What does it mean to be trans* gender ?

I must say I don't understand the issue fully but I am aware that it is still classified as a mental disorder. Being labelled with a mental illness is an unpleasant experience. It also is the only way somebody can transition. Hate crime, misunderstanding and misconceptions about the issue have isolated people in the community. Through this event we hope activists in this field can share their experiences with us. 

Ruminations on Madness - Free and open event

Ruminations on Madness

This season will be introduced by people whose work and life experiences have afforded them insights into the problems encountered in the psychiatric system. The talks that precede the films will seek to challenge prevailing assumptions about mental health and those who use psychiatric services.

All three films present a troubling picture of a system we have come to rely heavily upon. Set in different countries and eras the films explore the universality of human suffering and a system that has come to reduce that experience rather simplistically.  The films show a disturbing side of the mental health system and its many abuses that result in reducing and controlling  human behaviour.

Films screened in MMU New Business School G.36 – Lecture Theatre 3

Time – 6.00 pm

Discussion after film at Sandbar (Sandbar
120 Grosvenor Street,
 Manchester,
M1 7HL )

11^th November 2013 

Park Avenue

(dir. Aparna Sen, 2005)

National Film Award winning English language Indian art house film. The film explores the impact of schizophrenia on a young woman and her family in Calcutta. The narrative revolves around the relationship of two sisters, a successful professor who is also carer for her sister whose progression into schizophrenia has been speeded up by traumatic life events. Recurring themes include issues facing Indian families when it to comes mental health and the reality of a mental health service user. The film has a cast of award winning actors.

Introduced by Pauline Sometimes and Sonia Soans.

18^th November 2013

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

(dir. Miloš Forman, 1975)

Based on Ken Kessey’s novel of the same name the film looks at the life of a man who enters a psychiatric institution with the idea to escape jail. The film raises some disturbing issues about the nature of mental illness and its subsequent treatment in an environment that cannot provide an alternate understanding of human behaviour.

Introduced by Konstantina Poursanidou.

25^th November 2013

Family Life

(dir. Ken Loach, 1971)

British drama film which won 5 awards. A remake of The Wednesday Play "In Two Minds", written by David Mercer and directed by Loach, which was transmitted by the BBC in March 1967. The film traces the life of a working class girl (Janice) who leads a dull life, her parents consider her  to be misbehaved. When she is unable to cope with the emotional and mental effect of upsetting her parents after an abortion. Janice is subjected to shockingly self-righteous and ignorant doctors.

Introduced by – Helen Spandler.

Issues of Asylum magazine for democratic psychiatry will be available for sale at the event. 

St Dymphna Seminar 2013, Manchester

The St Dymphna Seminars was created in 2012 to provide a safe and open environment for those with an interest in mental health to  discuss issues relating to practice and experience. Inspired by the models of community care in traditions established at Gheel, the seminars aim to educate and reveal aspects of living with mental illness and perspectives on predominant models and treatments that are rarely shared. It is hoped that these seminars will also provide an arena for conflicting stances to witness the reality behind the ideology.

Here is t link to the website. 

http://theswordandfettereddevil.wordpress.com/about/

Feminist meeting- The Discrimination and Abuse of Trans* Women

The Discrimination and Abuse of Trans* Women

"In spite of a more understanding & diverse world, often supported by robust equality legislation, Trans Women are still too often marginalised, discriminated against, excluded from services and from female spaces, at a much greater incidence than the general female population. They are too often denied services, excluded, abused, violently attacked and even murdered. ( At least one a day around the world) Our discussion today will introduce the basics of Trans Awareness, the incidents and causes of discrimination, the abuse & violence this community regularly suffers and the consequent devastating effect on individuals.

We will also discuss how this unacceptable behaviour can be changed and suggest some actions for improving the acceptance and respect for all Trans* women. Although we are focusing on Women today, Trans Men, particularly at the start of their transition suffer equally from abuse, attack and murder."

Rachel Mann- Dazzling Darkness

To follow up from the previous post on the Dazzling Darkness event. Interesting discussion about finding meaning and G-d in darkness and a journey through self exploration and choosing between two rights and sometimes two wrongs. Rachel talks about her options and her all too human struggles which make her work universal.


Here is an audio recording of the event today. Rachel read out excepts from her book and a few of her poems.

click here to hear the recording

A big thank you to Reverend Rachel Mann for sharing her work with us and to all those who attended the event and participated.

Rachel Mann is a Church of England priest and is Resident Poet at Manchester Cathedral. Her work – on rock music, poetry and theology – has been widely published in magazines, anthologies and newsprint. 

Here is a link to her  website

Rachel Mann- Dazzling Darkness

Dazzling Darkness  is a true story about searching for one's authentic self in the company of the Living God. Rachel Mann has died many 'deaths' in the process, not the least of which was a change of sex, as well as coming to terms with chronic illness and disability.

