This week, to attain, maintain or regain my sense of wellbeing...
I will practice allowing myself room to hope for the best. When I find myself catastrophizing or assuming the worst, I will pause and remind myself that I don't know what will happen.
I will practice saying to myself: "I don't know what will happen, but I can hope for the best" or "Things might work out better than I expect" or "it's possible that things could be okay" or "it's possible I will be able to handle it."
By allowing myself to hope for the best, I will be able to reduce my anxiety and open myself up to positive possibilities.
Once I am comfortable with this practice, I will add Allowing Myself Room to Hope for the Best to my Personal Coping Kete for times of stress and distress.
Author Archives: Admin
No. 117: Allowing Room for Hope
Crossroads Clubhouse on Facebook
Crossroads Clubhouse now has a Facebook page!
You can view this by clicking on the following link www.facebook.com/CrossroadsClubhouseNZ feel free to “like” the page to keep in touch with their updates.
www.crossroadsclubhouse.org.nz
Ph: (+64 9) 376 4267
Fax: (+64 9) 376 1833
Crossroads Clubhouse is a member of the International Network of Clubhouses successfully operating in 24 countries around the world under guidance from the International Centre for Clubhouse Development (ICCD) www.iccd.org
The Kiwi Men’s Survey
Media Release
Mental Health Foundation of NZ: 25/10/2012
How do stressed New Zealand men get help when they need it?
Nobody’s too sure – that’s why the Mental Health Foundation is working with Open Polytechnic researcher Dr Peta Wellstead on a new project called “The information seeking behaviour of New Zealand men who may be experiencing life stress”.
Part of the project is a Kiwi men’s survey.
“From the survey, we will measure knowledge of information and support services, social network strength, pathways to help and support that men have used in the past,” Mental Health Foundation Chief Executive Judi Clements says.
“We are doing this in order to better target information and support when men are experiencing life stress that may impact on their mental health.”
Dr Wellstead is leading the project for the MHF. She says: “The Mental Health Foundation approached me after I presented a paper at the Wellbeing and Public Policy conference. My paper reported my PhD research which examined the information behaviour of Australian men.
“My [next] project will examine where New Zealand men go to for information, who they talk to and what works and doesn’t work when they are experiencing stressful life events and may need extra help and support.
“We will conduct an online survey during November (which is also Movember) and ask men questions about their information use. The Mental Health Foundation will then use the data I produce from the survey to provide information, products and support services to men in a more targeted way in order to improve their health outcomes.”
Opportunities will be explored for conducting community workshops throughout New Zealand and for presentations at conferences, both domestically and internationally.
The online survey is being promoted to men via a range of websites and communications, including through publicity for this year’s Movember campaign.
Dr Wellstead is the first Open Polytechnic first staff member to be approved ‘research focused’ status for two projects by the Open Polytechnic Research Committee.
Open Polytechnic is government-owned and funded, delivering courses throughout New Zealand and internationally.
…ends
Research on Mental-Health Effects of Computer Use
Research article
Computer use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults — a prospective cohort study
Thomée S, Härenstam A, Hagberg M
BMC Psychiatry 2012, 12:176 (22 October 2012)
[Abstract] [Provisional PDF]
UK Expands Definition of Domestic Violence
New UK domestic violence definition includes coercive control
The UK Home Office has announced it will expand the definition of domestic violence to include ‘coercive control’ and to cover people 16 years of age and older.
The change is to the official definition of domestic violence used across government not the legal definition.
The expansion of the definition to cover 16 and 17 year-olds came after the British Crime Survey 2009/10 found that 16-19 year-olds were the group most likely to suffer abuse from a partner.
Link to further info on the NZFV Clearinghouse website: http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/node/793
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Thanks to the North Shore Family Violence Prevention Network weekly E News for passing this information on. Sign up to receive their E-News directly by emailing fvpnns@gmail.com
Funding Bug Strikes Again: Eden Counselling Service Closes
Due to lack of funding, Eden will close it’s counselling services at the end of business on the 23rd of October 2012. Counsellors will continue to operate privately.
