Community

[tyme]

On Thursday 1st August 2024, we will be holding a Peer Group Chat on the topic of Stepping Stones to Self-Love.

As we walk our paths through recovery, we are often told we need to love ourselves more. But self-love can be difficult to define, and it is often an incredibly personal journey that can present us with many challenges. Tonight, we’re going to chat about how we might find those stepping-stones on our path to help us move closer to self-love. 

The event start times across Australia are below:

This is currently held in Australian Eastern Standard hours:

WA: 5pm

NT: 6:30pm

SA: 6:30pm 

QLD: 7pm

NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS: 7pm 

For anyone unfamiliar with Peer Group Chats, each focuses on a specific topic and is guided by Peer Workers with lived experience of mental health issues and recovery, &/or caring for someone with complex mental health. A counsellor is also present as a moderator to help ensure a safe environment for individuals and the group. It is a space for us as peers to share our stories and experiences, and connect with those who are going through something similar. 

Peer Group Chats are hosted outside of the forums, using a platform called Chatwee. To join an Online Peer Group Chat, you will need to register for an account with Chatwee. On the night, follow this link and log in to your Chatwee account before the group starts.

Please see this FAQ for any questions you may have. For any issues on the night, please message the moderator of the group on the Chat platform. If you'd like to receive a reminder closer to the event, please support this post & we'll keep you updated.

@Squishy @Shaz51 @Snowie @Captain24 @Oaktree @Glisten @Rockdog @WildFlower1 @Spritely @Alonely @7cough9 @Andarna @MessyGirl @Healandlove @ENKELI @Who-Knows @monket @BaggyJeans @Jacques @ChouxieChou @Ainjoule

[tyme]

The event start times across Australia are below:

This is currently held in Australian Eastern Standard hours:

WA: 5pm

NT: 6:30pm

SA: 6:30pm 

QLD: 7pm

NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS: 7pm 

For anyone unfamiliar with Peer Group Chats, each focuses on a specific topic and is guided by Peer Workers with lived experience of mental health issues and recovery, &/or caring for someone with complex mental health. A counsellor is also present as a moderator to help ensure a safe environment for individuals and the group. It is a space for us as peers to share our stories and experiences, and connect with those who are going through something similar. 

Peer Group Chats are hosted outside of the forums, using a platform called Chatwee. To join an Online Peer Group Chat, you will need to register for an account with Chatwee. On the night, follow this link and log in to your Chatwee account before the group starts.

Please see this FAQ for any questions you may have. For any issues on the night, please message the moderator of the group on the Chat platform. If you'd like to receive a reminder closer to the event, please support this post & we'll keep you updated.

@Squishy @Shaz51 @Snowie @Captain24 @Oaktree @Glisten @Rockdog @WildFlower1 @Spritely @Alonely @7cough9 @Andarna @MessyGirl @Healandlove @ENKELI @Who-Knows @monket @BaggyJeans @Jacques @ChouxieChou @Ainjoule

[tyme]

The event start times across Australia are below:

This is currently held in Australian Eastern Standard hours:

WA: 5pm

NT: 6:30pm

SA: 6:30pm 

QLD: 7pm

NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS: 7pm 

For anyone unfamiliar with Peer Group Chats, each focuses on a specific topic and is guided by Peer Workers with lived experience of mental health issues and recovery, &/or caring for someone with complex mental health. A counsellor is also present as a moderator to help ensure a safe environment for individuals and the group. It is a space for us as peers to share our stories and experiences, and connect with those who are going through something similar. 

Peer Group Chats are hosted outside of the forums, using a platform called Chatwee. To join an Online Peer Group Chat, you will need to register for an account with Chatwee. On the night, follow this link and log in to your Chatwee account before the group starts.

Please see this FAQ for any questions you may have. For any issues on the night, please message the moderator of the group on the Chat platform. If you'd like to receive a reminder closer to the event, please support this post & we'll keep you updated.

@Squishy @Shaz51 @Snowie @Captain24 @Oaktree @Glisten @Rockdog @WildFlower1 @Spritely @Alonely @7cough9 @Andarna @MessyGirl @Healandlove @ENKELI @Who-Knows @monket @BaggyJeans @Jacques @ChouxieChou @Ainjoule

[Jess81]

How do I join the meetings?

[tyme]

Hi @Jess81 ,

This will be held tomorrow.

Peer Group Chats are hosted outside of the forums, using a platform called Chatwee. To join an Online Peer Group Chat, you will need to register for an account with Chatwee. On the night, follow this link and log in to your Chatwee account before the group starts.

[Glisten]

In my calendar 👍🏼

[tyme]

Hey everyone, 

We will be starting shortly:

@Squishy @Shaz51 @Snowie @Captain24 @Oaktree @Glisten @Rockdog @WildFlower1 @Spritely @Alonely @7cough9 @Andarna @MessyGirl @Healandlove @ENKELI @Who-Knows @monket @BaggyJeans @Jacques @ChouxieChou @Ainjoule @Jess81 

[tyme]

@Squishy @Shaz51 @Snowie @Captain24 @Oaktree @Glisten @Rockdog @WildFlower1 @Spritely @Alonely @7cough9 @Andarna @MessyGirl @Healandlove @ENKELI @Who-Knows @monket @BaggyJeans @Jacques @ChouxieChou @Ainjoule @Jess81 

Thank you to everyone who joined tonight. Here are some notes:

Q1: What does the term ‘self-love’ mean to you?   Value and appreciate self  Accepting self, flaws and all  Self-compassion  Kind to self – not let negativity dominate  Respect yourself as a valuable creature, and to be committed to supplying your own needs.

Q2: Why might it be difficult for us to love ourselves?  Not feeling worthy  Being self-destructive  Not liking what is seen on self  Comparing self to others  resistance to self love if we assume love and respect have to be conditional,  dependant on meeting some threshold of virtue, or specialness or something else.  Being put down by others all the time  Stigma behind “You love yourself”  Needs to be a balance of self-love e.g. making a distinction between self-love and self-admiration

Q3: Do you believe self-love is important for our mental health? Why/why not?  Foundation of self-acceptance and inner peace  Hard to do, but central to mental health  Need to love and care for self before you can do it for anyone else  Needs to be a balance  Need measured steps to reach the goal of self-love so we don’t burn out

Q4: Can you share any examples of times where it was quite difficult to love yourself? What about times when it was easy?  Mental illness can cloud judgment so it is difficult to see worthiness  Difficult after having experienced reject  Easier to do after having helped someone  Need to accept self first before you can love yourself  Fearing rejection may mean a person lives in avoidance  accepting how you currently are, recognising areas you need to change, and then actively working on them. Self-love does require action not just passive acceptance at times.  Includes accepting the worst parts of self  dismiss one’s value as a friend or colleague, and instead, seize on signs that others are passively forgetting or actively excluding them  acting against our values can really impact our self-concept, and thus our ability to give ourselves compassion in those moments

Q5: Self-love can feel far away, out of reach, or impossible at times, but like anything is a journey. What are some of the ‘stepping stones’ that might help us get closer to it?  Self-acceptance, self-compassion, balance, kindness  Listening to trusted people  Discerning whether to listen to the inner voice or not  Exercise  Tuning into our values  Considering what’s important to us  Focus more on what we do like about ourselves and obsess less on our perceived flaws.  listen to and unburden the parts of ourselves that we banish, and instead have compassion for them.  1. To Be Someone (unuque identity)  2. To Be At Home (security and acceptance)  3. To Be Going Somewhere (self-efficacy / active engagement with challenges)  finding or creating a space where I can just be myself and relax  Reframing my relationship with my anxiety for instance  I  can focus on finding something I can do on my own terms and standards,  even if it is just a hobby or basic domestic competence or exercise. Anything that demonstrates I can set a goal and achieve it could be a win and evidence I am not useless.

Q6: How might we involve our supports and our loved ones in this journey?  Ask for reassurance  Ask for help to identify strengths and values  Ask for little reminders  trying to treat myself with the same respect that I expect from them  Having people around ensures accountability

Q7: How might we keep ourselves going when it all feels too hard?  Support of loved ones  imagine that I am not special or memorable,  that I could disappear and no one would notice or care, then I can investigate what it is that makes me unique, something that no one else is likely to be able to offer. That might take more reflection and help from friendly supporters,  but everyone has a combination of qualities and history that is almost certainly not duplicated.   Reframing  Positive (realistic) self-talk  Cry, eat junk food, sleep  Setting little goals to make them achievable  Self-talk “it will pass”  Talking to self in the mirror (uncomfortable at first)  “Onwards and upwards”  Holding onto hope

Here are some further resources we recommend having a look at: 

1 What self-love truly means, and ways to cultivate it: https://www.betterup.com/blog/self-love  

2 The Most Neglected & Powerful Act of Self-Care: https://zenhabits.net/self-love/ 

3 How to Love Yourself – 7 ways to cultivate self-love: https://www.calm.com/blog/how-to-love-yourself 

[Captain24]

Sorry

[tyme]

No stress @Captain24 . No need to be sorry. Totally okay.

[Shaz51]

@Jess81 , @Glisten , @Captain24 , @tyme , @Oaktree , @Just , @Appleblossom , @Eve7 , @Snowie , @Bon_courage , @Healandlove , @Pem , @creative_writer , @Adge , @Abner , @Bow , @outlander , @Asgard , @Ru-bee 

[Glisten]

@Shaz51 Thank you Shazy. Good timing.
I’ve had a rough day 😔

with gratitude G