Thursday, October 1, 2015 – Bendigo Weekly www.bendigoweekly.com.au� ADVERTISING FEATURE • 21

Mental Healthweek

Sunday, October 4 to Saturday, October 10, 2015

StandBy is a free service offering 24-hour support for those who have lost

someone to suicide. Bendigo Community Health

Services is the lead agency for StandBy in the Loddon Mallee area which includes Bendigo, Mildura, Swan Hill, Castlemaine and Echuca.

Response service co-ordinator Chris Kyle-Link said StandBy assisted families, friends, schools, workplaces and communities.

“If you have lost a loved one, a friend, work mate, neighbour or someone from your community to suicide, whether it is recent or several years ago, the trauma and loss can continue to have an effect,” Ms Kyle-Link said.

“the StandBy number is 0439 173 310 and you can call either to have a chat, have StandBy support staff come and see you or be connected to a support service in your area.”

StandBy assists people by providing face-to-face then phone support, following up at intervals through the next 12 months and providing referral to local organisations for ongoing support and practical help.

“Support is available whether the suicide occurred locally or elsewhere but affects people within a StandBy region. no time limit is placed on the length of bereavement, as bereaved people may seek assistance many years after the suicide has occurred.”

Support is always available

REAL people sharing what REALLY works

InTeresTed in learning more about mental health, or perhaps even teaching others about it? The Mind recovery College is where real people with real life experience share what really works for good mental health.

At the Mind recovery College, living is learning: the wisdom that often comes from life experience is immensely valuable. Often what you learn from tough times can guide you and others in profound ways. We welcome those with lived-experience of mental ill-health to share their learnings with others.

This is a very different experience to anything you’ve encountered in mental health services before. There are no clients and practitioners, but rather, students and teachers.

All of our courses are co-produced. Which means each course is put together by people with first-hand experience of mental distress as well as people who have supported loved ones through those experiences. At the College, you’ll learn what’s worked for other people, and explore some ideas that might work for you. To ensure a quality education experience, we pair first-time teachers with one of our skilled learning and development professionals, to co-

produce the course together.This is YOUr opportunity to get in at the ground

level and have YOUr say in the development of future course content:

Join us for a community co-production workshop, open to clients, carers, support staff, and referring agencies, to help us shape a truly meaningful and well-rounded education experience for those interested in, or living with, mental ill-health.

Thursday�29th�of�October,�10am�–�12pmMurray�Primary�Health�Network�Building37�Rowan�St�Bendigo(Lunch�and�networking�to�follow.)Register�Interest�to�Katie�Bouwmeester�at��8698�4005�by�19th�October.www.recoverycollege.org.au

For information about Mind services, call Mind Connect 1300 286 463 (1300 AT MIND) For advice and support if you are a carer, call Carers Helpline 1300 550 265www.mindaustralia.org.au

Mental Health Week Events

Connect/Create Good Mental Health Art Exhibition Dudley House, View Street, Bendigo 11am-4pm, Admission free, (Oct2-4) TBA (Oct 5-9) For more information phone Rohan Phillips (CoGB) 5434 6478 or Peter Nelson (BHCG) 5454 7604

OCT2-9

Heathvote Community Breakfast Mitre 10, 34 Herriot Street, Heathcote 7.30am. Free breakfast and information showbags.

OCT6

Engaging and Empowering Young People Workshop The Bendigo Bank Room, The Capital Theatre, View Street, Bendigo 9.30am-12noon. $20 includes workshop material and moring tea. For more information contact Steph Jelbart 5448 1683 stephjelbart@bchs.com.au

OCT7

Work Matters Forum Bendigo Library, 259 Hargreaves St, Bendigo 10am-4pm. For more information contact Andrew Florence, St Lukes 5448 1001

OCT8

Aboriginal Carers Event Pampering Lunch for Carers Bendigo TAFE, Louts, Corner Mundy & Hargreaves Streets, Bendigo (Enter behind historic cottage),Admission free.

