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Community Mental Health Forums
and the Unicorn Project
The Unicorn Project is a seed. It is a vision of a network of
people involved in Process Work and Mental Health in the UK,
acting as a resource to support the creation and facilitation
of community mental health forums.
This seed has come from the incredible experiences we had facilitating
several community mental health forums in the UK, as well as
numerous seminars within Mental Health Hospitals for patients,
psychiatric professionals, carers and students.
The idea of the Unicorn Project is
to further the mental health of our communities. It aims to support
awareness of mental health as a community issue as well as further
the mental health of individuals.
The Unicorn Project can help community groups, clinics, hospitals,
and councils to create and facilitate community mental health
forums. The Unicorn Project can provide:
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written guidelines for organizing a community
(or organizational) forum |
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consultation and active support for organizing
community forums, in respect for unique regional concerns |
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experienced facilitators and assistants |
How is mental health a
community issue?
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Mental health problems of individuals
are deeply influenced by attitudes in the community |
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People with mental health diagnoses often
feel marginalized by society |
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Mental health services, clinics and hospitals
treating people with mental health problems cannot act in isolation
from the community at large. They need opportunities to interface
with the larger community. |
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People working in mental health services often
feel overworked and need opportunities to meet with one another
to explore and contribute their expertise and concern to improve
the mental health of communities |
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People with mental health issues often carry
concerns about a wide range of social issues that belong to the
community as a whole. They need support to voice these concerns,
and for their concerns to be heard within the community. They
also have ideas and resources for improving mental health services
in the community. |
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The whole community suffers from isolation
when some of its members do not feel welcome. All of us in community
feel isolated when we do not feel we contribute actively towards
community improvement for those in need. |
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Many different groups of people within our
community, such as youth, elderly, or the homeless, also have
mental health needs |
What
is a Community Mental Health Forum?
A Mental Health Forum gathers 40-200 people interested in mental
health, to engage in dynamic discussions and deepen their awareness
about mental health needs, welcoming all parts and processes
usually marginalized by society - in a facilitated interaction.
Who are
the Participants?
Participants include people who use mental health services, mental
health professionals and service providers, family members, carers,
administrators and leaders in the field of mental health, representatives
of community organizations, such as police, housing, legal advocacy,
and organizations serving the youth, elderly, homeless, government
representatives and other interested community members.
The Facilitators
Facilitators are experienced in forum facilitation using Process
Work methods to help the group focus on themes it wants to address,
and support all feelings, experiences and points of view to be
heard. Polarized needs and views are represented. 'Hot spots'
are those points we all recognize in which discussions often
break down, conflict escalates, themes cycle, and hopelessness
results. At these 'hotspots' careful facilitation leads into
new territory, where there is increased levels of understanding,
care, community wisdom and energy released for practical realization
of community goals.
Who and
What is The Unicorn Project?
The Unicorn Project is a network of people, from regions throughout
the UK, who are actively involved in the field of mental health
and interested in the contribution of Process Work to community
dialogue and to individuals' mental health. Each is committed
to sharing information, resources, and actively supporting the
development of Process Work Community Mental health forums.
Community
and Individual Mental Health
HISTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH SEMINARS AND FORUMS
Unicorns
Once, at Princess Royal Hospital, a patient, when asked what
he was doing at the hospital, replied that he was “looking
for unicorns". Unicorns had not been sited in quite some time.
He was looking to reconnect to a sense of magic, and truth in
his life.
The History
In 1987, Arlene and Jean-Claude Audergon began teaching Process
Work in the UK. Sheila McClelland determined that Process Work
could make a significant impact to her work with mental health
patients in the Princess Royal hospital, in Haywards Heath. Together
with support from Dr. Alison Abrahams, Process Work was introduced
to the hospital in 1989. Over the following twelve years, seminars
took place, annually or twice annually. The seminars were usually
four days, and included people with mental health issues who
were in-patients at the hospital, some out-patients, as well
as mental health professionals, students and others interested.
Everyone learned together Process Work methods for understanding
our own extreme experiences and to work with the life experiences
of people with acute and chronic mental health difficulties.
Participants came from all over the UK as well as from other
countries to study in this unique setting.. In Haywards Heath,
there were Process Work groups that met regularly, groups of
people with mental health issues, and groups of professionals
to learn Process Work.
Through the years, we focused on learning to accurately perceive
and support each person's unique process to discover pathways
forward within even the most apparently disturbing situations
such as clinical depression, eating disorders, panic, mania,
hearing voices, addictions, compulsions and self -harm. Over
the years, we also encountered the deep suffering, the trauma
and stories of abuse in so many people's lives. We also became
increasingly aware of how the stigma of society reinforces mental
health problems, and replays the sense of oppression in many
people's lives.
Group interactions and intense dialogue between patients and
professionals became a part of the seminar design, with powerful
learning and deepening of understanding on all sides.
Community Mental Health Forums in Hayward Heath
In 2000, a Community Mental Health Forum was added to the agenda.
In 2001, we had a full day Community Mental Health Forum, with
more than (75) participants. These were organized by Dr. William
Fulford and Alison Flynn at Princess Royal Hosptial.
Community Mental Health Forum in Melton
After attending the forum in Haywards Heath, Lorraine Anning
together with Dr. Rosemary Shinkwin, determined to organize a
similar forum and seminar in Melton. The forum in Melton took
place in March 2002, with 150 people, sponsored by the People's
Forum, organized by Ms. Anning and Dr. Shinkwin.
Forum for Norwich Mental Health Trust and Follow up
In September 2002, a Forum was held (organized by Mick Collins)
for the entire staff of the mental health Trust in Norwich. It
took place with 145 staff members of the hospital. There was
a follow up, as well, with a small group of management, professionals
and people using services.
http://www.nmhct.nhs.uk/FOI/Class10/Insight/Insight%2033.pdf
Scroll to INSIGHT 6 : INEVITABLE REFLECTIONS:
Us in the System, The System in Us
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