WayAhead is housed in a cooperative of three mental health advocacy organisations called “Collective Purpose” and one of the great benefits of this is that we are able to participate in other organisation’s events and vice versa.

One of our co-inhabitors “BEING” (the other is Mental Health Carers NSW) has been developing an Arabic Psychological Health Resource in the form of a collection of videos. These videos aim to raise awareness both of the rate and commonality of mental illness within the community and of resources and treatments that are available. To launch this resource BEING held an Arabic language panel on psychological health in Rockdale in July.

The panel featured five speakers….and was run entirely in Arabic. As a non-Arabic speaker I missed the nuances of the panel discussion but from the passion in the speakers tone and the small elements that were translated I gathered the importance of this conversation to the community.

One of the main points addressed with the importance of early intervention and the role that religious leaders had to play in this field. The stigma in to community towards the expression of mental illness has led to many individuals failing to seek help, possibly for years, until their mental health issue has developed into something far more serious.

Hend Saab, Clinical Psychologist was particularly passionate about this subject, saying she has seen many culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) individuals, young and old, who have presented to her in severe distress at a point where treatment has become challenging because of the long term nature of the issue. As a psychologist, she said one of the most upsetting things in this regard is that she is aware that people who present with long term issues have been suffering in silence for a long time.

She called on religious leaders to recognise the significant impact that mental health issues can have on the community and to ensure that individuals who approach them for help are referred to the correct mental health services as quickly as possible.

Hend Saab

“Sometimes the process of referral can take years, can cost thousands of dollars before the individual is referred to a psychologist.” She said. “Because people listen to their religious leaders and these leaders aren’t always educated in mental health.”

While both religious leaders – Sheikh Youssef Hassan and Father Yousef pointed out that mental health issues are prevalent across all cultures, not just the Arabic community, they both acknowledged the need to reduce stigma surrounding psychological assistance for mental distress and the important role religious leaders have to play in this.

Father Yousef noted that because religious leaders are often the first point of call for individuals experiencing something they don’t feel right about, it is imperative that they are trained to recognise the difference between spiritual health and psychological health and to treat the two separately. In doing this, and acknowledging the prevalence of mental health issues across the community religious leaders were hoping to reduce the stigma and shame associated with seeking professional help for their issues.

While there was a great diversity in expertise and known around the issue of mental health in CALD communities, all parties agreed that acceptance is importance to move forward in recovery. Mental illnesses are real and we have treatment and shame of one’s own illness (internal stigma) and shame within the community (external stigma) is a double duo that prevents many people from seeking help.

Being’s “Into the Light” resources are available on their website. If you are looking for an Arabic mental health service near you WayAhead’s directory allows you to search language preferences and provides relevant services. WayAhead also runs monthly anxiety support groups across the state as well as offering various programs such as small steps, anxiety forums, and will be running Mental Health Month in October.

Written by Jean Roxon

As a species we have passed down our history and knowledge through stories, teaching others of the experiences of those who have gone before us and it is this premise that is behind a new group of women coming together to improve mental health and wellbeing.

An intrepid group of African women across the suburbs of Perth have come together to launch a range of social activities as a way to prove mental health and overall wellbeing through the ‘Courageous African Women Network’.

The network is a partnership initiative between the African Women’s Association and local not-for-profit mental health and wellbeing organisation, Richmond Wellbeing.

The initiative has a vision to establish a network of active women coming together to share stories, skills and support in a culturally and socially safe environment.

Richmond Wellbeing and the network are also using the classes to promote enhanced mental health through physical activity and counselling services. Activities also include workshops and training covering areas such as parenting, life-coaching, sexual health and safety, and other important lifestyle issues.

Yvonne Johnson, Chairperson of the Courageous African Women Network, says it is different for women to accept common mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, but when they come together and share their experiences it changes the atmosphere.

“… When they meet with other women and begin to talk about some of their experiences then they can share knowledge and learn different ideas on how to deal with those issues affecting their mental wellbeing,” she says.

“It is important to provide services for women to get together and share their experiences and learn from each other different ways to address issues affecting their mental wellbeing.

“For instance, sometimes women find it difficult to discuss challenging behaviour of their children with strangers, but when women get together and build relationships and trust through shared experience they can gain new cultural ideas to deal with issues differently.”

Support of the Courageous African Women Network is an outreach initiative of Richmond Wellbeing’s Partners In Recovery (PIR) program.

