Authors: Angela Piscitelli, Deborah Costello and Mary-Anne Wallace, WA
Year: 2013
Event: 2013 TheMHS Conference
Subject: LIVED EXPERIENCE, SUSTAINING WELLBEING, Workforce , Workplace
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
ISBN: 978-0-9757653-7-1
Abstract: The authors of this paper studied psychology together at university over 25 years ago. Relationships, births, deaths, re-locations, celebrations, crises, work and careers have followed. Friendships are among the most valuable relationships we have. The intimacy and frequency of friendship may change over time, but being and having friends has supported our mental health and wellbeing. Friendships can be difficult to maintain due to the "busyness of life", the tyranny of distance and our own occasional need to focus inward. Friendships come and go: people enter our lives when we need them and leave when that relationship has "done its job". At times we are forced to recognise a friendship as unhealthy and make the hard decision to let go. However when friendships last forever, this is because each person holds the "other" in their heart, and the connection remains unwavering and unbroken regardless of the myriad of challenges it might face.
Angela Piscitelli is a registered psychologist with 20 years’ experience in mental health services. Main areas of work include service planning and development, mental health promotion and education, group facilitation, research and organisational change. Deborah Costello is the CEO of the Injury Control Council of WA and has over 20 years’ experience working in the health and community services sector. Her experience includes business development, strategic planning, human resource management, change management, program development, community education and media relations. Mary-Anne Wallace is a Counselling Psychologist with 20 years’ experience working in government and non-government agencies. Currently employed in private practice, her main area of interest is in assisting people to build better relationships with themselves and others in order to improve their mental health.
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