Through these experiences she has discovered that darkness is as much a positive place as a negative one, inhabited by the Living God – the Dark God, the Hidden God. This is the God many of us, because we try to make our lives safe and comfortable, are too afraid to meet. This is the God who is most alive in those things we commonly associate with the Dark – failure, loss and brokenness.

The Christian church has legitimated certain ways of talking about God – male, fatherly, monarchical and so on. Many believe these descriptors tell the exhaustive truth about God. In accepting the complexity of her sexuality and identity, Rachel Mann has been able to explore with a greater freedom what God might look like to an 'unconventional creature' like her.

Rachel Mann is a Church of England priest and is Resident Poet at Manchester Cathedral. Her work – on rock music, poetry and theology – has been widely published in magazines, anthologies and newsprint

Soteria Manchester (meeting)

We are meeting again to discuss setting up the Soteria house in Manchester. 

We are meeting on 28th January 2013 at Falafel 26 Wilmslow Road, M14 5TQ Manchester  http://goo.gl/maps/LJXNf at 6.00 pm. Do come along and invite your friends too. 

We will be discussing ideas about funding, approaching groups and about housing.  If you can't make it do send us your ideas and how we can work towards setting up a Soteria house. If you have articles that support the Sotieria model of treatment do send them in too. 

Beyond Belief - Tamasin Knight

Found this on Rufus May's website I had to share it .   "Beyond Belief is now available as a free download. Its a guide written by Tamasin Knight to self help strategies used by people with unusual and compelling beliefs. Very useful stuff" Rufus May 

Rufus May's website has a free copy of the book. Here is the link to Dr May's website - http://rufusmay.com/

A direct link to the book Tamasin Knight Beyond Belief – Alternative Ways of Working with Delusions, Obsessions and Unusual Experiences

Merry Christmas

Mental health support, mental health action - Manchester

Got an invite to this event click on the link below for more details. 

Mental health support, mental health action - Manchester

Thursday, 17 January 2013 from 10:30 to 15:30

Manchester, United Kingdom

DSM 5 Is Guide Not Bible—Ignore Its Ten Worst Changes

This article appeared in Psychology today. Though the DSM is primarily American it's influence can be felt around the world. While suffering is universal mental illness isn't. Some of the diagnosis in the DSM are not universal. Those conditions do not exist in certain cultures as they pre condition that facilitate the development of some mental illness don't exist.


DSM 5 Is Guide Not Bible—Ignore Its Ten Worst Changes

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

My friend mentioned this book tonight you can read the first 22 pages of it here.


http://www.readishmael.com/readishhome.html

Call for Abstracts - 8th European Congress on Violence in Clinical Psychiatry

http://www.oudconsultancy.nl/MAILING/ghent/index.html

First Soteria planning meeting

Minutes- Manchester Soteria planning meeting.

8^th November 2012-11-09

8 people attended the meeting. We introduced ourselves and discussed what Soteria is. Most people agreed that there is a need to look for support outside traditional networks.

The following points were discussed.

The need to get an NHS person involved.

To find evidence that the Soteria model works.

It was decided that we needed experts (by training and experience to run the place).

Raising money through fund raisers. However we saw the problem of raising money on our own. It was suggested we look at housing societies and approach businesses to help us financially. We also discussed the possibility of renting a house.

William discussed how he was going to start something similar to the Soteria house in Preston document attached.  

Further action-

To find housing associations and businesses that could help fund us or provide us with housing. It was decided the co op could be approached.

To call for another meeting soon.

To get more mental health groups involved.

Foucauldian journal

This is a link to Foucault Studies a free online journal.

http://rauli.cbs.dk/index.php/foucault-studies/

CUSP @ CSCS is looking for applications for the Internship Programme in 2010-2011. Students with a background in the natural or social sciences, and having an interest in interdisciplinary work can apply for the programme. Interest and aptitude to work with questions related to integrated perspectives (integrating biological and cultural markers) on mind, mental health and well- being would be an additional advantage. The internship is envisaged for a period of 1 month. The interns will spend their time between CSCS as well as other institutional spaces that support their work, and will have to work in the libraries. Candidates will be expected, during the period of the internship, to participate in academic events, conduct formal and informal discussions with faculty and students, and to share, at the end of their tenure, a paper on their respective areas of research.

Interested Candidates can contact

Ranjini Krishnan : ranjini_k@cscs.res.in

Hi Everyone we will have class this sunday (23rd Aug). the reading materiel is chapter 2 of history of madness :)

no class tomorow

Hi everyone we wont be having class this sunday our next class is scheduled on 23rd August.

chapter 1 history of madness

STULTIFERA NAVIS
this is chapter one of history of madness plese click on the link below for the reading

communities on facebook

hi i found these 2 communities on facebook take a look at them :)

this one is called what the foucault
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2207256901&ref=ts

this one is called Critical Psychology, Liberation Psychology, Critical Pedagogy
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24228750675&ref=ts