Newsletter Feb 2014

for

February 2014 Published by: Red Cross PHaMs 14B Cambridge St Rockhampton QLD 4700 Tel: 07 4922 0020 www.redcross.org.au

Welcome back to everyone from all the staff and volunteers at PHaMs and Walali Neighbourhood Centre. We trust that you all had a happy and safe Christmas and New Years.

Walali Neighbourhood Centre . This year we are continue with choir on Monday afternoons. Tuesday morning is Crafty Yarners then Diabetes/healthy living group in the afternoon. Some new activities that we are

Australia Day Celebrations We’re back and kicked off the new year with Australia Day celebration at Walali Neighbourhood Centre last Friday 24th Jan. It was great to see everyone there enjoying the awesome BBQ lunch cooked by Mr Aussie himself (Terry), followed

looking at running this first quarter include: • Gym (basic level) •

Yoga for beginners

•

Food Cents Program

So keep an eye out on our calendar for dates on start times.

Staffing at PHaMs There have been some subtle changes to our staff line up for the New Year. We have since welcomed to the PHaMs program, Seka Yasso (Support Worker), John Clayton (Case Worker) We also welcome Shelly Green to the role of Peer Support.

Rockhampton and Merv Maisey Peer Support Emerald .

by home made lamingtons that were heavenly,

Emerald news

cooked by one of our

Hello to all the PHaMs clients in Emerald and surrounding

newest staff members,

area. Our Case Worker in Emerald, Olivia Vorpagel, and our

Seika.

new Peer Support Worker, Merv Maisey, are the members of

The Walali Warriors came

our Emerald team working hard to support PHaMs clients

along and got us all in the

in the district. They have recently moved office from the

spirit of things with a few

Neighbourhood Centre to a new base at Centacare. The

favourite tunes and there

Monday activity group is still taking place at the

were lots of laughs with a

Neighbourhood Centre, and by all accounts is lots of fun. To

game of celebrity heads

find out more, ring Olivia on 0408 712 953, or the PHaMs

and Australia trivia.

office in Rockhampton 4922 0020.

Peer Support News People with their own experience of mental health illness (Peers) can directly contribute to the recovery of others. Meaningful peer involvement is associated with innovative recovery-orientated services internationally.

Peer Support this year has started up again. There is our regular monthly Peer Support meeting which is held at Walali on the 1st Thursday of each month, 12pm

to 1:30pm. Also our regular Peer Group Outings which will be held on the last Friday of each month. For more

Other news from our first meeting highlighted mental health support groups available in the community. This

week we spoke of our local Grow group and their meeting details, for further information on this support group please contact ph: 1800 558 268

information please contact Shelly Green, PHaMs Peer Support on mob: 0428 039

Peer Group Social Outings

408/ 4922 0020 or drop into Walali at

The group this month decided for a

14b Cambridge Street, Rockhampton.

picnic in the gardens as our first social

Our first meeting of the year was a great success and I would like to thank all who attend as well as the staff and volunteers for their help and support. A suggestion was made that each month we can highlight a mental illness and then discuss it openly. Introducing it, giving a brief clinical description and perhaps a peers personal account of what it is like living with it. This would then be

outing together, 28th Feb. There will be lots of fun, laughs and support (maybe a game of French cricket). Lunch will be provided with a small cost associated of $5. Please confirm your participation by contact Shelly on mob: 0428 039 408 or

staff at PHaMs on 4922 0020. Everyone is invited to participate as well as offer suggestions for all Peer Group meetings and social outings.

featured in the monthly newsletter. By

Our next Peer support meeting will be

doing this it sheds away the mystery and

the 6th March at Walali. Feel free to bring

hopefully the stigma which all of us

something to nibble and share off the

struggle with on a daily occurrence.

coffee table.

