Hello everyone,
I hope you're all keeping well through the winter. :) The newsletters have been a bit interrupted by illness on my side of things, but I'm feeling better now and back to work again. This newsletter will not be in the usual lovely pdf format I'm afraid, I have too many projects running to manage that at the moment until/unless some friendly volunteers want to work on it too. You can still share the newsletter easily by forwarding the email or the link to our website. :)
News! Bridges is about to celebrate the one year anniversary of the group at the end of this month. We are all very excited and planning two parties, one private one in group for the members, and a second evening one for all 'friends of Bridges'. Please ask me for more information if you would like it. This is a huge achievement for a peer-run group that has been meeting almost every week since inception on July 29th 2011. We are joined by a new co-facilitator Lonnie who is a wonderful, warm presence in the group.
Echoes continues to grow and develop also, they now have three co-facilitators there too, which seems to be an ideal number for allowing flexibility and not letting the workload get too much. Alana and the two Sue's have been working hard to build networks and grow resources there in Melbourne which is all developing well.
The process of incorporating the DI stalled slightly while a number of us have been ill over the winter but we're working on getting it all up and running again. We have our draft constitution done, and we are still keen for any feedback, thoughts, concerns, brilliant ideas, or cunning plans anyone wants to share. :) If you wish to be involved in the planning process for the DI, please get in touch and we'll invite you to our meetings.
Our online resources continue to grow, the open facebook group has some very interesting conversations and resources, while the 'hidden' group is a safe and private space for group members to connect and share. Both are steadily growing in members and developing more conversations as people grow more comfortable with each other. I have also been continuing to add to my collection of articles and posts about dissociation on my personal blog here, including clarifying my own experiences/diagnoses as a peer worker.
Exciting news recently was having my talk about the relationship between voices and dissociation accepted to speak at the 25th World Hearing Voices Conference in Wales later this year. The logistics of raising the amount we'd need to be able to attend are considerable and we are still pursuing funding options. The Voice Hearing Network is an important organisation often supporting people with dissociation and/or multiplicity experiences in their groups so being able to share information and collaborate with resources would reach many people around the world with messages of hope.
Closer to home other local organisations have been booking talks and workshops which is exciting. Hopefully we are starting to increase the number of professionals and support workers who have heard about dissociation and are able to be helpful to those of us who struggle with it. :)
Take care,
Sarah
I hope you're all keeping well through the winter. :) The newsletters have been a bit interrupted by illness on my side of things, but I'm feeling better now and back to work again. This newsletter will not be in the usual lovely pdf format I'm afraid, I have too many projects running to manage that at the moment until/unless some friendly volunteers want to work on it too. You can still share the newsletter easily by forwarding the email or the link to our website. :)
News! Bridges is about to celebrate the one year anniversary of the group at the end of this month. We are all very excited and planning two parties, one private one in group for the members, and a second evening one for all 'friends of Bridges'. Please ask me for more information if you would like it. This is a huge achievement for a peer-run group that has been meeting almost every week since inception on July 29th 2011. We are joined by a new co-facilitator Lonnie who is a wonderful, warm presence in the group.
Echoes continues to grow and develop also, they now have three co-facilitators there too, which seems to be an ideal number for allowing flexibility and not letting the workload get too much. Alana and the two Sue's have been working hard to build networks and grow resources there in Melbourne which is all developing well.
The process of incorporating the DI stalled slightly while a number of us have been ill over the winter but we're working on getting it all up and running again. We have our draft constitution done, and we are still keen for any feedback, thoughts, concerns, brilliant ideas, or cunning plans anyone wants to share. :) If you wish to be involved in the planning process for the DI, please get in touch and we'll invite you to our meetings.
Our online resources continue to grow, the open facebook group has some very interesting conversations and resources, while the 'hidden' group is a safe and private space for group members to connect and share. Both are steadily growing in members and developing more conversations as people grow more comfortable with each other. I have also been continuing to add to my collection of articles and posts about dissociation on my personal blog here, including clarifying my own experiences/diagnoses as a peer worker.
Exciting news recently was having my talk about the relationship between voices and dissociation accepted to speak at the 25th World Hearing Voices Conference in Wales later this year. The logistics of raising the amount we'd need to be able to attend are considerable and we are still pursuing funding options. The Voice Hearing Network is an important organisation often supporting people with dissociation and/or multiplicity experiences in their groups so being able to share information and collaborate with resources would reach many people around the world with messages of hope.
Closer to home other local organisations have been booking talks and workshops which is exciting. Hopefully we are starting to increase the number of professionals and support workers who have heard about dissociation and are able to be helpful to those of us who struggle with it. :)
Take care,
Sarah
