Talking about our experiences with mental illnesses can be challenging. Deciding how we want to tell our story and who we want to tell, however, can be empowering.

The Lived Experience Research team at the Centre for Mental Health Research is conducting a project to understand how programs led by people with their own lived experience of mental health problems (peer workers) can help with people’s recovery from mental health issues. The project is described in a recent paper as a part of the launch of the new journal Implementation Science Communications. 

As a part of this project, Dr Michelle Banfield (Primary Investigator), Dr Amelia Gulliver, and Miss Alyssa Morse are running the Honest, Open, Proud program for ANU staff and students and we invite you to take part. Through this program you can decide if, how, and when you tell your story.

Honest, Open, Proud is a peer worker-led group program that can be completed in either a one-day workshop, or 4 x weekly 2hr sessions. The program is designed to help people consider the costs and benefits of disclosing their experience of mental illness to other people. Honest, Open, Proud also teaches participants how to talk about their experiences effectively, if they choose to share them.

Our researchers want to find out what people think and feel about the program, and whether it affects mental health outcomes like recovery and self-stigma (internalising negative attitudes about their own mental health).

Participation is open to current ANU staff and students who have experience of a mental illness and are 18 years or over.

If you would like to find out more about participating in the trial please see the ANU recruitment flyer, or contact the researchers.

Email: acacia@anu.edu.au
Website: cmhr.anu.edu.au/acacia
Facebook: @acacia.cmhr