Engage Aotearoa

Category Archives: Online Resources

Information and news about mental-health resources that can be found online.

Updates from the Engage Facebook Page

March 28, 2014 12:12 am ⋅

Here are some highlights from Engage Aotearoa’s Facebook page:

Advice From Our Tribe: What positives/lessons can you draw from your mental health experiences? 

Helplines to merge into single service – National – NZ Herald News

Anti-gambling body to get chop – National – NZ Herald News

Posted in: Engage Updates, News, Online Resources ⋅ Tagged: ,

Good Practice Guidelines for the Assessment and Treatment of Adults with Gender Dysphoria

March 27, 2014 5:34 pm ⋅

An online resource from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in London aims to improve treatment for people who identify as non-cis or gender-queer. “Gender variance is not uncommon…A survey of 10,000 people undertaken in 2012 by the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that 1% of the population was gender variant to some extent – though this figure cannot be assumed to be representative of the whole population…People often find it difficult to confide their feelings … to their GP because they fear ridicule, guilt or shame, or are concerned about delays in getting treatment… It is estimated that up to 40% of people with gender dysphoria may not be receiving appropriate help.”

The best practice guidelines are endorsed by 13 separate organisations and have been drawn up by a working group that included representatives from psychiatry, endocrinology, gynaecology, urology, general practice, nursing, psychology, psychotherapy and speech and language therapy, as well as representation from patient groups. It is the first time that so many different groups have come together to agree a common set of guidelines.

Click Here to Download the Full Resource

Thanks to the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership for sharing this information.

Posted in: Human Rights and Legal Issues, Online Resources, Rainbow / LGBTQI+ Community, Research ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

United Nations World Happiness Report Calls on Policy Makers to Prioritise Happiness

March 27, 2014 5:29 pm ⋅

The United Nations World Happiness Report 2013 was released in September last year. The report calls on global policy makers to prioritise happiness as a key measure and target of development.

In Chapter 3, Mental Illness and Unhappiness, authors Richard Layard, Dan Chisholm, Vikram Patel and Shekhar Saxena, write: “For policy makers, the key issue is what affects happiness. Some studies show mental health to be the single most important determinant of whether a person is happy or not. Yet, even in rich countries, less than a third of mentally ill people are in treatment. Good, cost-effective treatments exist for depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis, and the happiness of the world would be greatly increased if they were more widely available.”

The Report shows the major beneficial side-effects of happiness. Happy people live longer, are more productive, earn more, and are also better citizens. Well-being should be developed both for its own sake and for its side-effects.

Read the full report here: http://www.globalmentalhealth.org/sites/default/files/WorldHappinessReport2013_online.pdf
Thanks to the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership for sharing this information.

Posted in: Human Rights and Legal Issues, Online Resources, Politics and Policy, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

A practical guide to implementation of Peer Support Services

March 27, 2014 5:24 pm ⋅

In late 2013, the Centre for Mental Health in London released a briefing report on how to implement peer support services. The authors write: “Our experience has led us to the conclusion that the widespread introduction of people with lived experience of mental health problems into the mental health workforce is probably the single most important factor contributing to changes towards more recovery-oriented services.” Gilfoyle, S., Gillard, S., Perkins, R., & Rennison, J. (2013, October 29). London: Centre for Mental Health.

The report outlines four phases in the implementation of peer support services: 1. Preparation of the organisation as a whole, 2. Recruitment, 3. Safe and effective employment of peer workers in mental health organisations, and 4. Ongoing development.

Read the full report online here:

http://www.nhsconfed.org/Documents/7%20-%20Peer%20Support%20Workers%20-%20a%20practical%20guide%20to%20implementation%20[web].pdf

Thanks to the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership for sharing this information.

 

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

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: , , , , , , , ,

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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,