tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63626984746742108882024-02-19T13:57:51.752-08:00Stitching Out Stigma Group BlogJo who can't think of a clever nicknamehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02663450738390351663noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6362698474674210888.post-86195446534950912892016-03-31T13:46:00.002-07:002016-03-31T13:46:25.091-07:00The written pieces for SOS's finished squares Part 2<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-hyphenate: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTtr0i3drSjAYNkh1g1M9pgtENDJNemlcJ1_Qb4NSsy9P3bZLcuUq8pn8cLn6Y_GJZ06d8uflrLj9a4TFbkpUBpCSAQV3sj9p86FvMZOGwaIqIDy4HZ1Ak0k-P6YcDKwIQg13dzHMB4o/s1600/IMG_2680.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTtr0i3drSjAYNkh1g1M9pgtENDJNemlcJ1_Qb4NSsy9P3bZLcuUq8pn8cLn6Y_GJZ06d8uflrLj9a4TFbkpUBpCSAQV3sj9p86FvMZOGwaIqIDy4HZ1Ak0k-P6YcDKwIQg13dzHMB4o/s320/IMG_2680.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The written pieces for one of the wall hangings are here. Numbers correspond to the position on the hanging.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>1. Dusti Lynne Morton</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Depression Lies<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Hi! My name is Dusti. I live in Portage, Michigan,
in the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBfJ9MkVIE1ubTmWWuKMtEKtq0AXdT-ukf2myAgulR_bVj2o03RjDKbwAP_iEfCuk68WWRtWEajjNPZSL38Q_6iIN0TxcfR88A495jNxYkkO_t79t_Pf3HefjSnzT0jViKghEJu9h40g/s1600/IMG_2663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBfJ9MkVIE1ubTmWWuKMtEKtq0AXdT-ukf2myAgulR_bVj2o03RjDKbwAP_iEfCuk68WWRtWEajjNPZSL38Q_6iIN0TxcfR88A495jNxYkkO_t79t_Pf3HefjSnzT0jViKghEJu9h40g/s320/IMG_2663.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I started having panic attacks, night terrors, and
struggling with depression in my early 20s. At my worst, I was having attacks
several times a week. It was crippling. Embarrassing. So hard to explain to
people around me. I didn’t have a lot of support beyond the suggestion to try
medication; after trying Xanax and
watching other people go through hell on various medication cocktails, I
refused, and personally it frustrates me that ‘get medicated’ is the strongest,
and often the only, option offered to people. Instead, I use my anxiety as a
barometer of sorts, paying attention to my stress levels and focusing on ways
to handle everyday stresses and responsibilities in a practical way so that I’m
not overwhelmed by them. Depression is trickier. I use chiropractic care,
supplements, daylight bulbs, exercise, cross stitch, and gardening… and I try
very hard to pay attention to things that indicate depression is rearing its
ugly head. Personally, I find that it can be insidiously sneaky.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My depression and anxiety are a part of my everyday
life. Usually they’re under control, but when they’re not, I’ve lost jobs
because of it. I’ve been open about these issues with my friends and within my
social media circles. I’ve had friends tell me not to do this, that it could
affect my ability to find work. I’ve had people tell me, “I wouldn’t hire you
if I knew this about you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That’s one of the reasons I wanted to be involved in
the Stitching Out Stigma project. We live in a stressful world. I think it’s
more unusual to NOT struggle with anxiety/stress/depression than it is to live
with the diagnosis. And so I do not think we should be judged (or further
limited!) for the things we are trying to control.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">There are lots of people online that are discussing
anxiety and depression in blogs and in comics. That’s very helpful because not
only does it help us to not feel alone, it also gives us a way to communicate
to our loved ones what is going on inside our brains. “Here, read this. This is
what it’s like to be me.” In my case, the writer that has most helped me help
my loved ones to understand me better has been Jenny Lawson (aka “The
Bloggess”). My square includes the message she uses in social media: Depression
Lies. Truer words were never Twittered. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">J</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My final project is not as easy to read as I’d
hoped, but I think it gets the idea across that depression can spiral around
