Why 'compassionte mental health' matters

Arriving at the gate

As recorded here before, the Compassionate Mental Health 'gatherings' are important events that need recognising as part of the groundswell of voices that are arguing for fundamental change in mental health services. This one was in a wonderfully wacky ancestral home - Trevor Hall, near Llangollen in North Wales. Three of us had intended to present TC workshops on both full days - but sadly we were down to two (Anando and myself) and had to get there on lovely long slow trains across the length of Wales. 

But the event, as usual, was extraordinary. A powerfully thoughtful, emotional and relational space for people to come together from utterly different places - but who all wanted to pull in the same direction. 

This included several unforgettable talks and events. An utterly immersive talk and worshoop from Martin Martin Kalungu Banda - with tales of his time as chief of staff to the president of Zambia and as a professor of business studies at Oxford - as well some beautiful sung music from his family. 

Martin describes true communication

Scientific results and promise for 'neuro-feedback' from two pioneers of the field, Sebern Fisher (USA) and Mirjana Askovic (Australia). Helping NHS services to prevent unhelpul practices from Kier and Holly. 

Kier and Holly describe a different way for the NHS

Reflections on surrealism and psychosis from Pat Bracken, one of the world's leading critical psychiatrists. An extraordinary talk about the numinous personal experience of psychosis from a wannabe Swiss nun Andrea Zwicknagi, which was an immersive experience in Christian mysticism. 

Andrea takes us to a different level of experience

Then all the usual things as well - intimate compassion exercises, a powerful experience of community amongst like-minded people, excellent food, shared understanding and passion for change, and a loving relational respect for each other - wherever we were coming from. 

We must have more of this stuff! 

 More parochially, and my own interest in Therapeutic Communities and Relational Practice, I was very interested in Martin's experience of our TC workshop on the first day - almost as an live example of what he was describing in his talk a couple of hours before. 

Work in progres...