We’re compiling a list of GP doctors, counsellors and other professionals who are aware of and understand PTSD. If you’ve had positive experiences with a health, counselling or welfare professional in relation to PTSD, please let us know, and we’ll take it from there.
Likewise, if you are a professional interested in treating trauma-related issues, please let us know.
The first get-together of the Canberra PTSD Support Group attracted people of all ages and backgrounds to a most enjoyable barbeque lunch on Sunday.
Jointly sponsored by Picking Up The Peaces and the Vietnam Veterans and Veterans Federation ACT, those present decided to meet regularly, for a noon BBQ on the last Sunday of each month. Venue will be the Garden of Peace at the VV&VF premises at 9 Burkitt St, Page, ACT.
The idea is to provide an environment where people facing similar challenges can get together, provide mutual support, and share helpful insights, resources and experiences with others who understand. We hope it will also allow individuals to take the steps necessary to make positive changes in their lives.
Feedback included comments such as:
If The PTSD Support Group interests you and you want more information, contact PUTP or VV&VF, or pop your email address in one of the forms on this site and we’ll send a reminder before the next get-together.
Regular meetings are held in between the get-togethers, and anyone interested in PTSD is welcome. VV&VF also conducts men’s and women’s activities Monday to Friday – more details at http://www.vvfact.org.au
You are not alone… and next weekend you are welcome to join with other people living with post traumatic stress disorder at the first meeting of a Canberra PTSD Support Group.
Organised by Picking Up The Peaces and the Vietnam Veterans and Veterans Federation ACT, the support group is for anyone experiencing PTSD, or caring for someone with PTSD.
According to the Support Groups Association of WA, a Support Group (also known as a mutual aid or self help group) is a tool for the empowerment of individuals who share common issues and are challenged by similar life situations. By coming together, people can provide mutual support and take the steps necessary to make positive changes in their lives.
“Support Groups become banks of knowledge and experience, enabling people to cope and solve problems. Feelings of self worth are increased, isolation is reduced and doors of opportunity and optimism are opened.”
We will meet at the VV&VF premises at 9 Burkitt St, Page. Over a barbeque lunch in the Garden of Peace we can get to know one another and our challenges, and discuss how best the support group can serve members’ needs.
Date: Sunday 28
Time: 11.30 am for a noon barbeque
Venue: VV&VF Stephen King Memorial Centre, 9 Burkitt St, Page
Map: http://www.whereis.com/?id=22CF14941049EE
Cost: Free. A BBQ lunch will be available for $10 a head.
Further information: 6255 1599 or info@pickingupthepeaces.org.au
Please invite anyone you think might be interested.
Surprising how much can be achieved by such a small group in such a short time!
Tuesday’s Picking Up The Peaces workshop started with a review of what we’ve achieved in little more than two years, and finished with a team ready to implement the first get-together of Canberra’s first PTSD Support Group.
Starting PUTP!
Kokoda walk – 15 people for 9 days
Mt Majura Madness – 12 hours marathon awareness raiser and inter-agency bonding
Networking with key personnel at all Emergency Services, police and defence; positive responses.
Emergency Services Open Days displays
Recognition and acknowledgement by Australian Minister for Veterans Affairs, ACT Minister for Health and ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services
Fab partnership with national and ACT Vietnam Veterans Federation
Presentation at World Trauma Conference, Melbourne
Presentation at National Health Promotion Conference, Perth
ACT Health Promotions workshops
Strategic Plan – grant, 2 day residential workshop, 5 Year Plan
2 very successful National PTSD Awareness Days including participation by senior officers from emergency services and defence
PTSD surveys in the field and online
Excellent partnership with Mental Illness Education ACT
Acceptance by Trisha Broadbridge and Normie Rowe as patrons
Production of promotional and educational material – posters, website, T-shirts, sausage sizzles, publications, talks to groups and on radio, television, newspaper interviews.
Mental Health sector, media and senior emergency services officers referring personnel to PUTP
International connections to PTSD networks.
