‘Mental Health and My Queer Self’

with LaJohn Joseph

6.30 – 8.30pm Tues 30th Oct

Wivenhoe Bookshop Shed

23 High St, CO7 9BT

This is a free workshop

To book contact sheenaghkanna@gmail.com

This is a free workshop for queer people who have experienced a mental health crisis, or supported a partner through one. It is free, it is very informal, we will talk, and we will make a little art.

This is part of a UK wide year-long project, and is open to anyone who identities as LGBTQ+, with priority given to marginalised voices (POC, working-class, sex-workers, trans*).

Places are very limited, and so must be secured in advance by emailing sheenaghkanna@gmail.com. The session takes place at the Wivenhoe Bookshop Shed =)

Your friend La JohnJoseph invites you to an informal workshop session, to talk about your queer experiences of mental health and/or of supporting a loved one through mental health crises. We won’t be offering mental health “advice” but rather looking at how the current system is succeeding/failing.

Workshop Outline

In this session where we will chat as a small group (with a cuppa and a gluten-free muffin) taking time to explore the impact of mental health on queer people.

The session is split into two halves; one half being dedicated to sharing personal experience (with each participant free to contribute as much or as little as they want) and the the second half being spent talking about more general questions around mental health.

Of course there will be frequent breaks, and anyone who needs to leave can. Rounding off the session there’ll be a crafty activity, so you’ll leave with a little something to remember us by =)

About the Project

LGBTQ+ people suffer from mental health problems at a higher rate than the straight population, yet there is currently no specialised provision of healthcare for us. This seems like a big problem, especially at a time of extreme austerity when the services that do exist are being cut back and squeezed harder than ever. If you’ve ever tried to find a therapist who can offer you an appointment in less than six months, or you’ve ever dealt with mental health professionals who were totally bemused by the way you presented/identified, you’ll know what we mean…..

Working with the Wellcome Trust, La JohnJoseph wants to pinpoint where healthcare is failing LGBTQ+ people, and propose ways we might remedy this. The session will be documented by our videographer, Holly Revell as part of our research process. This is part of a UK wide year-long project, and is open to anyone who identities as LGBTQ+, with priority given to marginalised voices (POC, working-class, sex-workers, trans*).