From the Wellness Centre
R U OK? Day Today
Ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day.
A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week. Whether it’s your friend, family member, colleague, partner, or teammate, the people you care about go through life’s ups and downs every day.
By having regular, meaningful conversations, you build trust and normalise talking about what’s really going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you’re someone they can talk to.
So whilst R U OK?Day on Thursday 12 September 2024 is our National Day of Action, we encourage you to Ask R U OK? Any Day of the year because a conversation could change a life.
National Suicide Prevention Strategy Draft – Released Tuesday 10 September
In short:
The federal government's draft advice on the latest National Suicide Prevention Strategy has been released.
Advocates say a fundamental change is needed to address the key drivers of feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.
Every day in Australia, approximately nine people die by suicide, and 150 people attempt to take their own life. This is more than 3,000 deaths and 55,000 attempts each year. In addition, thousands more will experience suicidal distress or thoughts of suicide. The impacts of the loss of life, suicide attempts, and suicidal distress on families and communities are devastating.
The draft Advice on the Strategy brings together first-hand evidence provided by people with lived living experiences of suicide, the latest research, and recommendations from existing inquiries and reports to lay out a path that will deliver a reduction in the number of lives lost to suicide nationally.
According to the Head of the NSPO, Dr Michael Gardner:
“People with lived experience of suicide, the data and scientific research all tell us that suicidal thoughts and behaviours are not just about mental ill-health – they are also about all the circumstances that can create feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and entrapment. Financial stress, housing instability, domestic and family violence, childhood adversity, discrimination, and alcohol and drug harm can all play a role.”
Dr Gardner said many of these circumstances are preventable:
“Suicide prevention is currently mostly focused on providing support at times of crisis. While this is important, a more effective approach involves working to prevent people from reaching the point of suicidal distress in the first place. This involves taking proactive steps to address the socio-economic disadvantage and adversity that often drive suicidal thoughts and attempts.”
What's next
The draft strategy is open for public consultation until 27 October.
More information here from PM Radio National: Compassion and hope the keys to draft new National Suicide Prevention Strategy - ABC News
Grief and Loss Group
Amity Health in Lockyer Ave is once again offering their Grief and Loss Group workshop, beginning 26 September and extending for ten weeks. In the safe space offered by Amity Health, participants may explore the journey through grief and loss in the company of those who have walked a similar path.
More information here: Grief Group — Amity Health
Many interesting and sometimes confronting articles enter my cyber space; today I wish to share two which have stayed with me, the first written by a doctor followed by a piece offered by a bereavement counsellor. I hope some of you might find these useful.
Grief is horrible – but it’s supposed to be. We have to feel a loss before we can grow through it | Bereavement | The Guardian Grief is horrible – but it’s supposed to be. We have to feel a loss before we can grow through it.
I hope some of you might find these useful, reassuring and even comforting.
Older Persons Mental Health First Aid – 12 hour two-day Course.
When: 8 November and 10 November (9.30am to 4.00pm incl time for breaks)
Where: GSG (Watami Building Room 14)
Who: any GSG community member who wishes to learn more about mental health needs of the ageing
How: face to face presentation by Sheryl Moncur
Cost: Nil (sponsors Palmerston and GSG)
See flyers for more information and please feel free to email me your interest sheryl.moncur@gsg.wa.edu.au
Alternatively, you might register you interest with kjohnson@palmerston.org.au
(Note – I will not be checking any of my comms from Friday 3.45pm 13 September to Monday 8.00am 14 October as I will be hiking somewhere in Scotland or the South-West Coastal path. 😊 Please don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a response from me until the Week beginning 14 October).
The Wolf You Feed – a fantastic fable/homily/piece of First Nations Lore
While many of you would be familiar with this story, and, of course, your attention has been drawn to the stunning picture of such magnificent creatures, I hope you can all reflect on the spirit of the message. We have choices to react or respond – at almost every single point of our day, week, and life. Being mindful of the difference between automatically experiencing an emotion and/or a thought … and choosing our response feeds our healthy internal wolf. Choosing not to hitch a ride on jaded, habituated, unreconstructed thoughts/feelings/behaviours can catalyse our journeys to healthier, more enjoyable, and rewarding experiences.
One evening, an elderly Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside each of us.
He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”
“The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee replied, “The one that you feed.”
As this will be my last column for this term, I urge you to feed the wolf that serves your values, notice those luminous glimmers and moments of awe, never be complacent, and always be courageous, curious, loving, and grateful.
Happy holidays!
Ms Sheryl Moncur | School Counsellor/Teacher