OCT9

Mental Health Week Carer Event Star Cinema, 1 Peg Leg Road, Eaglehawk 1pm. For more information phone 5454 7612.

OCT10

Connect/Create Good Mental Health Art Exhibition - Official Opening Dudley House, View Street, Bendigo 6-7pm. For more information phone Rohan Phillips (CoGB) 5434 6478 or Peter Nelson (BHCG) 5454 7604

OCT1

Digital Stories/Display LaTrobe Visual Arts Centre, View Street, Bendigo 2-4pm. Admission Free.

OCT1

Mental Health week Advertising FeAture

Nightmares Poem

Mental health carer inclusion and participation

22 • ADVERTISING FEATURE www.bendigoweekly.com.au� Bendigo Weekly – Thursday, October 1, 2015

Laying on my own in the darkness,feeling the tears roll down my face,

just trying to drift to sleep,but I can’t seem to keep my eyes closed,

my pillow is wet and I’m starting to get cold,I roll onto my back and still feel the tears roll down my cheeks,

but I don’t make a sound,I pretend there is nothing wrong,

I try to make myself believe that it is all just my mind playing tricks,then I get angry at myself,

yet the tears don’t seem to stop,I don’t want to be sad,

nor do I wish to be angry,or even feel scared all the time,

but I cry myself to sleep,force my eyes to close,

but the nightmares keep coming back,they never seem to stop,even when I am awake,

these feelings I can never shake,I want this to be over,

my nightmares all to end,I wish for nothing more than my heart to one day mend,

for I have been taken advantage of,treated like a toy,

never by girls,always by boys,

though I am not biased,I’m scared as hell by men,my depression and anxiety,

makes it hard to fit in with society,I would rather sit on my own, than try and make new friends,

the drugs and alcohol numb my pain but break my body and soul,so I try to push it all aside though it’s hard too do,

the darkness always takes over,always finds away through.

By Shantel McGrath

EStaBLISHEd nearly 40 years ago, Mind australia is a leading provider of community mental

health support services with over 60 service sites, including Bendigo.

this year, we will support almost 10,000 australians whose lives have been disrupted by mental ill-health (including their families and carers).

Our services focus on providing people with the skills they need for a full and meaningful life, not limited by their experience of living with a mental health condition. People access support in many ways through Mind, including:

• helplines that provide information, guidance and referrals

• outreach support services that provide 1-to-1 practical help and motivational support

• care coordination for those who need a lot of different health and social services

• intensive residential programs that provide a safe, supportive environment in which to work on recovery (both youth and adult-oriented services)

• psychological counselling and therapy

• group activities that offer social connection and mutual support

• workshops that teach new skills for managing health and wellbeing

• online forums where peers can share their insights and support each other, and

• support for families and carers so they can have some respite from the demands of caring.

We work hard to engage with families, friends and other carers to involve them in decisions about their loved one’s care. We also have support services specifically for carers.

For information about services, call Mind Connect 1300 286 463 (1300 AT MIND) For advice and support if you are a carer, call Carers Helpline 1300 550 265www.mindaustralia.org.au

an obligation to include mental health carers in decisions about assessment,

treatment and recovery wherever this is possible under the new Mental Health act 2014 (Vic) was a key point raised at the recent Consumer and Carer Forum 2015 Program launched by the Victorian Mental Health tribunal (former Mental Health Review Board). the event, held at the Melbourne town Hall in august, featured speakers from the tribunal, peak body representatives from the Victorian Mental Health awareness Council (VMIaC) and tandEM (representing Victoria mental health carers) and a consumer representative on the newly established tribunal advisory

Group (taG). tribunal deputy President, dominique Saunders, reflected upon the tribunal’s work and informed the audience of mental health consumers, carers and service providers that: ‘the tribunal’s aim is for hearings to be therapeutic and meaningful to those attending’. the elevation of human rights (autonomy, dignity) and new prominence of mental health carers under the act were highlighted. It was endorsed that treatment teams and the tribunal now have an: ‘obligation to talk to carers and families’ about decisions related to those they care for wherever possible. tandEM representative, Julien Mcdonald, emphasised that it is critical for mental health

carers to be able to contribute and participate in decision-making about the person they are caring for and that this involvement needs to be made: ‘accessible to all carers including those from aboriginal and torres Strait Island and Culturally and Linguistically diverse communities across Victoria’. She cited the availability of research that demonstrates the benefits of mental health carer involvement and advocates for processes that implement carer identification within all relevant services. tandEM acknowledged the number one support need identified by Victorian carers and her organisation is for: ‘an individual advocacy service for mental health carers’.