and sometimes be hard to identify.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The border on my square came from a freebie pattern
created by Kell Smurthwaite and Kincavel Krosses. The font for “Depression
Lies” came from Pinterest. The font for the lettering in green was created by
me.”<br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
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<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>3. R.E.</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJ0Si0dXaLW3eXPV-WCZ9I5FTfDZ6cAwrldL8OjnM6faK06bb-9SKcIKyYz1ccEeZG7BLYpnHNQmbzdNcgg7PzC46hU6zWCpyjlyJom3xOxIjCSYWWn_BklVNGn9oKnVNAScaHxZN8AM/s1600/IMG_2661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJ0Si0dXaLW3eXPV-WCZ9I5FTfDZ6cAwrldL8OjnM6faK06bb-9SKcIKyYz1ccEeZG7BLYpnHNQmbzdNcgg7PzC46hU6zWCpyjlyJom3xOxIjCSYWWn_BklVNGn9oKnVNAScaHxZN8AM/s320/IMG_2661.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Mental health is a subject that is very important
to me both on a creative and personal level. I have suffered from depression
and anxiety for ten years, and as an artist my work explores mental illness and
the emotions and thoughts that are difficult to put into words alone. I
specialise in painting and drawing however I have recently began creating
embroidery/stitch artwork – a technique I find to be very therapeutic. My
design is a visual depiction of depression and the emotional effect on the
individual.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>8. Hayley McCulloch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“When I was 19, I was diagnosed with social anxiety
and depression, and my self-esteem has always been cripplingly low. Growing up,
I was the quiet child, the shy child – but I was the good child. Good at
school, non-rebellious, a goody-two-shoes. It became expected of me that I
would be as close to perfect as I could be. If I failed, even in a small way,
it would never been forgotten, nor forgiven.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1wqZOskQ8o_imdvqjLoGijyNBEjdphpqxYoSlTjkQ57ouPYlSJdhrVRzLpjMgfUGm6jDuFp_bFXNbogg8APpBUZEDHvE4ncdu9DopNZCpLuMKkSQeDF6HAjtFA5_HjFBPdvxBlxjP9Y/s1600/IMG_2655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1wqZOskQ8o_imdvqjLoGijyNBEjdphpqxYoSlTjkQ57ouPYlSJdhrVRzLpjMgfUGm6jDuFp_bFXNbogg8APpBUZEDHvE4ncdu9DopNZCpLuMKkSQeDF6HAjtFA5_HjFBPdvxBlxjP9Y/s320/IMG_2655.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Having an invisible illness, I can be seen as rude
or insensitive when I find it difficult to talk to people. Stepping outside of
the house feels like climbing a mountain. People tell me they understand,
because they’re shy too, and that I just need to get out in the world because
it’ll do my confidence the world of good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My square represents how I feel when I’m weighed
down by my anxiety. I feel restrained by the possibilities of disappointing
people, terrified of making a mistake. In the past, I’ve done what people have
wanted me to do, I’ve tried my best, and I’ve come out of it feeling worse. But
I can’t show it, because it will disappoint them, or they’ll think that I just
didn’t try hard enough.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s a difficult cycle to break.”<br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>9. Maureen Beachy</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“I host a weekly crafts afternoon at my home in
France. One of the group recently brought along someone new - Catherine Penny
(Holden) who lives in Orbinany Cebne region. Catherine asked if there was
anyone in the group who did cross stitch - I held up my work in response (all
the other are knitters)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Catherine explained the project and I said I’d be
delighted to participate - any excuse to stitch! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUzakVjcJtv8xfXbQaJug6cH_4gz3uBNAk4wRlfsgYYVkgJBlKmd5vr9VLm9GUc0kVx0nOuycbahq4ur3Xzl-sJFLXN_vJVgWc3hoXxRUiYL6MlxJRExo7cRaN_WvtKkT1byDiqu3nqY/s1600/IMG_2656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUzakVjcJtv8xfXbQaJug6cH_4gz3uBNAk4wRlfsgYYVkgJBlKmd5vr9VLm9GUc0kVx0nOuycbahq4ur3Xzl-sJFLXN_vJVgWc3hoXxRUiYL6MlxJRExo7cRaN_WvtKkT1byDiqu3nqY/s320/IMG_2656.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have never suffered from severe depression myself
(apart from mild post-natal after the birth of my third child) but I have
