Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Over summer, we’re revisiting some of our favourite GET REAL episodes of 2020. 

It’s February 2021, and not long now until we will see the final report from the Royal Commission into Mental Health in Victoria. The interim report, published in November last year, reflects the Commission’s desire to incorporate lived experience in all aspects of the mental health system, including the delivery of mental health services. 

In practice, this is likely to mean many more opportunities for peer support workers; people who help others with their mental health in part through their own, lived experience of mental health challenges. 

In this episode, Karenza Louis-Smith talks with Grace and Donna, who work at ermha365 as peer support workers. We hope you enjoy it.

For more GET REAL episodes, go to https://www.ermha.org/get-real-podcast/ 

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Over summer, we’re revisiting some of our favourite GET REAL episodes of 2020. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has made housing a hot-button issue for government. Since we recorded this episode, the Victorian government alone announced it is pumping $5.3 billion into building more than 12,000 social and affordable housing properties to boost Victoria’s housing supply. 

Our guests on this episode are movers and shakers in the housing advocacy space, who have been working to change the housing system for many years and achieve this result – among others yet to come. I hope you enjoy this robust discussion.

For more GET REAL episodes, go to https://www.ermha.org/get-real-podcast/ 

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Over summer, we’re revisiting some of our favourite GET REAL episodes of 2020. 

People living with disabilities and mental health conditions are over-represented in the justice system, something we at ermha365 see in our work every day. 

In this, one of our most popular episodes, we ask why this happens, and talk about how we amplified these issues by taking them to the Royal Commission on Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Discrimination against People with Disabilities.

For more GET REAL episodes, go to https://www.ermha.org/get-real-podcast/

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Over summer, we’re revisiting some of our favourite GET REAL episodes of 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified public interest in how we deliver mental health services and support.

PARCs are a short-term, residential mental health treatment services located in the community that provide an essential recovery-oriented service. ermha365 has been managing PARCs for almost 15 years and during 2020, we ran two GET REAL episodes celebrating PARCS – there is a lot to celebrate — but this is a highlights episode, containing interviews with some of the many people who shape and stay at ermha365 PARCs. We hope you enjoy it.

For more GET REAL episodes, go to https://www.ermha.org/get-real-podcast/

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Over summer, we’re revisiting some of our favourite GET REAL episodes of 2020. Caring for Carers was our first episode, recorded in early 2020, and is still one of our favourites. In this episode, we talk to Lynn and SJ, both carers with lived experience, about what it’s really like to support someone with a complex mental health issue or a disability, and how we can better care for carers – especially during challenging times. We hope you enjoy it. 

For more GET REAL episodes, go to https://www.ermha.org/get-real-podcast/

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Ingrid Ozols battled mental illness and suicidal ideation. She has loved ones who have succeeded, and others who actively contemplate suicide.  Ingrid not only continues on her wellness and recovery journey, but thrives as a national and global speaker on suicide prevention.  Ingrid’s strength comes from willingness to share her vulnerability.  

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Not all disabilities are visible – in fact most aren’t!  People with invisible disabilities face all the same barriers as people with obvious disabilities, but compounded by the lack of obvious impairment.  

Attitudinal barriers, in particular, are rife – with well-meaning members of the public interrogating people who don’t seem to have a disability (for example, are not in a wheelchair) about using a disabled parking space or toilet. Confronted like this, people with invisible disabilities are forced to declare their disability to total strangers, or argue their case – often in a public space.  The humiliation often leads people to fear going out in public, resulting in isolation.

To celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we invited Lynn Russell, CEO of Invisible Disabilities Australia and Sarah Bayley,  Senior Manager, Complex Services at ermha365 to talk about the challenges faced by people with invisible disabilities, some solutions to help avoid the need for public declarations, and some tips on how we can all improve our behaviour around this issue.

For more information:

Invisible Disabilities Australia - https://www.invisibledisabilities.com.au/about/

ermha365 NDIS services - https://www.ermha.org/ndis-services/

This page of the ermha365 website also contains a short video with stories and statistics around the challenges of some types of invisible disabilities, including mental illness, traumatic brain injuries, autism, learning disability and intellectual disability, and five simple tips we can all follow to support people with invisible disabilities. 

