A new mental health support group is starting in Singleton next month known as Thursday Lighthouse it will meet on a monthly basis at St Andrews Hall in Church Street.
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Their first meeting will be held Thursday, April 5 from 1:00-2:30pm and everyone in the community is welcome to attend.
Facilitator of the new group is Kim Lundy who said she was keen to establish the new group as she knew from personal experience that the region (central Hunter) was lacking in this area.
“We want everyone to feel welcome including carers, friends and family in fact anyone who needs support,” she said.
Kim is a volunteer with lived experience of having lived with severe depression for 18 years.
“I have no formal training in the area of mental health but hoping that by having this support group available on a monthly basis that we can create a safe environment for those in the community touched by mental health whether it be through lived experience or in a family, friend or carers role,” she said.
“I hope that by joining us as those with lived experience or in a family, friend or carers role we can support and learn from each other.”
Singleton’s Uniting Church has kindly donated the use of this space for the group at no charge and each meeting it is hoped to have a guest speaker, followed by a discussion time and then a general catch-up over a tea or coffee.
In the long term Kim hopes to organise some joint wellness programs between the group and Sacred Spaces where participants can learn yoga, mediation cooking and other life skills while at the same time engaging in vital social interaction.
The first guest speaker will be Gail Macdonell. Gail has taken the afternoon off work and volunteered her time for the group. She is the wife of a Vietnam veteran and previously established and ran a support group for partners of Veterans. Gaul decided to study psychology to gain insight into problems of families of veterans that she was encountered on a regular basis. She attained a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) and completed her PhD (Psychology) researching the psychosocial well-being of partners of Australian combat veterans.
She believes that there is a significant interaction between the well-being of the partners/family and health outcomes for veterans.
Gail is a founding member of the Partners of Veterans Association of Australian.She received an Order of Australia Medal in 2011 for her work with past and present military families.
For more information about Thursday Lighthouse contact Kim: 0429995538
Louise Nichols
From cattle to coal. Once a specialist agriculture writer today its about community, in particular, the Upper Hunter. I have lived and worked in the region for more than 30 years. Land use issues and the future direction of our region. But you cannot take ag out of the picture - our food and how we grow it is the basis of all life. Covering the Hunter and Mid North Coast rural issues is now part of my role with ACM.
From cattle to coal. Once a specialist agriculture writer today its about community, in particular, the Upper Hunter. I have lived and worked in the region for more than 30 years. Land use issues and the future direction of our region. But you cannot take ag out of the picture - our food and how we grow it is the basis of all life. Covering the Hunter and Mid North Coast rural issues is now part of my role with ACM.
