View and download the full day programme for Nov 2022 [PDF], including workshop information
Coming Home to Ourselves was a two day gathering to explore alternative approaches for living and working with mental distress – set in Coed Hills in the heart of beautiful South Wales countryside near Cardiff. Attendees arrived on Monday afternoon, and left at 5pm on Wednesday – refreshed, recharged and having reconnected to our growing community.
The programme built on on our core themes of connection, community and compassionate systems change.
Together we explored new ways of thinking about service provision, and approaches that are based on mutual support, safety and democratic principles like the therapeutic community model. We looked at ways to care for ourselves and each other within our families, communities and workplaces – moving away from labels that frame mental distress as disorders for life, and services that can be re-traumatising and cause more harm and good – imagining safe, healing services that people want to use when they are in crisis.
Key Themes
Two days of experiential learning, with plenty of opportunities for networking and participation.
Growing understanding how to create structures and spaces that enable safe expression of difficulty – boosting wellbeing and the wellbeing of teams, families and communities.
Our programme included experiential sessions and workshops, and a chance to exchange ideas, lessons learned and best practices – with plenty of opportunities for participation and reflection. Key questions during the two days were:
- How can we see mental health as community and cultural practice rather than in individual one?
- What does it mean to create psychological safety for ourselves and others?
- How can we develop community of practice and reflective culture?
- How can we see mental health as an art, and become more confident at meeting our own and others reactivity and distress with compassion?
Speakers & Facilitators
Our speakers and facilitators are passionate about transforming mental health and changing the script. All believe that with the right support recovery from mental illness can happen and a mental health crisis can be a transformative process. New Speakers are joined by core Compassionate mental health team members.
Charmaine Harris
Yasmin Ishaq
Horatio Clare
Catherine Thorley
Dr Sue Ruben
Malcolm Stern
John Whitehead
Rawley Clay
Neil Palmer
Vishvapani
Benna Waites
