Workshops
These workshops are interactive, practical and respond to the needs of carers, families and friends of people with a mental illness.
The following workshops are currently available:
Coping Skills for Carers: This workshop is based on the ARAFMI publication 'Coping with Mental Health Problems - A Handbook for Family Carers', written by carers for carers. It provides information on coping strategies using a video based on actual experience.
Coping with Dual Diagnosis: Based on an ARAFMI publication, 'Dual Diagnosis - Mental Illness and Substance Use', families can explore helpful and unhelpful responses, possible reasons for using substances, strategies for coping and the importance of self care.
Recovery - The Carer's Journey: This workshop has been developed to assist carers to understand what recovery means, supporting a person in their recovery of mental illness, and the importance of undertaking their own journey.
Suicide intervention skills: Topics covered in this workshop include - indications of suicide, recognising veiled hints, risk assessment, helpful and unhelpful responses to suicidal behaviour and intervention techniques.
Loss and Grief: This workshop looks at the process of grieving and relates this to families and carers of people with a mental health problem. It also explores the many losses that families may experience, and explains the behaviours that may effect family interaction as a result of grief.
Effective Communication: Basic counselling skills are helpful in many situations. This workshop is designed to enhance communication skills and confidence in carers and has detailed handouts on each skill.
Speaking out (Advocacy for Carers): This workshop outlines strategies that can assist carers to gain confidence when needing to be assertive on a personal or professional level.
Group Facilitation: This includes counselling skills, plus an opportunity for participants to increase their understanding of group process, with guidelines for facilitating an ARAFMI support group.
Getting the ARAFMI message across: Here is an opportunity to gain skills and confidence, and to participate in ARAFMI;s presentations to service providers and the general community. It is not 'hard sell', but a crucial part of raising awareness of ARAFMI support services and the carer's role.
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