I have worked with attachment disordered kids with autism and those who are not. Sometimes its a matter of the level of sensory perceptual chaos they live with, sometimes its about growing up treated more as a case/condition than a person, SOMETIMES its about being in an intensive program your particular personality PERCEIVES as repeatedly invasive, abusive, traumatizing even if an achievement driven (such as those with OCPD), pleaser types (those with AvPD) might thrive in exactly the same program. Of course if we acknowledge any of this we’d have to lose the idea of one-size-fits-all approaches. Read the rest of this entry »

People feel afraid, awkward etc re co-occurring (co-morbid) mental health issues. A lot of those interested in autism are unnerved if I talk about DID, as if they can’t reconcile that someone with a mental health problem is still functional, knowledgeable, empathic, fully ‘human’. Yet, ironically, 30% of adults with autism will have co-morbids, including those which commonly occur in people with DID and PTSD which is part of the same spectrum of dissociative disorders as DID. Read the rest of this entry »

QUOTE FROM GET UP:

I’m writing because many of us are upset about the statements coming out of the US branding WikiLeaks a terrorist organisation and calling for its founder, Australian citizen Julian Assange, to be thrown in Guantanamo Bay–or even be assassinated.

What’s worse, our Government is selling Assange down the river. So, I’ve signed up to a statement condemning these outrageous calls from the US already joined by tens of thousands of Australians. It will be printed in a full page ad in New York Times next week, and we need as many names behind it as possible!

Can you join me? Just click on the link below. It will only take you a moment to sign up and have your voice counted in one of the most powerful newspapers in the United States:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/WikiLeaks

Thank you for joining me!

reprinted from GetUp.

Too funny to not share. Click here for the clip.

A friend on the autism spectrum who deals with mental health issues asked me if I’ve ever suffered the Mental Health system myself.  It was a great question and really the answer depends on what the contrast is.

I was diagnosed in a 3 day hospital observation at the age of 2 as psychotic. In 1965 that would have been a social death knell.  The abuse, degredation, being hidden, paraded etc, the sense I was only temporary and ultimately pegged for an institution… was that suffering due to the mental health system?

7 yrs of the primary school having me observed by Psych and Guidance, studied, evading, being labeled disturbed for my inability to comply, participate, communicate with all the associated 2nd class citizenship that entails in a mainstream.  The teachers going through the motions at best, mostly left alone or stood out in the corridor, later stood in the rubbish bin by the teacher who threw chalk at me to the amusement of the students… is that due to the mental health system? Read the rest of this entry »

Hot off the press…..

Greens candidate for Brand, Dawn Jecks and Greens health spokesperson, Rachel Siewert have urged the Government to reconsider a decision to cut funding for social workers and occupational therapists from a major mental health program. Senator Siewert said the removal of more than one thousand social workers from the Better Access program was an example of government’s “inadequate” response to growing demands on mental health services.

“Front line mental health social workers are absolutely critical to an effective approach to mental health care. Many people will be unable to receive Medicare-funded assistance from mental health social workers if these cuts go ahead.” The Better Access program will lose the funding for 1100 social workers in April next year if the funding cuts go ahead.  The Greens opposed these changes when they were announced and we continue to oppose the Federal Government’s plan.

“If social workers and occupation therapists are removed from the Better Access program – the consequences for people who need mental health care will be dramatic,” said Senator Siewert. The Federal Department of Health and Ageing is currently reviewing the program but, despite the review not being finalised, the Government has already made the decision to axe social workers from the program.

Ms Jecks said she was “deeply troubled” by the decision. “Social workers and occupational therapists are essential to a comprehensive approach to mental health,” she said. “Mental health is a matter of national importance requiring the creation of a new position in cabinet – a dedicated Minister for Mental Health”. Read the rest of this entry »

When most people think of mental health they tend to think of psychologists or psychiatrists.  But what do Social Workers and Occupational Therapists do in the mental health field?  Can’t that all be covered by psychologists and psychiatrists?   Find out before the government succeeds in cutting Medicare funding for OTs and Social Workers. Read the rest of this entry »

Once upon a time a 9 year old girl had been stimming in the garden.  Thirty feet away, an excited black curly haired retriever/kelpie cross bounded about happily, looking like a cheery harmless grizzly bear.  The dog had no name for it was only visiting.  It belonged a man who’d gone on holiday and was being looked after in respite care.  But the 9 year old didn’t care, for anything friendly was a friend.  Read the rest of this entry »

In 2008 The Aspinauts and I were gathered in a living room improvising with me doing beat poetry as the guys jammed on guitars, drums, keyboards.  It became an anti war protest song, Ladies and Gentlemen.  Luckily, someone hit the record button so when Paul joined us as drummer in 2009 we began to rehearse the song.  It became a powerful, almost Floydian stand out piece of sound art and made it onto the debut album, Broken Biscuit in 2010.

Here’s the video clip made by Oz Thomas, a colorful human and a wonderful poet in his own right.

We’ve always considered Donna and The Aspinauts to be diversity friendly but what does it mean to be a disability friendly band?  Is it about having people with disabilities in the band?  Is it about making it easy for those with disabilities to attend your gigs and shows?  Is it about having a natural sense of equality with and respect for those with disabilities?  Is it about having a strong presence in the wider disability community?  Read the rest of this entry »