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(Post & Ante Natal Depression

Support & Information Inc.)

pandsi

NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2013

www.pandsi.org

Services: 02 6288 1936 / services@pandsi.org

Admin: 02 6287 3961 / info@pandsi.org

25 Stapylton Street, Holder, ACT, 2611

ABN: 43 775 427 479

Donations of $2 and over are tax deductable. To donate, please visit www.pandsi.org.

IN THIS ISSUE

From the EO

Board update

Fund Raising Focus

Twilight Seminar Wrap Up

PND Awareness Week

Library Upgrade

PANDSI Services

Thank you

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From the EO

The last few months of 2012 was a wonderfully busy time with some great things happening for

PANDSI. The highlight was our annual Twilight Seminar focussing on Postpartum Psychosis which was

very well attended and we received great feedback from attendees – we hope to be at the Bradman

Room again next year for a repeat performance. Please let us know if there is a topic you would like

us to explore for our next seminar.

As you will see later in the newsletter, PND Awareness Week in November was a very busy one for us

and for me included attending the launch of the Beyond Blue report into the cost of not treating Ante

and Post Natal depression which was very thought provoking. We hope the Federal and local

government take notice and increase their funding to the sector.

Our AGM on 27th November saw a new member, Christine Spicer, join the Board and we welcome her

to PANDSI. It is not too late to join the Board; we are particularly keen to recruit a ‘consumer’

member who has lived experience of AND/PND – please contact me if you think you can help.

Our pilot study of the Resilient Relationships program was completed in December; many thanks to

Alison Christie for designing and presenting the workshops which were a great success. We hope to

bring these workshops to PANDSI clients on a regular basis, funding permitting.

December also saw our Volunteer Morning Tea where we were able to thank our wonderful

volunteers for the great work they do in helping us to continue offering the services we provide.

Here is a photo of Christine who helps us in our library receiving her certificate. Thanks to all of you

who help us, we do not underestimate the value you bring to our organisation.

Sadly we say goodbye to Leigh Hale, one of our Support Workers who is returning to Brisbane with

her family. Leigh has been a great help to our clients while she’s been with us and also took the lead

in the implementation of our new database and trained all the staff to work on it, which was

invaluable. While she has been in Canberra Leigh has also been studying at the University of

Canberra and has just received a First Class Honours degree in Psychology. Well done Leigh, we will

miss you!

Wishing you all a great 2013,

Polly McIntyre

Executive Officer

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AGM & 2012/13 BOARD OF PANDSI

On the 27th November 2012 PANDSI

held its AGM. It was well attended,

the audited accounts of the

Association were adopted and new

Board Members elected.

Fundraising Focus

We are hoping that all the awareness-raising activities we have been undertaking recently will begin to

pay dividends in terms on donations and we thank all those who have helped us over the last few

months. It is really important to raise as much money as we can via donations so that we can maintain

and increase our service levels. We hope to fund another Resilient Relationships workshop in the future

if funds can be found.

Workplace Giving

If your employer would like to introduce the option of workplace giving to staff, whereby regular small

amounts can be directed to charity each pay, please introduce them to the Charities Aid Foundation

website which makes workplace giving simple. If you work in the public service, it would be great if you

could speak to your HR or corporate giving personnel to see if they will add PANDSI to their list of ap-

proved charities to donate to – remember we are DGR registered if anyone asks! It may also be possible to organise for PANDSI to be the recipient of the next charity fundraiser your De-

partment or office runs. Our information guide and services flyer are available on our website if you

want to show your colleagues at work what we do (look at the bottom of the Services page). If you would like us to come and talk to your workplace about what we do here at PANDSI Kim would be

delighted to come out for a friendly chat.

Thank You!

Woolworths in Woden have just given us a voucher which will be great to use for purchasing supplies

for the Day Support Group. Thanks also to everyone who donated to us during the Walk for PND on 22nd November. Our appreciation also goes to the Grill’d Restaurant in Woden who selected us as their charity for the

month of November. We received a cheque for $300 to help us with our library, and it was very grate-

fully received.

Many thanks for all your help!