several friends who suffer long-term depression, for which they are on
medication. Two of my children suffer from mild depression periodically. At the
moment I have a lot of sadness, having lost my youngest sister to a very
aggressive brain tumour that she wasn’t aware of - she died 6 weeks after
diagnosis exactly 4 months later, my mother died. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have always been a fairly positive person, not
taking setbacks/knocks in a 'why me' fashion. I know that I have been very
lucky in my life - foremost is having a wonderful, supportive family. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My sister’s death has made me take stock of life and
I now feel I need to get on with doing things I want to do - I feel I owe it to
her to live what life I have. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I have been cross stitching since I was 15 (nearly
45 years ago </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">J</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">) and I find it so
relaxing. I love doing quilt block designs in miniature and the 'Tree of life'
design just seemed appropriate for this project. To fill out the design, I
added the extra border with random words I chose for their importance to me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My positivity in life is not just due to my
wonderful parents and upbringing, but also to the serenity and calm nature of
my husband Caloin, whose family were old order Amish in the USA. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I wish you luck with the project and hope you get a
good response." </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">11.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span></u></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>Katrina Harris</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“I took up cross-stitching in a bid to remain sane whilst
training as an Art Psychotherapist <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">over the past three years. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stitching out Stigma has been a great initiative for those
suffering with mental health issues - unleashing my own 'Black Dog' stitch
amongst others personal works has opened up discussion about living
with depression both within this support network and with friends. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk00PCbrFiNRk5MVUJRuQdkn34K4hgOrBNb1MmITKzED06nr3GmiecQRtgkTPpukv9OuvoX_7-gX7N5_qCXn3NmeHfIO-RD_1GRUZ9bpBzyJeCZwuBBi0sDKldr-l_KbdXLUAgLB-ew8I/s1600/IMG_2651.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk00PCbrFiNRk5MVUJRuQdkn34K4hgOrBNb1MmITKzED06nr3GmiecQRtgkTPpukv9OuvoX_7-gX7N5_qCXn3NmeHfIO-RD_1GRUZ9bpBzyJeCZwuBBi0sDKldr-l_KbdXLUAgLB-ew8I/s320/IMG_2651.JPG" width="320" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I now work as an Art Therapist for children with mental
health issues and am dedicated to helping others gently acknowledge their own
demons whilst no longer denying my own. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thank you to Sam Lunn for the words.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>13. Natalie McCulloch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I have chosen one of my
favourite quotes, which during an admission to a specialist mental health unit,
one of my friends/fellow 'inmates' had told me and displayed on a canvas to
remind others of its truth. "Boats are safe in the harbour, but that’s not
where boats belong". Meaning, in my mind, that sometimes our 'comfort
zone/safety zones’ feel safe because of the familiarity of it, but sadly unless
we 'push them' or challenge ourselves, we don’t learn our capabilities or our
potential, we don't experience, experiment or live. But it’s not easy, as
anyone who has tried will know, to opt for a challenge as opposed to a
familiarity. To push ourselves, when we could remain contently 'bobbing along'.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In my struggles with anorexia
recovery, my harbour may feel safe (i.e. if I restrict/use coping
mechanisms/stick to safe routines or foods and avoid treatment or weight gain)
but it may lead to my demise. But the stormy sea looks rough and filled with
challenging obstacles not for the faint-hearted (i.e. weight gain, physical
discomfort and mental torture, lengthy treatments, facing truths, boredom,
fear). It’s no wonder I don't want to enter it when the harbour is so safe.
