Greetings loyal readers of the Steven Talbot blog posts,
Here I am with two blogs in one day, the reason? Here is the feedback from my course, ‘It’s Not Just the Highs and the Lows – Bipolar Affective Disorder.’
I delivered the course via Zoom to various staff members at Cheshire East Council.
The course is a co-production with various people from across Stoke on Trent, Cheshire and Staffordshire. I met with and interviewed an array of people with various types of mental health issue. Some people had Cyclothymia, others had Bipolar 1 or 2. Throughout the training I explain how people navigate their diagnosis and how we as professionals can support and engage with people who may be experiencing a manic or a depressive episode.
As always, I have a copious amount of people to thank, people who shared their stories, sometimes extremely personal tales of mental anguish and the hideous lows that accompany living with bipolar. I also explore the positive measures that people have taken to embrace their diagnosis and get on with life.
And as Alex says, “I’m not giving in to it. I feel like I’ve found my sanity again. I’m living with bipolar; it just happens to be a part of me, a big part of me.”
Here are the assorted learner comments and as you can read, it’s terribly rewarding for me, when I know my research, creativity and delivery makes a difference and informs professional practice.
“Very well-presented course. A big thank you to Steven for keeping us focused and on track. The information was presented with lots of opportunities to ask questions and discuss real life cases, which made it that much more interesting as you began to connect to the person and gain an understanding of what they deal with on a day to day basis. This giving you a better overall understanding of the disorder.”
“Thanks Steven for an enjoyable days training, full of interactive group work and an insight into the lives of people living with Bipolar. BRILLIANT thanks 😊”
“I really enjoyed the training today, it was very informative and well organised with lots of handouts. It was clear that Steven has a passion for education and sharing his knowledge and experiences. There were lots of useful resources which I will be able to use working with people moving forward including the mood diary. I enjoyed the meditation exercise. The training encouraged me to reflect on my own practice and consider different approaches for more effective person-centred outcomes which would help promote recovery / stability. I hope to be able to access other training that Steven offers in the future.”
“Fantastic, so engaging. Thank you 😊 What were my main reasons for attending this event? Not knowing much about bipolar and being aware this was an area I may need some support with as some families may struggle with Bipolar and need support. I knew very little and now I have a clearer understanding of what a day in the life of someone living with bipolar may look like and how it could impact loved ones. Fantastic training, very engaging. Will be recommending to my colleagues.”
“My job is walking public footpaths but the Mental Health First Aid stuff I do and complimentary therapies and interest in counselling as well, means I also support colleagues in talking about mental health and helping those who might need it, if I can. What I learnt today was clear and I think very much applies to someone I work with. It will help me there when (I hope) they return to work. They are talking to me now whilst they are off work sometimes. I think I’m in the wrong job again after today as well!!! Great course, really interesting. Thank you.”
“Wow, what a fantastic course, delivered in such a way that we were all involved, and our voices heard. Steven shared the experiences of individuals who have struggled with their Mental Wellbeing and his own lived experiences, which made the course even more endearing. I have learnt so much today. I have some understanding from the work I do but this course has given me tips, both practically and medically that I can use to support the individuals I work with. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and Steven is fantastic. Thank you for sharing. The handouts and presentation are also a great tool to have.”
“Thank you so much, Steven. Your course is fantastic. I hope to attend a course with you in the near future.”
“Thank you for a really useful, and inspiring, training session today. The session included the perfect mix of theory, science and real-life lived experience. It was highly informative, and very inspiring. I learned a lot in a short space of time, and gained some valuable insights and tools to help others. The videos/recordings were really helpful in bringing examples to life and for explaining how the conditions manifests, and importantly, how it feels to those experiencing it.”