Help is close at hand

Please contact us to arrange a  counselling appointment Available 9am – 5pm Monday - Friday

For further information or to make appointments: 5443 0233  or 1800 350 233 counselling@whlm.org.au Visit: 47 Myers Street, Bendigo

We now offer a counselling service for women aged 16 years and above. We provide no to low cost counselling, subsidised by Medicare.

Our counsellors  are experienced in working with a wide variety of mental health  issues,  including anxiety/depression, grief/loss,  trauma, relationship difficulties and the impacts of family violence.

• Our counsellors are AASW Accredited Mental Health Social Workers• Safe, comprehensive and  confidential service

Women’s Health Loddon Mallee Counselling Service

Proudly supporting Mental Health Week

Highly experienced and extensively trained Mental Health professionals with long-term experience working in the mental health � eld.

Specialising in mental health issues including:

• Depression• Anxiety• Trauma• Sexual issues/abuse• Relationships• Sleep problems

• Eating disorders• Parental issues• Behavioural issues• Stress management• Grief and bereavement

• Pregnancy support• Mood based disorders• Psychiatry for adults• Psychology• Hypnotherapy• Psychotherapy

For more information and appointments contactSternberg Clinic - 47 Sternberg Street, Bendigo • Phone: (03) 5441 2357

Fax: (03) 5441 3682 Email: admin@sternbergclinic.com.au www.sternbergclinic.com.au

Therapy and counselling for children, adolescents, adults, the elderly, couples and families

Psychiatrists - Dr Scott Eaton, Dr Ajit Emmanuel, Dr Prabath GamagePsychotherapists - Dr Christine Brett Vickers, Wayne Featherstone

Psychologists - Anne Finlayson Smith

Leading the way in perinatal and infant mental health care and research

www.sjog.org.au/bendigo

Specialised mental health support for pregnant women and mums and dads with young children

Raphael Services13 Helm Street,Kangaroo FlatPh 5447 0771(located with Bendigo Community Health Services)

Supporting mental health recoverymindaustralia.org.au

Everyone can flourish with the right support.We get to know people and support them in their personal process of recovery from mental ill-health so they can live connected, productive and satisfying lives. We also have support services for families and carers.

Call now about services in the greater Bendigo area.

Mind Connect

1300 286 463

Carer Helpline

1300 550 265

Supporting mental health recoverymindaustralia.org.au

Everyone can flourish with the right support.We get to know people and support them in their personal process of recovery from mental ill-health so they can live connected, productive and satisfying lives. We also have support services for families and carers.

Call now about services in the greater Bendigo area.

Mind Connect

1300 286 463

Carer Helpline

1300 550 265

Everyone can flourish with the right support

We get to know people and support them in their personal process of recovery from mental ill-health so they can live connected, productive and satisfying lives. We also have support services for families and carers.

Call now about services in the greater Bendigo area.

Mental Health week Advertising FeAture

Thursday, October 1, 2015 – Bendigo Weekly www.bendigoweekly.com.au� ADVERTISING FEATURE • 27

By Faye Hayman

MEntaL illness can be an overwhelming

experience. not just for the person who is unwell, but also for those who love and care for them. Being a carer for someone with a mental illness brings many challenges. It can at times be tiring, confusing, frustrating and distressing. Carers naturally want the best for the person they care for and might sometimes forget that it is equally important to invest some time into looking after themselves.