Dr Marian Currie President

Joan Corbett Vice President

Jenny Morison Treasurer

Jenny Fothergill General Member

Gail Freeman General Member

Libby Hill General Member

Christine Spicer General Member

Mike Zarew General Member

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Twilight Seminar and PND Week

PANDSI was very active during PND week helping to raise awareness of PND and AND. Of course

our Annual Twilight Seminar was the centrepiece of our activities.

This year Twilight was sponsored by a family directly affected by

postpartum psychosis who wanted to enable health care workers

and others in the community to be better aware of how this dis-

tressing condition can affect individuals on a personal level. The

Seminar was hosted jointly with the ACT Health Directorate and

also sponsored by the Australian Trauma and Grief Network.

Twilight was attended by

130 people who were im-

pressed by our guest speaker Dr Megan Galbally, (Consultant

Psychiatrist and Head of Unit at Mercy Hospital for Women in Victoria

and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and

Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne). The main focus of the

evening was the presentation from the family who suffered

from post-partum psychosis who gave such a personal insight

that no-one in the room was left unaffected. This story will

no doubt assist healthcare professionals in their relationships

with future sufferers and we are most grateful that we were

able to present this seminar.

Many thanks also go to the wonderful staff at the Bradman Oval in Manuka who helped to make

the evening such a success.

Dr Megan Galbally

“Powerful personal experience shared so bravely”

“It was a great evening, very informative - a lot of information to take home - and to use in my clinic”

“Enjoyed the evening thanks and will be more aware I hope of psychosis in postnatal women”

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PND Awareness Week 18 – 24 November 2012

We had some great coverage from the media during the week and hopefully raised awareness of

post natal depression. What we aim to do with our awareness-raising activities is to make parents

and family members aware that if you are not feeling right, speak up, there is help. Ultimately we

want to reduce the stigma sometimes associated with perinatal depression.

You can help by talking about AND and PND with friends and colleagues, if you feel comfortable

doing this. We are always seeking ambassadors to promote

our message, please contact us if you want to help.

Kim, Angela and Polly spoke with Tatjana Clancy on the

ABC 666 ’Afternoons’ show and it was great to have

people ring us up to say they heard the show and loved

it!

We also spoke to Chaylee Brikcius on Multimix FM 91.1

during the week.

We had articles in City News and The Chronicle

Gai Brodtmann, MP for Canberra joined us at the Walk for PND, organised by Sally Haseler

from the National Perinatal Depression Initiative.

FURNITURE WANTED!!!

We are rearranging our rooms at the PANDSI office. As

such we are asking for donations of good condition

furniture. Please let us know if you can help out!

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We are currently spending the grant we received from the ACT Community Services Directorate under their

Community Support and Infrastructure Grant process to purchase new books for our library and undertake a

complete upgrade. Our wonderful volunteers Chris and Anne are re-cataloguing the library and covering the

books. Here are some samples of books we now have available:

The No- Cry Separation Anxiety Solution

A tear-free approach to child separation blues-from the bestselling 'No Cry' author a generation of parents

have come to trust Almost every child suffers some sort of anxiety during their

first six years of life. Babies cry when grandparents hold them, toddlers cling to

mommy's leg, children weep when their parent leaves them at daycare, at school,

or to go to work. This can cause frustration and stress in an already too-busy day

and can break a parent's heart. Trusted parenting author Elizabeth Pantley brings

you another winning no-cry formula that helps you solve these common separation

issues. Pantley helps you identify the source of anxiety and offers simple but

proven solutions. In this exciting addition to the series, she ingeniously includes a

free "magic" bracelet inside the book as a special tool for children to feel close to

their parents-even when they're not together. This successful method gives

anxious children something to remind them their parents aren't too far away-

instantly providing them with the comfort and reassurance they need.

