Page 3480 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 14 November 2006
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November this year at the West Turner Bowling Club. It was entitled Healing Mental Illness Conference and it was run by a local group called Missionheart.
Missionheart is street church. They follow the Christian faith and they do all their work out in the street. One of the things that have come particularly to their attention is the number of people and families suffering because of mental illness. Rather than talk about it, Missionheart decided to do something about it, and so they organised a conference.
Attendance was free, with donations being voluntary. I understand the government donated some money to help with the running of the conference. So well done, Minister Gallagher. They brought together local and international experts in various fields and looked at issues like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, manic depression, drug-induced psychosis, dissociative identity disorder, depression, genetic generational inheritance, family-related issues such as grief, shame and anger and the condition and life experiences of the sufferers of mental illness and their families.
Then, rather than just talking about it, they then worked to the keys to healing in each of these areas. It was very much about: how do we fix the problem? They seemed to think that much was well understood, but what they wanted to do was put before the carers and the suffers exactly what it is that could be done to minimise the effect of their condition.
I have to say that Jason and Maree did a fabulous job. What was interesting was it was a family affair. Jason’s mum and dad were there, manning the front counter and other people’s daughters and sons were there helping to run the conference.
It is interesting that they were able to attract, from overseas Dr Harold Dewberry, who is internationally recognised. Dr Dewberry is an Australian, but he has been overseas for a long time. In the early 1970s he set up the Teen Challenge in Sydney. He also established the Institute of Pastoral Care and Counselling to provide resources. Locally, we had Dagmar Ceramidas, who works in the ACT. She runs courses for overcoming depression for adult and college students in the ACT.
I think it is incredibly important that we help build resilience in the community. There was a couple, John and Glenys Darnell, who specialise in working with people who have suffered trauma or abuse and helping them to raise their self-esteem. We had Pastor Daryl James and Sue Barrett. Pastor James is here in Canberra and Sue Barrett is across New Zealand and Australia.
What was particularly great about the conference was the attitude of the people. Several hundred people in the room were excited. They wanted to make a difference. They were determined to make a difference and they were determined to make it in the most positive way that they could. They were more than willing to listen to the experts, but what they wanted to do was take the answers away with them so that they could improve either their own condition or that of their families. In that regard Jason and Maree are to be congratulated.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
The Assembly adjourned at 5.03 pm.
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