We know everyone finds life hard at times. That is why your library is offering more than just physical resources to lean on and learn from. The team at West Gippsland Libraries has teamed up with Alison Fonseca from Bourke Fonseca Consulting. Alison is a psychologist based in Gippsland who understands what our communities are going through, with many of us still feeling the impacts of the devastating bushfires and COVID-19. Who better to provide some helpful information to support our recovery in 2021 than a Gippsland local with the necessary background to know her stuff?
Alison Fonseca has been living and working in Central West Gippsland since the mid-1990s. Alison is a registered Counselling psychologist and a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society. She has 20 years’ experience working in the field of psychological trauma. Her areas of experience include responses to sexual assault, perinatal and infant mental health, and clinical governance within the helping professions. She has worked in community services organisations, tertiary health settings, private practice and for Commonwealth, State, and local government.
West Gippsland Libraries have partnered with Alison to provide a mini-series called Looking After Your Mental Health. This 5-part series covers a range of topics including mental health vs physical health, how to know when you’re not coping, managing emotions, the difference between mental health professionals, what to expect when seeing a specialist, dealing with mental health in workplaces, small communities and families, how to support someone who is not coping and helping teenagers and children to understand their feelings. The informal conversation hosted by Linda Fowler, Deputy CEO at West Gippsland Libraries discusses each topic to provide a general introduction to common concerns and where to get additional information and support.
This is just one of the many initiatives from West Gippsland Libraries that demonstrates libraries are much more than books. If you are yet to experience the support your library provides, jump online and don’t forget to share your experience with others. You never know who may need to hear what Alison has to say, and you never know who you may help by asking a question about mental health.
Looking After Your Mental Health premieres 7pm, April 29. Follow West Gippsland Libraries on Facebook and visit: wgrlc.vic.gov.au. for more details. Get to know Alison and Linda in the video below.
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