Mindful Motherhood

From hormones to stretch marks, labor pains to diaper changes, motherhood is an

adventure like none other. The rapid changes in your body, your lifestyle, and your

very identity call for a certain mental agility. Mindfulness can help you meet the

challenge and approach every experience with your new baby with open eyes and an

open heart.Easy ten-minute meditation exercises and yoga poses throughout this

book will help you cultivate greater flexibility and mindful awareness during

pregnancy, childbirth, and your baby's first year. Whenever you have a moment to

spare, open Mindful Motherhood and discover a skill that will help you find balance

and fulfillment during those times when you feel most overwhelmed. Co-published

with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS). "Mindful Motherhood contains what so

many other parenting books omit:: the consoling information that each mother has the ability to know, deep

within, how to care for her child. Mindful Motherhood is a gem." -Christiane Northrup, MD, author of "Women's

Bodies, Women's Wisdom""Wise, soothing, and helpful-this is really good stuff for new mothers." -Jack

Kornfield, author of "The Wise Heart"

The Dad Factor

This stimulating book explores many fascinating new understandings of the

importance of a father in a child's development. Richard Fletcher, a pioneer

researcher in the area of men’s health and family issues, examines how a father's

close bond with his baby is vital for the development of the child’s healthy brain

structure and their cognitive and emotional development. "The Dad Factor"

presents explanations of why a father’s involvement with his child, right from

birth, is vitally important to the development of a child’s brain and emotional

stability.

PANDSI Library

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A Journey to Peace Through Yoga

A Journey to Peace Through Yoga tells the story of Lynnette Dickinson (PANDSI’s

own Yoga instructor) and her journey through near bankruptcy, relationship break-

down, house fire, migration from Australia to the UK, teaching in an inner-city school

in Bristol, her father's death and finally her descent into MS and a wheelchair. This is

the true story of a woman's journey through Multiple Sclerosis, using the power of

her mind and the tools of yoga and meditation to manage the symptoms and associ-

ated stress of MS. An inspiring journey of self discovery, this book is about the

transformation of our experiences of life, regardless of circumstances. Lynnette's

journey to peace is a but a spark of the potential we all have to find greater peace

and harmony in our lives, it offers a clear and logical explanation for the reason why

the majority of people fail to realise their full and unlimited human potential.

Come in and check out all our new titles! The PANDSI library is a free service to clients, please browse

the shelves in the coming weeks for something that you might like to borrow and return within a 3-week

period.

PANDSI Services

Telephone Support: Mon to Thurs, 9.30am to 2.30 pm.

One-on-one Support: Mon to Thurs, 9.30 am to 2.30 pm. Please call to make an appointment.

Partners’ Information Evening: Held once per term, Wednesday 13th March, 7pm. For further info

please call 6288 1936.

Support Groups (starting 12th February)

Tuesdays - 10.00 am to 12.00 midday, 25 Stapylton St, Holder.

Day Support Group

This group offers support and information focussed on assisting with recovery from perinatal depression.

Free childcare is available although numbers are limited.

Tuesdays - 7 pm to 9pm, 25 Stapylton St, Holder.

YES! - Yoga Evening Support Group

This group combines an hour of facilitated group support followed by an hour long yoga session. This

group has a limit of 10 places and is open to all PANDSI clients, however priority will be given to mums

and mums-to-be unable to attend day groups. Please call for more information.

Thursdays - 9.30am to 11.30 am, Kippax Uniting Church, Holt.

PUMP (Promoting Ultimate Maternal Potential) Support Group

This group combines an hour of fitness followed by an hour of group support. It is facilitated by a PANDSI

support worker and a qualified fitness instructor. Free childcare is available although numbers are

limited. Please call for more information.

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A Big Thankyou …

As a charitable organisation we rely on the generosity of many individuals,

businesses and community groups. We would like to thank the following for

their contributions over this period:

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this booklet is purely for guidance and not intended to replace medical advice or treat-

ment. If you believe you may have any of the illnesses mentioned, or if you have any concerns about medication, it is

essential that you seek appropriate help from a qualified practitioner.

pandsi

Our wonderful volunteers Anne, Kate, Anne, Chris

Argyle Air

The Rotary Club of Canberra South Inc

The Home Loan Centre

ELECT Printing

Kwik Kopy Philip

Blue Packets

Grill’d Restaurant Woden

Shoebooks

Woolworths, Weston Creek & Woden

Dr Marian Currie

Amanda Horne

Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd