Students studying Mental Health and Counselling at Kingston College recently hosted a Mental Health event for students with presentations and talks from themselves and from guest speakers on a range of topics including existing stigmas around men’s mental health, non-visible disabilities such as ARFID and Autism, stigmas around trauma as well as eating disorders.
The students also had the opportunity to play a psychological card game, ‘Clarity Cards’, which the Mental Health and Counselling students launched last year in cooperation with the charity Mind. This year they have developed a Mental Health Monopoly game called 'Mentality’. Both games encourage conversations about existing mental health stigmas and understanding of mental illness within communities, with friends and family, and in therapy and counselling to ultimately raise awareness and to facilitate open, honest, and interesting conversations.
Kathrin Wollenberg, Counselling Lecturer, said: “The event was incredibly well received with over 400 people participating. The guest speakers enjoyed the engagement with all our students and provided wonderful feedback. A special thank you to Sarah Holleborn from the charity Mind, and Liz Trayhorn, Public Health Principal at Kingston Council, who invited people from different communities to take part in the event. The students were keen to explore how the two card games make them more aware of their own and other peoples’ feelings, thoughts and ways of thinking, and it was a chance to get to know people on a whole new level. We thoroughly enjoyed the event which provided a safe space for everyone wanting to grow, laugh and connect.”
Mental health stigma expert and guest speaker, Clare Rule, said: “Thank you for inviting me to be part of the amazing day you put together. There were so many interesting points and inspirational stories. The Counselling and Mental Health students were so fantastic, their presentations were a real pleasure to watch.”
Psychologist and guest speaker, Ardavan Nikaeen, said: “It was truly a privilege to meet you and your students. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to speak – I sincerely hope they found it valuable and took away positive insights.”
Topics and Guest Speakers were:
- Charlotte Lavelle, trauma and talk therapist at Kingston Women's Centre, presented The Happiness Stigma and her work around it.
- Claire Rule, therapist and mental health stigma expert discussed ARFID and Autism and her experiences and work.
- Counselling and Mental Health students Kellie, Emily, Lydia, Sienna, Layla and Tia encouraged conversations around stigmas and men’s mental health.
- Ardavan Nikaeen, a psychologist who specialises in child and adolescence mental health, music therapy, wellbeing, brain injury and rehab, spoke about the stigmas around men’s mental health, exchanging his experiences and his work with men.
- Further student presentations from Brooke, Mia, Zxander and Carla whose focus was on eating disorders and girls' mental health.
- Adama Nyama Bah, founder of a women’s health advocacy, trauma expert and motivational speaker discussed the the stigma around getting help and tested - particularly with regard to STIs for women - and women’s health advocacy services.
