New Horizons

After many years in Forensic Mental Health I made the decision to expand my horizons. Don’t get me wrong, managing the operations management for a Forensic Mental Health Service has afforded me experiences few others can claim to have had. I’ve been in a position to see the ugly side of humanity. Some of the things humans do to other humans boggle the mind. I’ve met thieves, murderers, rapists, pedophiles, psychopaths and a variety of other offenders. I’ve read countless Psychiatric and Psychological Reports and even more court and police documents relating to offences that I would rather forget. On the other side of the coin, I’ve seen people build up their broken lives and find strength in the most difficult circumstances. So, it was with no small amount of pondering that I decided to move out of the Forensic Unit of our organization.

While the work I do is interesting, for the most part I feel that we are often the ambulance at the bottom of the hill. So, a little while ago I made the decision to move into the treatment side of Mental Health and into a hands-on role of Mental Health Community Support. This is a daunting task for someone like me who is used to being in the background, used to dealing with paperwork and staff management.

It means I will be stepping out of the shadows and into the day to day care of those suffering from Mental Illness. It means I will be working with families and young people whose lives have been affected by trauma and pain. It means I can no longer go home simply having read about someone’s life as if it’s not real. I will be walking with this person through their journey of healing. It is a huge responsibility and an honour.

Am I scared? Yes. Will that stop me? No.

Much love XXX