Workshop attendees agreed that the priorities for this year would be:
We will be forming teams to bring these projects to fruition, so if you would like to be involved in one or more, please let us know. There are openings for people with various skills, and projects tend to be exciting and quite a bit of fun!
The PTSD Support Group will meet on February 28 for a BBQ lunch (see separate ptsd support group post) and at this stage will probably meet on the last Sunday of each month at the VV&VF centre at 9 Burkitt St, Page. This is subject to discussions among those who attend the first meeting, so if you would prefer a different agenda, be there or let us know your thoughts ahead of time.
Templating the Awareness Day will start shortly so that this year’s Day runs smoothly on 10 October.
The Pilot PTSD Education Program will likely kick into gear in the second half of the year and run through into 2011. For that we will be looking for volunteers with lived experience of PTSD or caring for someone with PTSD, to train as presenters and organisers.
If you’re interested in joining the PUTP Committee, please let us know. Interest and enthusiasm are the prime requirements!
John Shiel will continue as treasurer, Rhonda James as secretary, Kate Tonacia as founder and vice-president, and Laurie Drake as president. Richard, Marg and Biff have nominated for the committee.
Meetings will be held at 7pm at VV&VF centre on the second Wednesday of each month (to be confirmed). Anyone interested in furthering PUTP’s aim of raising awareness of PTSD is welcome.
Hey Peacers
Biff has a terrific workshop planned for tomorrow night’s Picking Up The Peaces meeting, so just a reminder:
7pm at Vietnam Veterans & Veterans Federation, 9 Burkitt St, Page.
If you’re not sure where that is, there’s a map at
http://www.whereis.com/?id=22CF14941049EE
Anyone interested in PTSD is welcome.
The format will be:
So, a great opportunity to toss ideas about and help us all get some traction for the year.
Look forward to seeing you there!
cheers
Laurie
The TV program 60 Minutes is researching a story on veterans of recent military conflicts, and their families, who have been affected by PTSD. If that’s you, or you know someone in that situation, please contact Picking Up The Peaces at info@pickingupthepeaces.org.au or 0410 900 433 and we will pass on your details.
As the producer said: “I would very much appreciate it if you could contact some veterans and their families to see if they might talk to us – at this stage it would only be a phone call with no commitment to take part.
“We did a program about PTSD back in 2006 which was well received – but seems as if little has changed and many veterans and their families are still struggling and failing to get the support they deserve – whether that’s through bureaucracy or by a stigma with PTSD is open to debate. But it’s a hugely important topic.”
‘Nuff said.
Thank you
Laurie
Yeah, I know, a little late, but that’s Christmas for you!
In between the seasonal activities Picking Up The Peaces has continued, much in the exciting vein of the pre-Christmas get-together, so here’s a heads-up on what to expect in the next month or so.
Tuesday February 16 at 7pm we will meet at the Vietnam Veterans and Veterans Federation centre at 9 Burkitt St, Page. (there’s a map on their website http://www.vvfact.org.au if you’re not sure where that is) Everyone with an interest in helping reduce the problems caused by PTSD is most welcome!
If you want to be involved in the many and varied activities PUTP covers in a year, it’d be a good idea to be there. We will discuss plans for 2010 and try to fit everyone into the projects that are dearest to their hearts. There is also quite a bit of administrivia required to get the organisation on a more secure footing and get people into tasks that fulfil them.
One team, for instance, will be required to template the process for organising the National PTSD Awareness Day. We’ve had two very successful events, but our process has lacked, shall we say, a professional edge. We also had a number of inquiries from people interstate who want to organise their local awareness days, so it would be great to be able to give them a refined process. And of course, it will make our 2010 Awarenss Day that much easier to stage!
The other big project is one we’re currently seeking funds to develop. We have been working closely with Mental Illness Education ACT (MIEACT) to develop a PTSD education pilot program. We have developed the curriculum and are seeking funding to recruit and train volunteer presenters to go into high-risk workplaces to raise awareness about PTSD, and where people can get help.
We will be using the highly-successful MIEACT model, which involves people with PTSD telling their personal stories of what it’s really like to live with PTSD. If the grant application is successful, we’ll be looking for volunteer presenters and organisers – so that’s a big one!
