Darkness. Confusion. Helplessness. Self-loathing. Just a few words that describe what it feels like to have a mental illness. Mental health affects everyone and most of us know someone who has a mental illness or is affected by someone with a mental illness. It surrounds us, each and every day. Awareness, compassion and education can help us support people in our lives who may be suffering.
Visit the Sechelt Library during Mental Health Week, May 1 to 7, and learn more about mental health, resources in our community and tools to help yourself or loved ones cope.
Mental Health Week at the Sechelt Library will launch with mental health advocate and presenter Victoria Maxwell. She will present her DVD That’s Just Crazy Talk, along with a Question and Answer session, on Monday, May 1 at 7 p.m.
At the age of 25, Maxwell was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety and psychosis. For five years she refused to accept this and in turn was in and out of hospital. Finally, after acknowledging her disorders, with the help of her family and a good psychiatrist, she became proactive in her recovery. Since that time, she has become one of North America’s most popular speakers and educators on the lived experience of mental illness, recovery and dismantling stigma.
Tuesday at 11 a.m., Violette Clark will share her story with an art journalling workshop, Art Journalling: A Healing Process. In the afternoon, Micheal D. Mann will recite some of his works, One Day Thesis and Mike vs. Man. Mann’s external support worker, Richard Borthwick Austin, will participate with reading works of Gerard Manley Hopkins, who suffered mental illness throughout his life. Mental health advocate Hugh Macaulay will join the two in the discussion of mental illness and mental health.
Thursday, May 4, at 10:30 a.m., the Vancouver Mental Health team will present a workshop and talk about Art is for Everyone and What is the Older Adult Mental Health Program on the Coast? At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Patricia Hetherington will read from her upcoming book, focusing on her mental health journey, and her piece entitled Daring to Speak a Larger Truth. Joining her is Weegee Sachtjen sharing a piece entitled Breaking Through Anxiety to Find My Voice.
All talks and workshops are free and take place at the Sechelt Library, Community Room. Registration is recommended due to limited space. Please call 604-885-3260 or see www.secheltlibrary.ca.
For more information about presenters see Victoria Maxwell (www.victoriamaxwell.com); Richard Austin (goldenecho.ca); Violette Clark (www.violette.ca).
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