If you’ve ever been on a plane, you will know that passengers are always told that in an emergency they should put their own oxygen mask on first, before they help others. It’s the same principal if you are a carer. How can you really give the best care to someone you love if you are physically and emotionally exhausted. Putting a little care into yourself helps you to stay well and happy, which means that you will have more energy and

compassion to share with the person you care for.

It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary. Mandy Hale

don’t think of self-care as just one more thing you have to do. It’s not about adding more pressure to yourself with a list of things you must do such as exercise, eat right, meditate, sleep well, learn new things, do crosswords etc. although all of those things can be a part of self-care, it is really more about consciously taking time to love and nurture yourself. Looking after your physical health allows you to function at your best so it is certainly worth doing. But looking after you mental and emotional health is equally important.

taking time out to relax, have fun and do nice things helps you to recharge. Caring can be hard at times, but it can also be rewarding. Looking after yourself allows you to step back from your ongoing duties, which can prevent exhaustion and resentment building

up. Ultimately, you will be a better carer if you are happy, relaxed and pleasant to be around.

doing things that you enjoy allows you to have a break from your caring responsibilities so that you can return to them feeling happier and stronger. taking part in carer activities combines fun with support, and helps you to feel more socially connected. Spending time with people who understand and don’t judge can be a great way to nurture yourself.

Self-care is not just a term to think about ‘one day’. Start now by coming along to the Star Cinema on Saturday 10th October for a carers’ respite afternoon. Celebrate mental health, watch a movie, enjoy a delicious afternoon tea and meet other carers. Best of all, it’s free. Bendigo Health Psychiatric Services is sponsoring this event as a way of acknowledging how important carers are to the wellbeing and recovery of people with mental illness.

Bookings are essential. to reserve a place please phone 5454 7612.

Why self-care is important for carers’ mental health

Recovery action planpARTNERS IN REcoVERy (pIR): Partners in Recovery (PIR) is for people experiencing severe and persistent mental illness who also have complex support needs which require a coordinated response – for example physical health, housing, finances, social interaction, or employment.  It is a program funded by the federal government.

the objective of PIR is to improve the system response to and outcomes for, people with severe and persistent mental illness who have complex needs by:

• facilitating better coordination of supports and services to deliver person-centred support

• strengthening partnerships and building better links between organisations

• improving referral pathways • promoting a community based

recovery model PIR support facilitators work with

individuals to help them develop a recovery action plan. Support facilitators then help to coordinate services and supports to make this plan happen.

For more information on Partners in Recovery (PIR) in the Loddon Mallee Murray region go to www.pir.net.au

pRIMARy MENTAl HEAlTH SERVIcES: Access to Allied psychological Services (ATApS)

access to allied Psychological Services (ataPS) is funded by the department of Health and provides mental health support and counselling for people who would benefit from short term, focused psychological therapy. ataPS can support people who are experiencing: depression and anxiety; perinatal depression; stress or loss and grief.

Groups identified as most in need for ataPS include aboriginal and torres Strait Islander people, people at risk of suicide

and children with mental health issues.ataPS is designed for people who can’t

afford to pay for private psychological or counselling services. this may include people with a health care card, those on a pension or, people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

MENTAl HEAlTH NURSE INcENTIVE pRoGRAM (MHNIp)

Mental Health nurse Incentive Program (MHnIP) is funded by the department of Health. the program engages mental health nurses who work closely with general practitioners and psychiatrists to provide specialist mental health care and support for people with severe and persistent mental illness in the community.

the program is designed to assist people whose mental health condition is significantly impacting on their social, personal and work life.

the program can also help people who have previously had inpatient treatment for their mental health condition, and/or those where if they do not have additional support, they may require further inpatient treatment.

MENTAl HEAlTH SERVIcES IN RURAl AND REMoTE AREAS (MHSRRA)

Mental Health Services in Rural and Remote areas (MHSRRa) is funded by the department of Health.

MHSRRa is for people with mild to moderate mental health conditions, who live in rural and remote areas. the program provides short to medium term, goal focused psychological therapies. MHSRRa also assists people who cannot access Medicare funded mental health programs, or who cannot afford to pay for counselling services.

