Critical and Creative Approaches to Mental Health Practice Drop In at the Gregson Saturday 22 October, 10am to 5pm

Critical and Creative Approaches to Mental Health Practice Drop In at the Gregson

Reimagining mental health: A day of talking, reading, viewing and creating

Saturday 22 October, 10am to 5pm

The Gregson Centre, 33-35 Moor Gate, Lancaster LA1 3PY

There can be a lack of choice about how mental distress is understood and responded to. In order to increase what is on offer, and/or make informed decisions about what is there, we all need opportunities to share experiences and learn about alternative social understandings of, and responses to mental distress.

That is why CCrAMHP (Critical and Creative Approaches to Mental Health Practice) was set up in Lancaster in 2011 – to widen the conversation about mental health.

Since its inception, CCrAMHP has been active in seeking to promote creative and critical practice in mental health, through dialogue, mutual learning and creative activity. We have met over 100 times, with contributors coming from as far afield as the USA and Uganda. See http://www.ccramhp.org.uk

Membership is open to people with lived experience of mental distress (whether through using mental health services or supporting family or friends), mental health practitioners, students, educators, researchers and all interested others. Through reading and doing things together, viewing films and getting into conversation we make room for the sharing of experiences, ideas and practices.

The distress arising from the Coronavirus pandemic has reminded us all of the power of community and arts-based responses – particularly in situations of unknowing and uncertainty.

We know that so much more knowledge is held locally than we have been able to draw upon to date. We would like to broaden our networks and to get into conversation with others.

In conjunction with Asylum Magazine and the Madzine Research project at UCLAN, we are providing a day of activities and opportunities to share knowledge with individuals and community groups in Lancaster district. We aim to increase our collective confidence to help develop existing services and to intervene in new, creative and supportive ways.

Although this will be an in-person event, we will be making the resources available online, as well as organising some online discussion and zine making as follow-up.

We are looking for people to help to publicise and/or facilitate discussion and activity on the day. Please get in touch if you would like to help!

FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT: ccramhp@gmail.com