NSW Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Forum 2016

1. NSW Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Forum 2016 Befriending the Black Dog – A Personal Story

2. Importance of Story “ When we leave this world, all we leave behind is our story. So make it the best story possible.” (iridescence)

4. Meeting the Black Dog Background: • September 1995 • 35 years of age • 3 qualifications • House • Two jobs • Marriage, three kids

5. Meeting the Black Dog What happened: • Severe panic attacks • Nervous breakdown • Major depression

6. Meeting the Black Dog What I did: • Considered suicide • Gained insight and knowledge • Sought advice and help • Identified the causes and solutions • Reflected and learned • Executed change in small steps • Went bush and learned about my culture

7. Meeting the Black Dog What I learned: • I didn’t like myself • I wasn’t walking my footsteps • I couldn’t be all things to all people at all times • Life is to be treasured in the moment • If I live my truth and do my best, that is all I can do

8. Meeting the Black Dog What I learned: • Mental health is a taboo subject and feared by many • I don’t have to believe the labels • A break down can be a break through • The more I learn about and embrace my culture, the more complete I become

9. Meeting the Black Dog What I learned:

10. What Happened Next • I was privileged to achieve career success beyond my wildest dreams culminating in the role of Institute Director New England Institute • 23,000 students • 1,200 staff • $60m annual budget • Top 3 Institute in Australia 2011 • Head hunted to NSW FACS

11. The Black Dog Howls Background: • March 2014 • CEO in FACS • 1 year into a 5 year contract

12. The Black Dog Howls What happened: • Contract terminated • Was undermined by people I trusted • CEO to unemployed • Mr Popularity to Neville No Friends • Struggle Street

13. The Black Dog Howls What I did: • Used my new found spare time positively • Networked and sought advice • Had lots of meetings that didn’t lead to anything • Applied for lots of jobs with no success • Doubted myself

14. The Black Dog Howls What I did: • Wrestled with anger • Listened to the Black Dog howl • Accepted my reality • Moved my goal posts as I learned • Got back off the canvas whenever I was knocked down

15. The Black Dog Howls What I learned: • Life isn’t always fair • Fair weather friends disappear, true friends stick and new ‘guardian angels’ will arrive when you least expect it • Patience (kind of) • To roll with the punches

16. The Black Dog Howls What I learned: • I am far more than a job, business or career • Rather than seek a 10/10 day, week, life, appreciate the 10/10 moments in each day • Anger is a very seductive friend that needs to be let go at some point

17. The Black Dog Howls What I learned: • Ditch the negative attitude and replace it with a positive one • If you are authentic, you can feel confident in who you are and the Dreaming Path before you • To be authentic is not easy • The Spirit Ancestors are always with us and will always give us what we need (not necessarily what we want)

18. The Black Dog Howls What I learned:

19. What Happened Next • Published my book • Struggled to earn a living • Had to take a part time job • Wrestled with paying the bills versus pursuing my passion • Moved back to country • Celebrated numerous magical moments every day • Chipped away trying not to think too much about the future

20. The Black Dog Attacks Background: • May 2016 • I am the eldest of my brothers and sisters • I have two sisters and two brothers • My parents are still with us

21. The Black Dog Attacks What happened: • My youngest brother passed away from cancer • He was 9 years younger than me • I had spent months doing spiritual healing on him praying for a miracle as he did chemo and radiation • I was with him on his last day as he fought and fought to stay • I was with him when he left us

22. The Black Dog Attacks What I did: • Felt pain and suffering beyond my comprehension • Had my spiritual belief system challenged • Felt the Black Dog attack • Observed the many beautiful things that came forth despite the overwhelming darkness and desolation

23. The Black Dog Attacks What I learned: • Every moment of every day is special • Through monumental pain comes monumental love • Through monumental pain comes monumental connection • Through the suffering of others, the unity of human spirit dismisses the habit of negativity and embraces its true magnificence

24. The Black Dog Attacks What I learned: • The sun will come up every day • The world continues on with busy impatience and ignorance • The world is what it is. It is my attitude that will dictate how I feel and my consequent action that will dictate my story • Don’t sweat the small stuff • Money and power are small stuff • Love is what life is all about

25. The Black Dog Attacks What I learned:

26. A Hope for the Future • Aboriginal Wellbeing Centre • Closing the Gap Clearinghouse – Effective Strategies to strengthen the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people • Models within ‘iridescence – Finding Your Colours and Living Your Story’ • Clinical/cultural intervention/prevention to combat disease of the spirit

27. A New Year’s resolution is common and easily forgotten in our life. A life resolution not so. Make your life resolution, your story, a custom design, a one off, because you are a one off. Work towards it with purpose, reflect on it and even be prepared to change it, but never forget it. Paul Callaghan (iridescence)

28. The truth is not out there, it is in here, inside you. Are you willing to seek it? And once you find it, are you strong enough to live it? Paul Callaghan (iridescence)

29. The ancient spirits are all around us. They awaken from their slumber when someone is willing to listen. They have many messages. To hear them, the student must be quiet in mind, body and spirit, for profound truth does not need to be yelled. In this place of quiet, reflection can take place and the earth breathes more deeply. Paul Callaghan (iridescence)