For more information go to www.murrayphn.org.au

29-33 Mundy St, BendigoPh: 5445 9800

www.accessemployment.com.au

BAE has been supporting

and advocating for people

with disabilities, including

mental health for over

20 years.

Bendigo Health’s mission is to meet the health needs of our community. This includes caring for people in the Loddon Campaspe Southern Mallee region facing mental health issues, their families and carers.

Psychiatric Services

Bendigo Health Psychiatric Services For all enquiries or referrals please ring the Regional Triage Service on 1300 363 788

The Partners in Recovery team help to coordinate support according to the needs of the individual.The program is free for eligible people. If you or someone you know would like to know more call 03 5441 7004 or email PIR@murrayphn.org.au

Partners in Recovery is for people with severe and persistent mental illness living in our region.

pir.net.au

Please contact: Tel: (03) 5430 0500 24-hour mobile: 0439 173 310 Fax: (03) 5430 0544 E: standby@bchs.com.au W: www.unitedsynergies.com.au

Suicide Response Service

• mental health clinical services• mental health community support services

• carer and consumer groups within the region

Golden City Support Services strives to access the widest range of opportunities and resources for consumers and carers, and to promote both good recovery and

mental health within the community.

GCSS Community Mental Health Support | 51 Creek Street, Bendigo • Phone 5434 2777

S E R V I C E S

Community Mental Health Support are committed to working collaboratively

with...

28 • ADVERTISING FEATURE www.bendigoweekly.com.au� Bendigo Weekly – Thursday, October 1, 2015

tHE Victorian Mental Health Peer Collective was formed in May 2013 after establishing the need

for a visible mental health consumer advocacy group in the Loddon Mallee Region. the vision was to establish a mental health consumer representative group in the Bendigo area to meet the diverse needs of regional communities. Concerns in regional and rural areas differ from those in metropolitan areas. there are limited services available and the areas requiring services are much larger in size.

the aim of the group is to inform consumers, carers, workers and communities of funding changes, policy issues, mental health service reforms and to promote consumer activities. news both local and state wide about the mental health sector is shared in person and via the Collective’s Facebook page.

In addition to the advocacy role, the lived experience of the group has been used to develop and conduct “Wellness groups” that are open to the general public and provide a health promotion perspective in a peer environment. these groups focus on wellbeing, including topics related to recovery, maintaining stable physical and mental health, early intervention and alternative therapies.

the development of the collective has empowered consumers to have a voice in the community and is assisting to bridge the gap by educating community members regarding attitudes, stigma and discrimination.

If you are interested in being involved or in attending wellness groups please check our Facebook page for information or contact debra at St Luke’s, Eaglehawk on 5430 1200.

aRE you are Carer? this is often a difficult question to answer as many of us providing care to others often don’t

think of ourselves as ‘carers’. Carers provide care or support for someone who has a disability, a mental health issue, is frail aged or has a chronic health condition. Carers come from all walks of life, all cultures, and all religions. aboriginal peoples and torres Strait Islanders are more likely to be carers than non-Indigenous australians; 12.4% of the aboriginal and torres Strait Islander population are carers, compared to 10.5% of the non-Indigenous australian population (australian Institute of Health and Welfare and australian Bureau of Statistics, the health and welfare of australia’s aboriginal and torres Strait Islander peoples 2008, 2008, author: Canberra).

Providing care and support for others can have an impact on physical and mental health and wellbeing and is often a cause of financial strain. Carers are likely to see friends and family less, can feel alone, ignore their own health, are likely to suffer chronic conditions and often report symptoms of anxiety and depression. Even if Carers do not experience these issues, finding out

what is available to support Carers in the caring role is a good idea.

