Friends hold Mental Health Forum
Friends gathered for the Quaker Mental Health Forum last month
Seventy Friends who gathered for the Quaker Mental Health Forum last month have shared a minute for Friends.
The minute, drawn up in a discussion group in the Priory Rooms at Bull Street Meeting House in Birmingham, says: ‘In thinking about mental health in society, in our Meetings and with respect to individuals, we ask the question: “What are we modelling? Is it healthy?”
‘We can change the way we do things, opening and encouraging regular dialogue to facilitate this. We need to support each other to look after ourselves, our Meetings and the wider community.’
The theme for the day was mental health in community. Alison Mitchell, mental health development officer of The Retreat York Benevolent Fund, told the Friend: ‘It was a day framed by worship in which we all worked to build and experience an inclusive, sharing community.’
The day also included workshops on building community in Young Friends General Meeting; setting up a Friends’ Café; community chaplaincy with people leaving prison; soulful leadership in a community therapeutic service; and life after psychosis and therapeutic communities.
Alison Mitchell described the day as ‘moving, inspirational and motivating – because of the courage and openness of Friends in sharing and caring’.
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