News and Activities
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The Mental Health Association NSW is now taking referrals for The Wellbeing Course which is an online, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based educational course. It aims to teach people core skills to help them to manage symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The Wellbeing Course will be run as an open trial in collaboration with the eCentreClinic at Macquarie University to learn how effective the course is with clients of the Mental Health Association.
The Wellbeing Course will run in June 2012 for 8 weeks and is available to people with symptoms of depression, generalised anxiety disorder, social phobia and panic disorder.
The course is designed to improve and maintain good emotional wellbeing. It is a semi self/clinician guided course. Participants are expected to work their way through the material available to them each week and will be contacted on a weekly basis to check in on their progress and have their questions answered.
Numbers are limited.
If you are interested in participating in The Wellbeing Course please contact us for more information and registration.
Phone Linda Manoukian on (02) 9339 6013 or send us an This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
MEDIA RELEASE
30 April 2012
New self-help groups in Surry Hills and Kings Cross for people with problem anxiety
People with anxiety disorders or phobias can now join one of several free, self-help groups based in Surry Hills and Kings Cross. The groups will follow a structured program for 12 weeks and commence during the first week of May.
Anxiety disorders are not uncommon with 10 per cent of Australians affected by an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
“We’ve run these self-help groups for more than ten years and they’ve proven to be very successful in helping people with social anxiety, panic, specific phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder,” said Elizabeth Priestley, CEO of the Mental Health Association NSW.
The groups follow a structured program and the weekly meetings are facilitated by trained group leaders. Participants are guided step-by-step through a program of gradual exposure to help overcome their worry, fear or anxiety.
“These groups are empowering because people determine their own goals for self-exposure homework. They are taught how to face up to and overcome anxiety - as well as how to deal with possible setbacks,” said Ms Priestley.
Facilitator of both the Surry Hills and Kings Cross groups, Cindy Windle said, “My own personal experience of supporting a family member with a mental illness will prove invaluable in helping me to support participants in this program.
“I am passionate about mental health and this program is a great resource for many members of the community to gain help and acceptance in dealing with anxiety” said Ms Windle.
Previous group participant, Steve, 28, said, “The group encouraged people to talk, then gave advice generally about how to face their anxieties. The program is going to help a lot of people because of the format; it encourages people to speak up without feeling vulnerable”.
Another group participant, Michael, said, “The two facilitators were outstanding. As a result of the work I possess some robust techniques to overcome negative, self-critical thoughts which precede my physical anxiety”.
To find out more or join either the Surry Hills / Kings Cross group phone Linda on (02) 9339 6093. All enquires are treated as confidential.
Media Contact: Natasha Webb, 0412 795 784 – for interviews and photos with the Surry Hills & Kings Cross Group Leaders.
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Living Well: mental health across the lifespan will focus on the mental health challenges that are common for young people, adults, and older people.
Living Well will be held at the Mantra Hotel in Parramatta on 3 May 2012.
Go to the conference page to view the Program and to Register.
We are delighted to announce the theme for Mental Health Month 2012:
Connect
Celebrate
Grow
It is about connecting with others by paying attention to your close relationships, or by reaching out and making new friends. Mental Health Month 2012 is about
And it is about growing; expanding your horizons and trying something new that creates meaning and purpose for you.celebrating the positive events in your life, as well as the strengths and values that have helped you through more challenging times.
We’ll be developing lots of new resources including a Starter Kit which will be released on 1 June. We can’t wait to find out about your great ideas and are excited about working with you again in 2012!
Join a summit of leading experts from Australia and overseas at the inaugural Young Minds conference (21-22 June), designed to stimulate discussion about some of the most pressing issues facing young people today.
Explore how we can inspire young people, how we should teach and how else we can help young people reach their full potential and develop into wise and compassionate adults. And of course we will be listening to what young people have to say!
Join the best and brightest minds in education, science, psychology, spirituality, ethics and the arts in exploring these questions and more! Be motivated and inspired by an extraordinary roll call of 35+ speakers from Australia and abroad.
Update - 2 February 2012
The Mental Health Association NSW has supported the ASU's Equal Pay campaign for many years and is thrilled to share the recent news of this historic win for social and community service workers!
In summary the Tribunal decision means that:
• The work of social and community service workers ha
s been undervalued on the basis of gender.
• The rates of pay should be significantly increased
• The rates of pay should effectively be the same as the Queensland rates of pay
• The new rates should phase in over an 8 year period not a 6 year period
• The graduate entry points for 3 and 4 year graduates should be increased one pay point on the new Modern Award scale so that they are the same as the Queensland Award
For information on this historic campaign please read this summary of the desicion made by Fair Work Australia, or visit www.asumembers.org.au
Update - 1 February 2012
Under the Better Access scheme an additional six sessions of treatment will be allowed, 'under exceptional circumstances' for a transitional period from 1 March - 31 December 2012.
The standard number of rebatable sessions under Better Access will remain at 10 (6+4 sessions), but eligible clients can receive up to 16 sessions during the transitional period where ‘exceptional circumstances’ apply.
Download this factsheet about the new Better Access arrangements.
The Mental Health Association NSW supports Ku-rin-gai Youth Development Services (KYDS) in the news this week.
KYDS was the recipient of two Mental Health Matters Awards in 2010 and provides an invaluable service to teenagers in northern Sydney.
Watch the Ten News clip: http://ten.com.au/news.htm?movideo_p=46113&movideo_m=140633
