Peer Group Chat // Cultivating Courage & Resilience // Thursday 13th April 2023, 7-8:30PM AEDT

[amber22]

Hey everyone!

On Thursday 13th of April 2023, we will be holding a Peer Group Chat on the topic of Cultivating Courage & Resilience.

 

Resilience isn’t always as easy as “you get knocked down, you get back up again”, and getting up after being knocked down can also take a lot of courage. Let’s come together to explore resilience and courage.

The event start times across Australia are below:

Western Australia: 5pm 
Northern Territory & South Australia: 6:30pm 

Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria & Tasmania: 7pm

For anyone unfamiliar with Peer Group Chats, each focuses on a specific topic and is guided by Peer Workers with lived experience of mental health issues and recovery, &/or caring for someone with complex mental health. A counsellor is also present as a moderator to help ensure a safe environment for individuals and the group. It is a space for us as peers to share our stories and experiences, and connect with those who are going through something similar. 

Anyone is welcome to join! Tagging some members who may be interested below:

 @CatMom  @Snowie @Shaz51 @Captain24 @Laura4 @creative_writer @Adge @Jacques @tonys @CatMom @Bobbie @sammy3 @justanotherguy @Owlunar @tonys @Shaz51 @creative_writer @Laura4 @mamabear88 @Jacques @Sophia1 @NatureLover @Appleblossom @Dimity  @LeChuck @StuF @Smiling_Gecko @sammy3 @BlueBay @wellwellwellnez 

Peer Group Chats are hosted outside of the forums, using a platform called Chatwee. 

To join an Online Peer Group and participate, you will need to register for an account with Chatwee.
To access the group to observe only and not participate, you can access Chatwee as a Guest.
On the night, follow this link to access Chatwee before the group starts.
You can join our Peer Group Chats every Thursday from 7:00-8:30pm (AEDT). Check out the FAQs page for more information.  

We hope to see you there 😊 If you can't make it but are interested, you can always catch up reading the transcript afterwards here. We also invite you to continue the conversation below on this thread if you can't make the night but also wish to contribute some of your responses. We will post some dot point prompts on the day that can get the conversation started if you're unable to make the live event!

[Oaktree]

Please tag me on the night in case I forget

[TideisTurning]

Hi Everyone, 

Just a reminder that the next Online Peer Group Chat on Cultivating Courage & Resilience will take place tonight from 7-8:30pm AEST.  As always, for ease of reference, times across Australia are in the graphic and listed below: 

Western Australia: 5pm 
Northern Territory & South Australia: 6:30pm 

Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria & Tasmania: 7pm 

Tonight, you can expect discussion about: 

• What place resilience and courage have in your recovery 
•  The benefits and limitations of resilience 
•  Cultivating courage when needed within our journey 

Tagging members who have supported or otherwise interacted with the thread so far as well as those who may be interested to receive a reminder: @Oaktree @chibam @Captain24 @Snowie @Shaz51 @Birdofparadise8 @Bobbie @Jacques @creative_writer @Fluttershy1 @Kyle1 @7cough9 @Appleblossom 

Hope you can make it. To join us, head here. Otherwise, if you're not able to attend live tonight or you don't make it in the end, we'd still love to hear your thoughts on the topic! Feel free to share anything you'd like (within guidelines of course!) here in this thread using the dot points above as guiding prompts if you'd like/ would find that helpful 😊

[Captain24]

Hi @TideisTurning. Sorry but I can’t make it. I’m on nightshift so I’ll be at work. Would have been a good one for me right now 

[TideisTurning]

Hi Everyone, 

Just a reminder that this Peer Group Chat on the topic of Cultivating Courage & Resilience will be starting very soon, in around 15 minutes at 7PM AEST! Tagging those who have interacted with the thread and who may be online and/or interested to receive a reminder 😊 @Oaktree @chibam @Captain24 @Appleblossom @Snowie @creative_writer @whatsaname @Former-Member @Bexta @Bow @Dimity @Gillie1 @Kyle1 @Birdofparadise8 @Former-Member @ClockFace @Puddles @Ryker @Samantha92 @Former-Member @StuF @Emelia8 @Faith-and-Hope @Fluttershy1 @Meggle71 @Meowmy @Former-Member @greenspace @StanD 

