"Make it easier for people to access the support that's right for them, when they're ready"

When the Clear Forum comes to the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on 10 September it will be a meeting of minds for mental health and wellbeing practitioners from across the community sector. With a such packed agenda on the day, we asked some of the brilliant speakers lined up for the occasion to give us a flavour of what they'll be presenting.

For Roe Valley Therapy Centre's Siobhan Wilson-McGlinchey it will be an opportunity to share some of the creative practices that they use in their wellbeing work: "I do like to use experiential demonstrations so the audience can get to experience rather than me just talking about the topic of mental health and wellbeing and what we offer," she says. "I may integrate a basic creative exercise around our survival stress responses in relation to the Autonomic Nervous system."

Over the last 11 years, Roe Valley Therapy Centre has brought together a wide range of professional therapists, complementary approaches and peer support under one roof. "We recognise that there is no single route to wellbeing, so we aim to offer people different ways of engaging with support, whether that's counselling, a support group, wellbeing workshops/ training days or simply connecting with others," explains Siobhan.

What is the Clear Forum?

Clear Forum events highlight services and support available in the Western Trust area, focussing on mental health, emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention. They provide a valuable opportunity for people working in the community sector to network and share their experiences of working to improve mental health and wellbeing.

Resilio's Marie Dunne will also speak at the event. Her presentation will explore the power and science of hope, why it matters and how we can learn and sustain it, even in the most challenging times.

"Hope is a powerful force that can change lives, communities, and futures," says Marie. "Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how hope can create possibility, build resilience, and inspire meaningful action in themselves and others."

Her key takeaway will be that: "‘Hope is not about pretending everything is okay; it is about believing that something can change.”

As for Siobhan, she hopes that attendees will leave with an appreciation for the different routes that impactful mental health pathways can take: "The journey through mental health and towards wellbeing isn't one-size-fits-all. When we create welcoming spaces that offer different pathways into support and work collaboratively rather than in isolation, we make it easier for people to access the support that's right for them, when they're ready."

• Register to attend the latest Clear Forum on Eventbrite

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