Neil Guard, Richmond Wellbeing Chief Executive, says the PIR program was first introduced by the government to address the deeper challenges existing within the mental health system and to develop a genuine collaborative and cooperative approach by service providers.

“Through our Partners in Recovery program we aim to assist the Courageous African Women Network to nurture strong, confident, empowered women who have a positive vision for their futures and the future of our local communities. It’s also a great way to address issues such as depression amongst a very isolated community group,” he says.

“Life challenges and mental health issues affect people across all ages, nationalities and cultures. To positively impact overall health and wellbeing across these diverse demographics we need to encourage people to share their messages and experiences of acceptance and recovery.”

Written by Danielle Hanrahan

Juggling scarves or smashing plates may not sound like your typical therapy session but for Honora Jenkins, it offers the ideal way for kids, and adults, to feel engaged and connected in a fun, energetic and safe space.

The Wollongong-based circus facilitator has been working with Flourish Australia, formerly Richmond RPA, for the past 12 months at its New Outlook mental health social recovery centre, a drop-in facility that looks at meaningful activity and social connectedness as important contributions to a person’s recovery.

Honora utilises her circus skills to facilitate activities for the facility’s clients, who, at times, simply want to watch and observe the playful antics she gets up to. “I’II get out the hoops and start rolling them around, or jumping over them, or running balls around, and that energy is contagious,” she says.

“One day, we had heaps of people sitting around a table and I could tell they were happy to sit there, so I started engaging with one new client, who was interested in trying a few things. I saw one girl, who I knew had done some things before, and I asked her to come over and show the new person a few of the activities she had previously done. So she did and I got some of the people, who were at the table and now starting to watch what was happening, to come over and spot for her. To make her feel safe and supported.

“I suppose, for me, circus therapy is about inclusion. It’s all about real, honest-to- goodness inclusion.”

It’s this approach to inclusion and connection which underlies much of what Honora does with the people she works with. For her, it’s not about being perfect in hanging from a trapeze or juggling a handful of scarves at once, and looking like a professional performer, it’s about having fun and giving something new, a go. It’s a lesson she learned from her teacher when she joined Circus WOW, an organisation that offers a variety of circus training and workshops for adult women.

“I would turn up every week and I could barely hold myself up on the scarves or the silks and I’d need help to get my legs over, but once I was up on the trapeze, I found I could do stuff. “If I had not been allowed to clamber up, ungracefully, onto the trapeze because I may not have been ready or flexible enough, I never would have gone back. My teacher was incredibly supportive and would encourage me by saying, ‘You’ve got great form!’

“She was not looking at what I was terrible at, but what I was doing well. And, I got stronger. I wasn’t getting stronger in order to do it, I was getting stronger by doing it, and by doing it badly, but I was getting stronger and better.”

After learning the basics, she undertook a workshop on Holistic Circus Therapy (HCT), a concept created by Jill Malgio that combines occupational therapy with circus arts to address the unique health and wellbeing needs of individuals. While Honora does not specialise in the occupational therapy side of HCT, she has adapted the philosophy behind the concept and combined this with her practical knowledge in circus skills to think creatively about how she can help a person with a mental health challenge.

A fact that’s evident in the work she does at New Outlook, where she’s helping to empower people by building their self-esteem and confidence through the circus activities. And, if someone wants to talk while their throwing scarves or balls, she’ll be there for them.

“A lot of people slip through the cracks and I suppose I just want to be there, wherever I can find a place, to do this kind of work, to create opportunities for people and to have a play.

“We’re never too old to play. We should never not do something because we think we can’t do it or because we won’t be the best at it, that’s not the purpose here, the purpose is to have a bit of fun. And to have conversation.”

She recalls one young man who dismissed the scarves as something “too girly”. But, once he had given them a go, he found he enjoyed throwing them around. It was during one of these moments of tossing the scarves around that he started talking to Honora about other things on his mind. It was informal and non-threatening, a way of being there for someone that she prefers, as opposed to asking questions, such as, ‘What’s your problem?’ and ‘How can I fix it?’ It’s not what she does.

“We all have challenges and if we have the opportunity to find something to step beyond those challenges, and find our strengths within those challenging areas, then fantastic. We can find the strength in anyone and circus is really good for that.”

For more information on Honora Jenkins, visit: www.honorajenkins.com.