COLLEGE CHAPLAIN
The Riverina Anglican College
Hope in Depression
Recently in Chapel, Dr Genevieve Thompson shared her wisdom and experience with regards to clinical depression. It was an encouraging interview as Dr Thompson explained that while depression is a clinical reality, care, support and improvement are readily available. The interview particularly equipped students to be aware of cues in themselves and in their friends that may indicate someone is depressed, and that the simple act of asking questions and listening can be a powerful first step.
The treatment of someone’s bio/psycho/social dimensions are key to ensuring effective treatment of mental illnesses such as depression, and the holistic approach to wellbeing that undergirds the Christian ethos of the College places students in a space of effective care.
Dr Thompson stressed the effectiveness of seeing your GP for further confidential care, as well as making use of many and varied online support resources.
As we continue to consider the unchanging hope of the Gospel now and into the future for our health, we should pause to give thanks for the infrastructure we have in place to care for our mental health, and pray for wise and generous management and support of those like Dr Thompson who offer their care.
Below are a list of resources that Dr Thompson has recommended for you and your family to access in addition to the support offered here at the College by our wellbeing team.
ReachOut
Bite Back
(an online mental health fitness challenge for teens through the Black Dog institute )
This Way Up
(online CBT based courses for mental health for adolescents. Dr Thompson recommends ‘Student Wellbeing’ in the short wellbeing course section, or TEENstrong in the mental health tab. Both are to be found under the heading: ‘Courses’.
Headspace https://headspace.org.au/headspace-centres/wagga-wagga
Beyond Blue https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/young-people
Gareth Tyndall | College Chaplain