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Discrimination, in all its forms, is unacceptable.  People who discriminate, and the structures and systems that allow this to happen, must be called out.  Discrimination causes people to lose their self-confidence, make them feel like outsiders – not part of the team; the anger that arises from being ‘othered’ can lead to depression and even suicidal thoughts.  

In this fifth episode of our Lived Experience series, special guest Yvonne Sillett talks about the overt, systemic and intense discrimination she experienced as a lesbian woman in the Australian Army, which left her angry, depressed and at times suicidal.  While significant reforms have occurred in the Army and society as a whole over the past two decades, LGBTIQ Victorians continue to experience inequalities. Of particular concern is data on increased rates of depression, psychological distress, self-harm and suicidal ideation. When compared with the rest of the population, LGBTIQ+ people are twice as likely to experience anxiety, and three times as likely to experience depression and related disorders, largely due to the inequalities they experience based on sexuality.

Listen to how Yvonne coped, and how she became even more resilient.  Hear how sharing her story not only helped others, but also helped her heal.  Yvonne has also participated in two books: Serving in Silence! (which her story is in) and also the recently released titled Pride in Defence, both written by Noah Riseman and Shirleen Robinson. 

If you have found any of this discussion distressing, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

• For additional mental health support go to:  ermha365 - https://www.ermha.org/mental-health-services/ 
• Lifeline:  13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/
• SANE Forums - https://ermha.saneforums.org/

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

Peer workers with lived experience provide an important complement to the psychosocial support teams delivering mental health services.  They improve the recovery orientation of mental health services, by offering genuine and authentic engagement with the people who use these services. This results in a reduction in hospital admissions and reduced load on other practitioners. 

For many people, peer workers with lived experience offer an improved experience of mental health treatment, care or support because they bring their own stories to their work.  Their depth of understanding of the challenges of mental illness creates real empathy with clients, and also delivers unique insights to their co-workers who don’t have lived experience.  Most importantly, peer workers with lived experience are role models for recovery.  By sharing their journey of recovery, including strategies and techniques that sustain a balanced mental health, these role models exhibit positive, sustainable, and successful recovery.  

In this episode of GET REAL: Talking Mental Health and Disability, Karenza Louis-Smith talks with Grace and Donna who work at ermha365 as peer workers, with lived experience of mental health challenges. She is joined by Sharon Sherwood who leads all of ermha365’s mental health programs and services. 

As ‘Ambassadors’ of recovery, Grace and Donna talk about ‘owning’ their mental illness – the first step to reducing stigma. They also talk about getting the right kind of support that suits you; the value that peer workers bring because of their experience; and the great rewards they receive as peer workers by being able to helps others on the road to recovery. 

For mental health support go to:

ermha365 - https://www.ermha.org/mental-health-services/

SANE Forums - https://ermha.saneforums.org/

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...

Got feedback, a question, or a topic suggestion? Drop us a Fan Mail message right here.

In the third conversation in our Lived Experience series, Karenza Louis-Smith talks to Graeme Alford: a lawyer, ex-prisoner, and author of the bestselling book Never Give Up – the power of mental toughness. 

Growing up in Melbourne, Graeme had the world at his feet. He went to private school, won a Commonwealth Scholarship, excelled at Melbourne University and breezed his way into a city law firm. But Graeme was a heavy punter and drinker, and it wasn’t long before he went from defending criminals – to being one. Jailed not once but three times, the last time for armed robbery, Graeme thought he’d game the prison psychological assessment to get a lighter sentence. Instead, he was shocked to discover he had acquired a significant cognitive impairment due to his excessive use of alcohol. So Graeme had a choice – give up or get up – and in this conversation he tells Karenza how he got up, and got his life back on track.

Today Graeme is the Founder of 21Renew, a custom-designed wellness program for people with alcohol, drug or gambling issues, who are looking for an alternative to traditional rehabs.

Graeme Alford – 

https://www.21renew.com/

http://www.graemealford.com/

 ermha365 complex mental health & disability - https://www.ermha.org/

Meridia represents the next evolution of a group of long-standing and trusted social service organisations working across disability, mental health, employment, community inclusion, social enterprise, allied health and clinical services.

Together, we bring organisations including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford and embarc into a more connected and future-focused structure.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline  13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Meridia acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

...