ACC E-Accord Summer 2022

More documents

Info

A brief glimpse at some of the issues surrounding mental health and well-being as featured in the press ‘If you look at an eating disorder as an addiction, it is not something that is cured overnight. I think I swapped my addiction, and work is where a lot of that focus goes now. It is more acceptable, possibly healthier, but it is something I have to manage. I have to lean into asking for help and not thinking of myself as a machine.’ Irish television presenter Angela Scanlon, writing in The Big Issue. News Feature paper talk ‘Hospital admissions for people with eating disorders have jumped 84 per cent in five years. And since the Covid crisis began there has been a ‘stark’ rise in boys and young men being treated, said the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Anorexia and bulimia ‘have devastating consequences and don’t discriminate’, added Dr Dasha Nicholls, chair of new medical guidelines for eating disorders.’ Metro. ‘A black mental health patient who died from a heroin overdose in hospital was examined just once in 14 hours despite an order saying he should be constantly checked, an inquest has found. Rullson Warner, 45, from north London died . . . after consuming illicit drugs while a detained mental health patient at St Ann’s Hospital in Tottenham, north London. An inquest at North London Coroner’s Court identified serious failures including a lack of medical observations, and the failure of hospital staff to provide crucial, timely CPR when he went into cardiac arrest.’ Independent. ‘We are running a social enterprise in our school, focussing on mental health and we’ve decided to make a website as well as two board games, to make people laugh, make them happy and to learn about relaxation. We have designed the games and had them made. We decided to set up this social enterprise because mental health issues are affecting young people and we want to do our bit to help people before things get really bad.’ ‘For some pupils, school can be a daunting place, particularly in busy setting like the canteen at lunchtime. The group’s business idea was to set up a safe space (‘The Sweet Room’) where pupils could come and enjoy their lunch in a quiet room. For a small donation, pupils could attend and the team provided them with sweets, board games and a film to watch.’ Inverbrothock Primary School, Arbroath, and Kelso High School, respectively, both featured in The Big Issue. The Big Issue ‘St Albans Cathedral [was] illuminated turquoise to mark this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week. The initiative is also to show support for local mental health charity It’s OK To Say, which uses this colour, and encourage people to take a walk around the cathedral and consider their own mental health and whether they need any support . . . Canon Chancellor of the cathedral, the Revd Dr Kevin Walton said: “The cathedral is delighted to show its support for the charity It’s OK To Say by highlighting our building blue. There are times when any of us might be carrying within us a burden which is unseen or unspoken, so it is good to highlight the reality of mental health.”’ The Herts Advertiser. ‘Women who hug a partner before a stressful event lower their anxiety – but there is no evidence it works for men, a study at Ruhr University, Germany, found. More tests will see if platonic hugs also lower stress.’ Metro. 8 accord Summer 2022 www.acc-uk.org • www.pastoralcareuk.org
ook review ‘Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told a coroner there is a new policy of managing vulnerable personnel after the suicide of [an elite commando, a PTS sufferer] who was found dead at home. Special Forces are mounting an operation to end mental illness stigma and stop suicides . . . Mr Wallace wrote to the inquest coroner saying the Special Boat Service is now actively trying to remove mental health stigma and has a new policy of managing vulnerable personnel. And he said a Defence Suicide Register is being planned as part of a suicide defence strategy. He wrote: “I recognise there is more work to be done within the SBS and across the Special Forces. Men in general have been shown to delay seeking help due to lack of insight, stigma and fear that disclosure of their personal circumstances will be seen as a sign of weakness and/ or have an adverse effect on their career.”’ Daily Mirror. Paper Talk is an initiative that will appear in accord from now on, offering an informative glance at topics relating to mental health that have caught the attention of the press. Paper Talk will also cast an eye over some innovative projects and programmes that are emerging as individuals and organisations seek to respond to relevant issues. As this feature evolves, it will develop into something more focussed, with each edition of accord highlighting a specific category of mental health concern in this way. It’ll be encouraging – and inspiring! – to learn of ideas that are shaping up as people decide they would like to do something to help. GENDER, IDENTITY & FAITH Reviewed by Kathy Spooner Gender, Identity and Faith. Clinical Postures, Tools and Case Studies for Client-Centered Care. Mark A. Yarhouse & Julia A. Sadusky. 2022 Intervarsity Press. Published recently in the U.K. in paperback, this is a very helpful textbook designed to assist counsellors working with religious clients experiencing issues with gender identity and their families. Both Yarhouse and Sadusky are clinical psychologists, based in the U.S., with extensive experience of counselling religious clients with issues of sexual and gender identity. Mike Yarhouse is Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College, and has also been leading research relating to the LGBTQ+ Christians and ‘mixed orientation’ marriages. In keeping with the principles underlying the Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy in the U.K., the authors are keen to emphasise that there should be no pre-set or fixed outcome for clients exploring their gender identity, and that conversion therapy in the context of gender as well as sexuality is ineffective and often experienced as psychologically and spiritually harmful. Counsellors who have undertaken specialist training in this area, should find the case studies and worksheets particularly valuable for working with clients (adults, children and families) at the intersection of Christian faith and gender identity issues. The worksheets are designed to help clients reflect on their feelings and experience, how they are/have been influenced (particularly within their Christian communities) and how to journey safely and at their own pace in considering choices for their future. Overall the tone is supportive, non-directive, gentle and deeply respectful of the client and their gender identity. The intended focus of the book is on the intersection of faith and gender identity – however, one overall criticism is that this leaves other influencing factors explicitly out of scope of the clinical work. It is likely that clients will experience shame through their internalisation of wider societal attitudes and prejudice in relation to issues of gender identity and transgenderism. Similarly, culture and ethnicity bring varying degrees of hospitality to questions of gender identity and therefore shame is not only as a consequence of religious and family attitudes. Whilst arguably too restrained and careful for some, this book is nonetheless worth a read and could be a really helpful text for those already working in the area of gender identity with Christian clients. Kathy Spooner is CEO of ACC. www.acc-uk.org • www.pastoralcareuk.org accord Summer 2022 9
Page 1 and 2: Issue no. 115 Summer 2022 Light and
Page 3 and 4: editorial Editorial by Stephen Poxo
Page 5 and 6: feature misuse, although this had n
Page 7: ACC National Conference 2022 22 - 2
Page 11 and 12: feature Suffering and silence . . .
Page 13 and 14: feature those who have these experi
Page 15 and 16: feature offer organisational review
Page 17 and 18: News & Diary your actions that caus
Page 19 and 20: feature Brightening lives! Benefact
Page 21 and 22: feature identified faith as somethi
Page 23 and 24: feature If you don’t think about
Page 25 and 26: feature Sharing from Shapinsay . .
Page 27 and 28: feature eventually told someone abo
Page 29 and 30: feature the past 24 hours. I sugges
Page 31 and 32: ook review strong lesson of this me
Page 33 and 34: feature FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO
Page 35 and 36: feature Sandwiches, smiles and sani
Page 37 and 38: In Touch Manna House Counselling Se
Page 39 and 40: In Touch Placing an advert in the '

ACC E-Accord Summer 2022

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?