Having a regular Carer Health and Wellbeing Check is an important way to: 1) enhance physical health and mental wellbeing, 2) reduce the risk of chronic health conditions and, 3) enhance the ability to sustain a caring role.

to enable Carers to access information about their own health needs in a safe and friendly environment, Bendigo Community Health Services and Bendigo and district aboriginal Co-operative, together with Murray Primary Health network and Bendigo Loddon Primary Care Partnership, invite aboriginal and torres Strait Islander Carers to a Carers Pamper day and Information Lunch on Fri 9 Oct from 9.30am.

the FREE event aims to promote aboriginal and torres Strait Islander Carer health and wellbeing, reduce ‘burn out’ and poor health, and promote social connection. People attending the event have the opportunity to relax and be pampered, to speak with a health worker about having a health check and enjoy lunch. Please contact Julie at BCHS 5434 4304 and Sharon at BdaC 5442 4947 for more information and to book a place.

Victorian Mental Health Peer Collective

The link between Mental Health and the Law

How many times have you worried about that pile of parking tickets? stressed over ongoing debt? Had

disruptive sleep over that contract you are not sure if you should sign? You are not alone. In 2012 Legal Australia-Wide (LAW) conducted a survey that estimated 8,513,000 Australians experience a legal problem in a 12 month period1. The impacts of these legal problems have different impacts and consequences on people’s health. The most common of these was stress-related ill-health with 22%-39% of people surveyed reported identifying it as the most frequent consequence2.

This means that if you are having a legal issue there is a 1 in 4 chance that you will also experience stress-related health issues. Another example of the link between mental health and the law is family violence which can be caused by or

cause mental health issues and can result in criminal, child protection and family law repercussions. There is often a continual cycle of legal and mental health issues, and once in this cycle it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Another example from the legal needs survey:

Partners in recovery funded the Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre to provide training in relation to the link between mental health and the law. This training was aimed at mental health workers to assist them in understanding the common legal problems faced by people with mental health issues. The sessions were interactive and helped mental health workers problem spot legal issues and appropriately refer to the right lawyer.

Mental health workers can also use a resource called the Legal health

Check to identify legal issues. see www.legalhealthcheck.org.au for more information.

The Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre provides free legal information and advice to Central Victorians who can’t afford a lawyer or who can’t get legal aid. You can call on (03) 5444 4364 or 1800 639 121 (if calling from outside Bendigo). You can also contact the Legal Aid Helpline on 1300 792 387.

1 Coumarelos, C, Macourt, D, People, J, MacDonald, HM, Wei, Z, Iriana, R & Ramsey, S 2012, Legal Australia-Wide Survey: legal need in Australia, Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, Sydney.

2 Coumarelos, C, Macourt, D, People, J, MacDonald, HM, Wei, Z, Iriana, R & Ramsey, S 2012, Legal Australia-Wide Survey: legal need in Australia, Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, Sydney

Carer health & wellbeing

Loddon Campaspe Integrated Family Violence Consortium

Family Violence hurts…and it’s not just physical• Anxiety • Depression • Low Self Esteem• 96% of victims of family violence are women and children

Annie North Inc.

If you or someone you know is experiencing

family violence call theSafe Steps 24 hour women’s domestic

violence crisis service 1800 015 188CNV Domestic

Violence Service 1800 884 038

/Volumes/WEEKLY/BENDIGO WEEKLY/FUTURE ISSUES/BENDIGO WEEKLY 783/FEATURE Mental

Health Week/Adverts/Centre for Non Violence/Logo with wording.docx

MURRAY

An Australian Government Initiative

murrayphn.org.au

headspace.org.au

Contact us: headspace Bendigo 78-80 Pall Mall, Bendigo 03 54 345 345

Join us on facebook

Generalist Counselling, Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program and Access To Allied Psychological Services

BCHS provides a range of counselling and mental health specialist interventions, at no cost to clients, across all ages. So if you are

experiencing emotional, or more serious ongoing mental health concerns, and would like to talk freely and in confidence about whatever is troubling

you, please give us a call on 5430 0500 to discuss how we can provide you assistance.

Kangaroo Flat: 5430 0500 Eaglehawk: 5434 4300 Central: 5448 1600 Elmore: 5432 6001