There will also be vacancies for people interested in using or developing skills with publishing and audio video. We have a range of material that needs to be put into a format that can be used online and in physical products to help raise awareness of the disorder.
And did I mention admin? PUTP could really use someone with admin skills to keep us in order. So if that’s you, we’d love to hear from you, either at the meeting, or by phone/email.
For those of you who missed the Christmas party – it was a blast. Representatives from emeergency services, ADF – even the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Alan Griffin – joined members for a slapup feed and a good yarn. Lots of fun.
Hope to see you on the 16th!
cheers
Laurie
The 50 minute audio of the Alice Barber Lecture on “Psychological Recovery From Trauma – Battlefields to Bushfires“, delivered by Professor Mark Creamer, Director of the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Health, has been posted. In it, he discusses trauma from historical and psychological perspectives, and makes several key points. It’s at the bottom of the media page.
Hope you like the new website. It’s been rebuilt to provide better access and the technology required to add some of the exciting new developments Picking up The Peaces has been developing during 2009.
We’ve also instituted a mailing list – that’s that big green box on the right and at the bottom of each page with the red arrows pointing to the spot where you can enter your details.
If you’re at all interested in the National PTSD Awareness Campaign or furthering your knowledge about post traumatic stress disorder, please enter your details. We send out messages only when there is something of value to say, so you won’t be inundated with emails. There will always be a link at the bottom of each email for you to click which will instantly remove you from the list. It goes without saying, that we’ll respect your privacy.
Please give the site the once-over. There are quite a few new articles, with more being added daily. There are a few rough edges to clean up yet, but if you find anything that’s broken, doesn’t work, or you can’t figure out… please let us know by emailing us at info@pickingupthepeaces.org.au
Enjoy!
Laurie
PS: looking forward to catching up at the PUTP Christmas BBQ on Thursday!
Hello All,
First I must apologise profusely for taking so long to be in contact following the PTSD Awareness day.
I am really sorry; the one thing is, for those who don’t know, PTSD doesn’t only affect the individual but also their families terribly.
Dave and I are only now coming out of what I would have to describe as the worst 5-6 months of our lives. It has been very difficult as David suffered a terrible PTSD relapse after attending a PTSD program at St John of God Hospital – all up he required up to 9 weeks in hospital. (He’d only been out of hospital 5 days before the walk).
Therefore I’ve really taken some time out to care, not only for David, but my whole family.
There are those out there who believe PTSD doesn’t exist, they may change their minds if they’d seen what we’ve been through lately.
All is good now and with the support of good family and friends and an expert medical team we’re well and truly back on our feet, and feeling better than ever. Hooray
Firstly I would like to say a big thank you for all your help, not only for the awareness day, but leading up to the day and also throughout the whole year. We’ve made some amazing progress. I must say I am very proud the way things are panning out for PUTP. It’s only been possible because of the hard work of others.
There is a funding round out that PUTP is going to apply for. Hopefully we can be successful and in turn I may be able to work in a paid part time role for PUTP, instead of trying to juggle family commitments, a full time shift work job and PUTP.
Anyway with a bit of rest and a well earned holiday to the Gold Coast this week, I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and following up after the Awareness Day. I still have many things to sort and appreciation / thankyou notes to send out to those who made the day possible.
Great chance to mingle at the Picking Up The Peaces Christmas BBQ.
Christmas Party
We have organised a little Christmas party. Whether you have been in the thick of it with PUTP, just attended the walk or have a vested interest, we’d love to see you come along. A good time to debrief over the walk and generally catch up.
If nothing else has come out of the past couple of months I have been given the opportunity to really experience the full force of PTSD. This has ignited a passion to really change the way people perceive PTSD and raise awareness at a much higher level. People cannot suffer alone with this insidious disorder, it’s heartbreaking.
Please bring your family and friends and join us at the end of year Christmas sausage sizzle - RSVP 10th December
We’ll provide the snaggers and slaw – but if you’d like a cold beer, you’ll have to bring your own.
Hope to see you there
Regards
Katie xx