Dealing with my Diagnosis

MY ANGEL WISH I wish I had loving angels that I could visibly see To guide me through these emotional misguided thoughts that lurk within my mind I would happily pay them a penny each For the inner peace I seek to find But for now I will have to search for the strength in me To achieve what I am looking for So.. I know my loving angels will appear some day To guide me through my troubled world And find a loyal trusting friend or two Then no longer will I live in silence All lonely sad and blue Oh!!!.. Dear elusive angels Do hurry!!!.. Answer my prayers Don't leave me here within this universe Frightened and despaired As I have no one around me Especially "FAMILY" That ought to care I close my eyes now Then say a little prayer AMEN..... Written by lil butterfly

A brief description by someone dealing with this as part of their every day life.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) used to be called Multiple Personalities. The one problem with this change was they discovered that people who had this disorder lost time and when they “switched” between personalities they were unaware of what had happened during that time. According to the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, DID is diagnosed in 0.1% of the

population, with women having five times the incidence of men. People with DID have very few close friends, support workers and professional support people (psychologists, psychiatrists) have difficulty dealing with DID patients because of the number of personalities that the person has. Inevitably people find it too difficult to deal with all of the different personalities so they give up on the host

person. This leaves the host person alone and vulnerable. It is not only outsiders that leave DID people family also find it too hard to cope with the different personalities when a person is unwell. When a person “switches” between personalities they not only lose time, they have no idea what has happened during the time the personality has been out such as places, people and clothes.

All about wellbeing Anxiety It is not unusual to feel anxious or panicky when faced with a threatening or stressful situation. But when a person feels worry or panic so overwhelming they cannot live as they usually do, they may have an anxiety disorder. These disorders often involve feelings of continual or extreme tension,

Diabetes/health living group The diabetes & healthy living group

have begun their meetings again at

with the fear of, or actual, panic attacks,

Walali each Tuesday. Kicking off the

usually without an obvious cause. Anxiety

new month with the topic of “health

disorders are common and one in ten

fats, bad fats” . Next month (March) the

Australians will develop such a disorder in

group have selected to explore

their lifetime. More women are affected than

“Everything about sugars”.

men.

If you like to be apart of this group and

The causes of anxiety disorders are not known but it is thought that severe stress or trauma can be triggers. Some personality types are at greater risk. Treatment may, but not always, include medication as well as

or would like more information please contact Shelly at Walali on 4922 0020 or drop in on Tuesday afternoons 1pm – 3pm.

psychological therapies, avoidance of stress, exercise and relaxation techniques.

Yoga group Yoga group has begun at Walali

•

For more information visit:

Neighbourhood Centre. John will be

•

www.healthinsite.gov.au

taking classes every Thursday afternoon

•

www.sane.org.au

From 1pm – 2pm

•

www.anxietyonline.org.au

From beginners to advanced

What's happening at Walali Neighbourhood Centre 14b Cambridge St, Rockhampton Ph: 4922 0020

February 2014 Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

Body movement @ 10.00am followed by Choir @ 1.00pm

Craft group 10.00am

Centre Closed

Peer Support meeting @ 11.30am

Garden Project @ 10.00am

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

Body movement @ 10.00am followed by Choir @ 1.00pm

Craft group 10.00am

Centre Closed

Multi-cultural group @ 10.00am

Garden Project @ 10.00am

17th

18th

19th

20th

21st

Body movement @ 10.00am Choir @ 1.00pm

Craft group 10.00am

Centre Closed

Multi-cultural group @ 10.00am

Garden Project @ 10.00am

Diabetes/Health living @ 1.00pm

Diabetes/Health living @ 1.00pm

Yoga @ 1pm

Diabetes/Health living @ 1.00pm

Yoga @ 1pm

24th

25th

26th

27th

28th

Body movement @ 10.00am followed by healthy lunch Choir @ 1.00pm

Craft group 10.00am

Centre Closed

Multi-cultural group @ 10.00am Yoga @ 1.00pm

Garden Project @ 10.00am

Diabetes/Health Living @ 1.00pm Wandal community gardens group outings

External Peer Outing Botanical Gardens Picnic 11-2pm