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Greetings & brief self introduction

Grace2276 Contributor

Greetings & brief self introduction

Hello,

I previously wrote my first post, but I believe it was removed by the IT administrative team when they rectified a technical issue with my account profile.

I have joined & become a member & customer service user of Sane Australia for the purpose of engaging in peer-led lived experience & facilitated mental health support.

I look forward to participating in the group forums. Please give me a heads-up on their occurrences.

I completed my Master of Counselling in 2024, & have worked for over sixteen years in community & social sectors in a variety of general/crisis welfare roles.

I have five years of specialised expertise in mental health practice and anti-family/domestic general & crisis counselling & have a strong passion for engaging in & advocating for therapeutic mental health & counselling support services to help empower clients to progress & effect positive change that better improves their lives & self.

I have fourteen years of lived experience of a DV relationship & over twenty years of lived experience with a mental illness diagnosis, & a mental health life journey which has most certainly had its significant challenges & traumatic trials & tribulations; that I have had to proactively learn from & continuously adapt & proactively manage with the need for a great deal of patience in life.

Not to mention, with considerable concerted effort to not lose my sense of humour, albeit a

faulty schema developed & acquired, dark one!

&, truth be told, from time to time, with my rather selective & very deliberate anti-social disillusioned perspective & deep mistrust & distrust, scepticism, & strongly emotionally guarded disposition & disgruntled attitude towards the brutal realities of life!

Apologies for the not-so-brief self-introduction after all, but rather more like an unfortunate & unnecessary complete waste of your time!

As well as for a pretty boring & too bloody long-winded Miltonic rambling from the bona fide & certified lunatic that I am.

However, with love,

Grace22 xo

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In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

jc8rw8 Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

@Grace2276 Welcome to the SANE forums (and good morning for being a very late night owl or an extremely early bird at this hour hehe)

Thank you for sharing your story - it wasn't a complete waste of time to read it and certainly made me not feel alone in having a very selective and deliberate anti-social disillusioned perspective. I think it's common to feel that way when you've felt let down by the systems that were meant to help you, because they don't always understand the complexities of mental illness. I also commend your strength for surviving a DV relationship.

Hope you'll find the forums a useful place to share and learn from other lived experiences and I look forward to your contributions. It seems like you have a lot of lived experience and learnings to share with the rest of us! :)

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

Taali Senior Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

Morning 🌄 to both of you @Grace2276 @jc8rw8

I don't believe I have met either of you before so welcome and I hope to hear from (or read) you more soon. Am rushing out to an appointment now, so catch you later.

@Taali

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

Dimity Senior Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

Hello @Grace2276 and welcome. It sounds as though you have insights and experience from both sides of the counselling room.

Sorry to hear your outlook is negative at present - I can relate.

Are there any particular things that bring some joy? I'm learning to look for glimmers. I'm bipolar, and living with likely cptsd, so things that lighten my depression are important.

Do you have any plans for the weekend? The forums are very quiet at present, as they're recovering from a technical outage for a week or two. But there should be a few people checking in.

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

jc8rw8 Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

Morning @Taali (alas I write this in the early morning), thank you for the tag and your warm welcome to the forums. I'm still getting my head around them and how I can contribute meaningfully.

Hope your appointment went well today!

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

Taali Senior Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

Good morning @jc8rw8 I'm up and watching football replay.

Hoping you got some rest overnight

I managed 4 1/2 hours.

Appointment was okay.

I have no great plans for the weekend

Just a visit to the pharmacy and maybe (and I mean maybe) the supermarket

You have plans?

As far as contributing to the forum you just need to do you.

Share whatever you're comfortable with and reply whenever you're interested to.

You certainly don't have to know all the answers or have anything wise to say just being here is absolutely right.

@Taali

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

Grace2276 Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

Yeah, I'm up for caring & sharing! Could do with crawling out from the rock I'm under, &

catch some sunlight, hopefully make genuine connections, gain deeper insight &

wisdom, & even maybe have some much-needed sh&t'n’giggles with like-minded peeps!

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

Grace2276 Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

I live a very isolated existence, & must admit I'm somewhat reclusive.

I'm not in a very happy stage in my life, unfortunately.

Nothing planned for the weekend, but I always hold out hope to get to see my sons.

I'm a warm & respectful person, & genuinely love myself.

However, one struggles to heal definitively in an abusive & unsafe environment.

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

Grace2276 Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

I live a very isolated existence, & must admit I'm somewhat reclusive.

I'm not in a very happy stage in my life, unfortunately.

Nothing planned for the weekend, but I always hold out hope to get to see my sons.

I'm a warm & respectful person, & genuinely love myself.

However, one struggles to heal definitively in an abusive & unsafe environment.

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

Taali Senior Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

Well @Grace2276 and @jc8rw8 you've both found the right place.

Thanks for reaching out and allowing us to share your journey with you.

@Grace2276 it's understandable that the warm person that you are struggles to shine in an unsafe environment. But the you who is you will peek out sometimes even though it may be a struggle.

@jc8rw8 I hope you find something you can enjoy doing this weekend even if it's just chilling.

Hey do either of you have any pets?

I have a tiny terror who has successfully chewed my feather doona so changing the linen should be interesting. A feather shower for me. Hahaha 😆 @Taali

In response to: Greetings & brief self introduction

jc8rw8 Contributor

Re: Greetings & brief self introduction

@Taali Just went to the supermarket to stock up on tea and now enjoying a refreshing peppermint tea. I'll probably do some junk journalling afterwards. :)

Sadly I don't own any pets at present. I have done dog-sitting and cat sitting but aspire to have my own dog one day. Your dog sounds like they keep you on your toes! Hehe. What breed is it?

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