Time For Change
Keynote presentation at the International eMental Health Forum.
Keynote presentation at the International eMental Health Forum.
For me DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy) takes all the best bits of the better-known CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and adds useful tools from Eastern traditions like acceptance and mindfulness. I felt privileged to be able to help the country's only residential DBT service with strategic and operational planing to improve accessibility and continue to deliver services.
Reaching out for help can be a huge threshold to cross and helplines can help those who can't or don't want to visit a mental health or social service. I was privileged to be Lifeline's first national manager to bring together over a dozen silo'd services into one cohesive platform of helping and online support.
Every time we hear about suicide in the TV, radio or social media it has a huge impact on us and our communities. I led academic research into this with a special focus on how the news stories are different when suicide involves online technology.
As well as informing government guidelines on media reporting, this part was published in the peer-reviewed journal New Media and Society.
One of the most encouraging signs of change has been the increase of lived experience roles within health. But we're still figuring out how they can best contribute to a better health system and support the individuals employed and the workforce as a whole.
I led this project to help inpatient and outpatient services at a hospital redesign their advisory roles in consultation with community organisations.