Find a photo of a time in your life that captures a happy moment. Sit quietly for a minute and let that image take you back in time. What do you notice? You might find yourself smiling, or recalling feelings of warmth, love or safety that accompanied that moment when it happened.
As Lived Experience workers we do this in our practice, day in day out. But drawing from our own experiences of mental health challenges and recovery/periods of healing often means reconnecting with past or ongoing trauma, feelings of hopelessness, loss of identity, stigma, discrimination and suicide. This can bring up memories and feelings that aren’t warm and pleasant like those you just recalled through your photo. And we do this over and over and over.
This work is draining and tiring. Physically, emotionally, spiritually…our very souls can become exhausted.
Lived Experience focussed support, such as Peer supervision, is vital to retaining and growing a thriving, effective Lived Experience workforce.
To learn more, read on! https://mhcsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/LEWP-Blog-PS-010223.pdf
Image: Alpha Stock Images – http://alphastockimages.com/
