ,