Credentials/Achievements /Things I’m Proud Of
I’ve worked very hard to get to where I am. Many people thought I wouldn’t be here and I thought that I would have been dead at this point. This makes me very proud of what I’ve accomplished! I always wanted to work in mental health since I was about 15 or 16 years old and to now being doing that is amazing!
Personal
- Diagnosed with Dysthymic Disorder (low grade chronic depression) in May 2005 and recovered completely sometime in 2007
- Stopped taking psychiatric medication Winter 2007 and began to improve in every way
- Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder Fall/Winter 2007, basically rejected the label and have manged my awesomeness ever since
- Ended therapy in Winter 2007 because I felt that I was able to properly use the skills I learned
- Joined the Madvocates research team in Summer 2009
- Graduated from Ryerson University in June 2011 with my Bachelor of Social Work
- Participated in CTV’s Canada AM Town Hall on Youth Mental Illness (it was totally only on depression)
- Played role in Sick Kids Foundation removing sanist advertisement from Toronto subways
- Entered therapy in Spring 2012 to fine tune skills I had further developed in my non-therapy years
- Successfully using a DBT Workbook to help further improve my ability to control my emotions (2012)
- Met with CAMH VP of Communications and Community Engagement to discuss concerns and suggestions for improvement about their Defeat Denial campaign. (July 2012)
- Diagnosed with Borderline Traits which shows progress from my original diagnosis a few years back of Borderline (Aug 2012) Personality Disorder. It was also confirmed that the chronic depression I experienced as a teenager is gone.
- Facilitate mental health peer support group (June 2012-Present)
- Member of Ryerson’s Mental Health Task Force- Subcommittee, Curriculum and Pedegogy (Nov 2012-present)
Publications
- Sanism, Mental Health and Social Work/Education: A Review and Call to Action. to by published in Intersectionalities: A Global Journal of Social Work Analysis, Research, Polity, and Practice (Fall 2012) (Madvocates work)
Conferences/Events
- Cultural Legacy of Shame, PsychOUT 2011 (June), New York (Madvocates Work)
- Bridging Minds, MPath Productions, Ryerson University, Toronto, February 6, 2012
- Bridging Minds, MPath Productions, Mount Siani Hospital, Toronto, May 30, 2012
- Sanism, Madness and Social Work/Education, Reclaiming Our Bodies and Minds, RyeACCESS-Ryerson University, March 17 2012 (Madvocates)
- Mad Social Work?, Mad Pride Toronto 2012, Thursday July 12, 2012, The Madvocates
- All About Mental Health: From Diagnosis, to Medication, to Labeling, to Suicide, Looking at Intersectionality, Stigma and Alternatives, LGBT Youth Line Training, Wednesday August 22, 2012, The Madvocates
- Minds that Matter debrief, Ryerson University, September 2012, The Madvocates
- Youth, Mental Illness and Homelessness, Ryerson University Lecture, October 2012, February and May 2013
- Mental Health Awareness, City of Toronto- ARC, January 2013
- Youth, Mental Illness and Criminal Justice, Ryerson University Lecture, April 2013
- My Madness, Middle Childhood Matters Coalition Toronto, Keynote Speaker, May 2013
Media
- Depression on campus by Katherine Engqvist, The Ryersonian, October 25, 2011 (poorly written)
- Student documentary on suicidality and antidepressants (2012)
- Bridging Minds, MPath Productions (2012)
- People who attempted suicide as youths trace their recovery by Leslie Scrivener, Toronto Star, December 3, 2011
- Mad World by Dana Yates, Ryerson University Alumni Magazine, Winter 2012 (Madvocates mention)
- Requested by CTV to record a clip of my story for their town hall on children and youth who have mental health issues but was unable to do so (attending town hall and asking question as encouraged by the shows producer).
- Mental health help lags behind demand by Sarah Robinson, The Ryersonian, March 28, 2012
- Ryerson’s mental health services still delayed by Roohi Sahajpal, The Ryersonian, March 30, 2012
- The changing cost of mental health care in Canada by Sarah Robinson, The Loop, February 12, 2013
- Became contributing mental health author on Parents-Space, March 2013
Very epic you ‘rejected’ your diagnosis… xD
I’m so scared if they diagnose me it’ll feel like an uncrossable boundary on the things I can achieve in my life…
Oh yeah it totally can feel like that and its a horrible feeling, doesn’t mean it has to happen that way but it’s hard when everything about your diagnosis is damning parts about you.
I am biting my nails for next thursday (which is D-Day, AKA Diagnosis Day) And I hope it won’t be too bad…
When I first got my diagnosis I took it as an answer. I finally had an idea of what was going on. More importantly I could begin to do something about it, I could get treatment.
Part of the reason I can probably reject any new diagnoses I receive, regardless what a doc thinks, is because I know that I worked through my shit. I know that I am well. I wasn’t before and that’s ok.
Good luck!
Just wanted to say that admire what you are doing! Best wishes.
Thank you very much! Means a lot!
You have every reason to be proud of yourself. Never lose that. I’m looking forward to following your blog.
And I’m looking forward to following yours!
Wow, I’m impressed! Doing a great job.
Thanks! I’m getting tired….
I love that your telling your story this will help alot of people I’m sure.
Thank you! I’m glad it’s appreciated
“manged my awesomeness ever since” Wonderful, I just love this statement! Well done on all your achievements!!
Well Done PIM – we are doing some good survivor stuff in UK also and it will be great to share victories and support one another in the challenges we make to injustice <3
I am interested to hear more about the journal you co-authored which you mention to Nev Jones in her blog – Ruminations on madness – is this available for sharing??
I was lucky enough to get a book published last year on collaborative partnership and 'growing spaces" that promote them within health and social care and its associated learning systems – I have also developed and promoted survivor-led teaching and assessments of student and post- qualified practitioners in a number of UK and European universities – not bad for an erstwhile homeless beat-up and emotionally ravaged Irish woman – Yesssssss!!
Great to find your blog PIM – you might like to join http://www.mhhe.ning.com which is a UK based but international site for anyone involved in teaching or learning around mental health and has strong commitment to lived experience and learners – I have a group on there called MyMadSpace – in which you are ever welcome – love and strength – Julie
Hello Julie!
I have been extremely impressed with the mental health work I’ve seen coming out of the UK! I’ve always wanted to visit the UK but everything they are doing makes me want to stay!
Here is the link to the journal article. The PDF is free to download: http://journals.library.mun.ca/ojs/index.php/IJ/article/view/348
I have found the work I’ve been doing to play a very large role in my recovery/management of what it is I’m experiencing and I hope you have found that as well because it sounds like you are making a great contribution despite what everyone thinks people with mental health issues should be doing!
I’ll be sure to check you out online! Thank you for the link!
PIM
no probs PIM – yes it is surely true that work gives meaning and momentum to everything I do and am – and has made me whole and empowered in very beautiful albeit challenging ways – I am presently developing a more political model of recovery which considers our interface with an intolerable environment and demands that responsibility for mental distress is redefined as a shared global problem requiring shared and collective solutions – will keep you posted PIM – and YES! – hope you get to visit UK someday – we will make you sooo welcome!!