Flourishing Trees

1
Flourishing Trees.

• Promoting mental wellbeing in Argyll Bute

2
Suicide and mental well-being the links

• Choose Life aims
• To promote awareness of the risks of potential
  suicide intent
• To provide training in skills of how to help and
  intervene
• To reduce the number of suicides
• But of course these focus on the point when
  distress has reached a high level
• This is important and essential work but we also
  need to examine the factors that might
  inoculate us against such despair
• We need to challenge the just make do with what
  life throws at you type of thinking that can
  prevail
• We all need to examine how we can encourage
  ourselves, our friends and colleagues to make
  sure that we all feel mentally fulfilled and
  content
• We all need some protective factors and
  habits/skills for times when life gets tricky
• We need to make this an important and essential
  part of our life

3
So what might these be .

• Friendships, places, activities, beliefs and
  faith, a sense of our value and worth ..
• Distractions
• Positive affirmation
• Exercise
• Sensible drinking
• Valuing yourself and others
• Talking about your feelings
• Keeping in touch with friends
• Getting involved/making a contribution
• Learning new skills
• Doing something creative
• Exploring your spiritual side
• Asking for help

4
(No Transcript)
5
So what the link with trees then?

• When we look at a tree we see the part above the
  ground
• What sustains it is below ground and less
  obvious but essential to its wellbeing
• To be healthy, live long, look great and be a
  haven for wildlife the trees roots must be
• Nourished
• Well formed and deep roots
• Well balanced in terms of wetness/drought
• And at times they need help or intervention
• And us

6
So now ..

• Take a leaf out of our book, share your life
  sustaining stuff
• Please take a leaf, some craft stuff then create
  in words, images or symbols what gives your life
  meaning
• You wont be asked to share or explain what is on
  your leaf
• Dont fight over the glue!

7
Maybe some risks

• Some people have seen it as rather heavy and
  philosophical
• The existential questions can be scary for some
  if phrased that way
• And yet that type of question is there in
  peoples thinking and cant be avoided
• Actually a very practical approach in practice
  that needs to be emphasised

8
Our local thinking and actions

• We need to focus more on what helps people
  mentally flourish
• Like creative pursuits, developmental actions,
  life purpose, happiness, activity, friendships,
  pets the things that make life worthwhile?
• Befriending scheme, arts/creative, outdoor
  exercise and work, animal schemes - Neigh
  Worries, reading/poetry, social enterprises,
  peer work
• The things that get us out of bed in the morning
• Thinking big but acting small and individually
• Promoting the practice of doing more of what you
  want to do rather than what you have to do

9
And finally ..

• Today lets take time to identify what matters to
  you and how you can encourage this action within
  your work/life/role
• Working with the whole person with respect for
  whats important and valued by them?
• Challenging but supporting people to make changes
  and take risks
• Reconnecting with the things we always loved,
  hoped for or dreamed of
• So why all the trees? Well for me I love looking
  at them and walking under them peaceful,
  restful and thoughtful