GROW Conference: Taking part in a fancy dress competition, learning the tin whistle, having good neighbours - the road back to mental health had many turnings for Mike and Fran Watts.
A psychologist and family therapist, he is GROW's national programme co-ordinator and one of the speakers at its 14th annual conference on Friday. Titled Catching the Spirit of Mental Health, the day explores various approaches to mental health including the recovery map, devised by Watts for use in leadership training.
GROW is a community help movement created by Australian ex-hospital patients who learnt together different ways to get better. Now worldwide, there are 130 branches in Ireland and more than 1,000 members.
The Watts recovery map begins 30 years ago on a small alternative farm in west Clare where Mike (27) had moved from the UK with Fran (22) and their three small children. The emotional landscape was set fair when things began to go wrong. "I found myself in a terrible anxiety bordering on terror. I also had huge despair. Fran had had postnatal depression, which developed into a psychosis, she was diagnosed as schizophrenic, and they finally settled on manic depression.
"Fran was in and out of hospital, we had huge fears about what would happen the children. We were living in a beautiful place, we should have been in heaven. My map started with the place, a little picture of ourselves, standing outside the farm with our neighbours' houses around us. We were surrounded by the mature, good people of Clare. They gave us some self belief, kept us going before we found GROW, and had a better understanding than some professionals of what it's like to be a human in distress."
His recovery map moves to joining a GROW group in Limerick, selling the farm and finding work in Limerick, he in a factory, she teaching travellers. "The factory was just what I needed, working with other young men, there was great craic and acceptance. Fran began teaching literacy to travellers, ended up learning sewing from them and benefiting from their warmth."
His map also features Our Lady's Psychiatric Hospital, Ennis, where they finally received proper diagnosis and treatment; the local ICA, where a fancy dress debut led to Fran joining the amateur dramatic society and landing a best actress award. He returned to third-level education and found a philosophical context for some emotional difficulties. Giving vent to his creative vein, he took up the tin whistle, began to write poetry, joined Toastmasters. Today the couple, still members of GROW, have been well for many years.
"The map helps you to identify things that will help, tailored to your personality. In GROW we look at people through a different lens, helping them identify gifts and talents which an emphasis on a solely medical model may not acknowledge. Someone who has been mentally ill has great endurance. Dealing with depression calls for incredible courage. The group helps you see positive attributes which can be included on your map.
"A recovery map is really a tool to identify where you are and where you need to get to in terms of security, purpose, progress and self-valuing. Research on recovery has identified the basic principles needed as hope, people who believe in your dreams and the courage to take a few risks. Drawing a recovery map is simple to learn. One of the things I would like to see is if more people began to keep recovery maps, and we began to seriously write it up. We could then compile a huge dictionary of things that would help."
Catching the Spirit of Mental Health takes place at the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny, from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m, on Friday. Admission: GROW members €35; general public €60; professionals €100. Inquiries to GROW: 056-7761624 - e-mail: conference2005@grow.ie www.grow.ie.