Hope you can make it. To join us, head here, or, for those interested but unable to join live, a transcript will be made available after the event here. Feel free to continue the conversation below on this thread too and we might come back to share a few extras also 🙂

[TideisTurning]

One thing discussed in this peer group chat was the role of courage in relation to resilience, allowing for the fact that resilience can stop being helpful (perhaps another topic in itself!)

For me, I like to consider the role of courage relative to resilience through reference to the quote Amber shared above, about how "courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement there's something more important than fear".

I feel like that 'something else' the quote refers to could help fuel the courage to get back up and try again and/or take a stand or speak up about the struggle, assert our needs and/or get the support we might need to resolve the issue if it's something more ongoing for example. What I'd be really curious to hear from you all (anyone who'd like to contribute), what might your 'something else' be? @Captain24 @Oaktree @tonys @7cough9 @creative_writer @Fluttershy1 @Appleblossom @Shaz51 @Snowie 

[Snowie]

my 'something else' is just the ability to survive and reach out for help. Just existing sometimes is courage enough. I also think just the words ' I need help' takes enormous courage.

[tonys]

O K . . .  that is interesting...  fear and the absence off.    I like that...  @TideisTurning 

Then something my O T   told me...   That the type of autism I have leads me to risk taking behaviour's.

I'm incapable of seeing physical danger.   I e.   fell of the roof last year...  day I got out of hospital,  I

was back on the roof again that day finishing a job. . .  Very accident prone,  and yet emotional,  threats like stalking,  where i cant see the person.   Rattles me in a major way.    Probly not relevant, but now its in the mix bowl.     

The something else. . . .    Put that question to Nelson Mandela.     How many times have I seen people

who know what's right,  sit on the fence.  or join the popular majority.  the  "pack"  Every one is such

a diplomat till they figure out where the safe and comfortable side is.. Or the say nothing,  or are more than happy living out their whole life,  oblivious.  So many people don't watch 'any'  news.   It takes 

courage to watch the news and effort too seek the truth.

I often refer to courage as ,   the waters edge inside us. . . .  An accepting that one day we must wade into the cold waters of truth,  admit to the cold reality that will bite,  and hurt.   Emerge still scarred,   but with something for the price we paid.  .  .  .   or  we could just stay on the beach where its safe,   blame

the world,  wipe our stains on those around us,  and stand in the que with the beggars bowl.

People are not all equal,  plenty need urgent help in various doses,  and many are helped into a

'victim cot'   with the wrong kind of help.   

Sorry,     Mr B and W  again...       Nothings   easy  . . .   is it..     tonys    mb 1

While were on names...  what do I call my mechanic that did not show up for work today. . . 

Very  best wishes.   tonys

[TideisTurning]

@Snowie existing is a wonderful 'something else'! 😊 Thank you for sharing with us 💙 

@tonys that's a super important point about individualism- the effect of something will be different for everyone. For example, just because two people are autistic does not mean their autism will look the same on each of them, and what one person fears may not be fear inducing for another, and vice versa. I also like the acknowledgement that courage, and being courageous, is not easy. It's likely to be hard, sometimes painful, in one way or another, but there is some kind of reward for it. I'm curious as to what you might see this kind of reward for courage as being? @Snowie interested to hear your thoughts on this too if you have any you'd like to share 😊 

For my part, I came across this song I wanted to share here in case it's helpful or encouraging for anyone. It reminds me that you can get up again, but it also seems to acknowledge that you can take some time after being knocked down to get back up again, a 'facedown in the arena moment' as Brene Brown might refer to it, and that's ok.

[Captain24]

I don’t know that I can get back up