Victoria Marsden
BA, PG Dipl Tchng, MCouns (Hons), MNZAC
Ph: 021-122-4221
Email: v.marsden@xtra.co.nz
Web: Victoria at Auckland Psychology
Perry King
Ph: 021-778-392
For parents, caregivers, supporters and friends: EDANZ
Ph: (09) 522-2679
Email: info@ed.org.nz
Web: EDANZ
New Psychotherapy Awareness Initiative from APA
The American Psychological Association has produced some videos to help educate the public that psychotherapy is effective in treating mental health issues – sometimes more so than drugs.
New Open Access Articles from BMC Psychiatry
Research article
Role of the police in linking individuals experiencing mental health crises with mental health services
van den Brink RH, Broer J, Tholen AJ, Winthorst WH, Visser E, Wiersma D
BMC Psychiatry 2012, 12:171 (17 October 2012)
[Provisional PDF]
Technical advance
The feasibility and validity of ambulatory self-report of psychotic symptoms using a smartphone software application
Palmier-Claus JE, Ainsworth J, Machin M, Barrowclough C, Dunn G, Barkus E, Rogers A, Wykes T, Kapur S, Buchan I, Salter E, Lewis SW
BMC Psychiatry 2012, 12:172 (17 October 2012)
[Provisional PDF]
Research article
Hikikomori as a possible clinical term in psychiatry: a questionnaire survey
Tateno M, Park TW, Kato TA, Umene-Nakano W, Saito T
BMC Psychiatry 2012, 12:169 (15 October 2012)
[Provisional PDF]
Study protocol
Comparison of the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and paroxetine treatment in PTSD patients: Design of a randomized controlled trial
Polak A, Witteveen AB, Visser RS, Opmeer BC, Vulink N, Figee M, Denys D, Olff M
BMC Psychiatry 2012, 12:166 (9 October 2012)
[Provisional PDF]
Stigma Watch is Here: Get Involved!
A new project, Stigma Watch, is now up and running. Details are below. If you would like to join the Facebook group please let Katrina know at the email address below and she will send you an invitation.
Stigma Watch is a group which enables members of the public to access and respond to media articles or portrayals that may be stigmatising to those with experience of mental illness.
The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand will disseminate potentially stigmatising articles to members of the group. Members can then respond directly to media outlets, in their capacity as either:
a) Individual members of the public; or
b) Spokespeople for their organisations*
* Spokespeople must check with their managers that they are allowed to speak on behalf of their organisation. Many organisations will have official communications departments who issue all statements. If in doubt, ask!
The Stigma Watch process
Anyone who is interested in keeping abreast of New Zealand media articles addressing mental health issues can join Stigma Watch. To be added to the database, just email NewsAlerts@mentalhealth.org.nz with the Subject: Join database.
Regular emails will be sent directly to your email address. You can also, should you wish, join the Stigma Watch Facebook group where you can discuss articles with other group members. These conversations will be private to the group.
If you feel that an article requires a response, you should respond directly to the media outlet.
Where Like Minds fits in
Stigma Watch is part of the Like Minds programme. However, please do not respond as Like Minds or as a Like Minds spokesperson. If you are a provider, you may refer to yourself as such, but any responses made will come from you or your organisation, not Like Minds.
Where the Mental Health Foundation fits in
The Mental Health Foundation will provide administrative support for the Stigma Watch database and Facebook page. Any responses to media articles from the Mental Health Foundation will come from the Chief Executive and will not be part of Stigma Watch.
Why won’t the Mental Health Foundation get involved in responses?
They do! The Mental Health Foundation sends many responses to media articles every year. But what Like Minds now needs is a bigger pool of responders who are speaking on their own behalf. The more responses an article gets, the more likely the media organisation is to sit up and take notice.
Mental Health Foundation communications team
The Mental Health Foundation communications team does not have the capacity to provide any services to those who wish to respond to articles (e.g. proof reading). The role of the Mental Health Foundation is purely administrative.
If you have any questions about Stigma Watch, please email Katrina: Katrina@mentalhealth.org.nz.