But, from entering it before, as long as it’s in 'manageable stages' and
possible (similar to Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development where the learner
is encouraged within a zone which is set slightly higher than their current
level of achievement, but not so high as to be unattainable), great rewards can
eventually come about. Goals can be attained. Challenges can be faced and
overcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The images around the edge show
some important things to remember –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Finding your own direction -
doing it for myself, not being 'led by others' or feeling my pathway is less
'correct' than the ones others have chosen for themselves. I think I’ve always
felt 'less' than people with degrees, children, husbands, money, holidays, good
looks, talents etc...I’ve often felt I 'should be' doing things or 'should
have' things but haven’t due to my own failings - but in all this
self-criticism, I’ve often lost sight of myself or my achievements/goals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHMZ1zyIn_UJ0hbkqK4hUojbCaT06-c66FyIjM4na7h5MaJuwRgRaTTzvN2Szqmcm5CDBqqyM_Z2ooadfR_ATpyXzR0aT7Usqa4YK4ps6qgJ9nHnTHgwPCh5omOP3C5DSS9cFpJoVpLI/s1600/IMG_2542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHMZ1zyIn_UJ0hbkqK4hUojbCaT06-c66FyIjM4na7h5MaJuwRgRaTTzvN2Szqmcm5CDBqqyM_Z2ooadfR_ATpyXzR0aT7Usqa4YK4ps6qgJ9nHnTHgwPCh5omOP3C5DSS9cFpJoVpLI/s320/IMG_2542.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Use your lifesavers - knowing
what helps ME to get through - what resources, which people, which activities
(and similarly which don’t help). For me, cross stitch and other crafts are
HUGE lifesavers. It’s amazing how quickly an enforced period of 'rest' can pass
when I’ve got a cross stitch on the go, or a card making mission. I’m also
fortunate to have a great group of friends and family whom, on many occasions
have saved my life!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Be aware of sabotage - self or
otherwise - things I, or others do, to resist entering a challenge or carrying
it through. For example, if I gain weight my automatic reaction is to want to
lose it again or if I eat something which I feel is 'too much', I want to
compensate for this. These are acts which sabotage my recovery and thus need
avoiding at all costs. Sadly
although eating disorder units can be full of support from peers who
'understand' or are 'living shared experiences',<span style="color: red;"> </span>it
can also be a highly competitive/resentful place too and occasionally people
may want to sabotage others in order to make themselves feel/look like they are
doing better than they possibly are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Discover your anchors - knowing
what helps 'ground me' in times of unavoidable distress, what will calm me and
keep me going in the best direction. Again this might be doing crafts or
chatting to good relations or simply spending an hour with a good book and a
relaxing bath!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Focus on your treasures - never
forgetting the good things which will come from the hard work and discomfort
(something I find hard to do at times!). Throughout my journey with
recovery/relapses, I’ve always had some sense of what I’m 'doing it for' - what
I want from life, but when times get tough/it feels too hard to go forward
anymore or even cope with the discomfort of 'now', these can go amiss.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Sail away from safe shores -
knowing that I’ve got to change and that change is ok, without change, I will
not get the treasures I seek. Stop denying the problem, know it can improve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I really enjoyed creating this
piece, I have a soft spot for 'nautical but nice' patterns (and can often be
found wearing the colours
myself) and it was nice to go on a button hunt for the cause too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another poignant thing
about my choice of 'nautical' on this piece, is that I grew up on Barry
Island and still very much enjoy a stroll along the harbour, it feels very
tranquil and calming there. Plus, as this year’s 'Mental Health Awareness Week'
theme is 'Mindfulness', a beach stroll seems a fitting way to be 'mindful'
by soaking up the sights, sounds and smells which this environment
offers."<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>14. Jackie Wilson</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“My square outlines the effects of a young carer
(aged 11 years and the teenager and the so called grown up)... And how she has
struggled over the years with confidence and being liked even though she's now
a mum and granny ... </span></span></div>
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Mum died of Cancer aged 42 leaving 8 children ....”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM-iVgxCWCqB7t2ho55INpqBC3yHJwfiB8aLh8y98-bO0gfLHLCw_3g4BZ_0OwJRs2i_ZiWTYyXpwApJkX67GnQDGjTz8Id2_LLkPx7G6gB792rKr5q1wDXbTqp99m-hKV_DFljQJaBo/s1600/IMG_2645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM-iVgxCWCqB7t2ho55INpqBC3yHJwfiB8aLh8y98-bO0gfLHLCw_3g4BZ_0OwJRs2i_ZiWTYyXpwApJkX67GnQDGjTz8Id2_LLkPx7G6gB792rKr5q1wDXbTqp99m-hKV_DFljQJaBo/s320/IMG_2645.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>15. Natalie McCulloch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I
chose to do a recipe/spell themed fairy cross stitch for several reasons, and
with great thanks to one of Stitching Out Stigma's key supporters, Cross Stitch
Crazy magazine, for the pattern of the fairy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why
a fairy? Throughout various stages of my illness I have wished for a 'magic
wand', or indeed I’ve been told 'If only I had a magic wand' from people who
want to 'make me better' (As well as, I confess, feeling I’m away with the
fairies at times, or wishing I was...!). Sadly, as much as I’d like to believe
it was a possibility, there isn’t such a thing as a magic wand to wave my ills
away or change my thoughts to healthier ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I
wish I could accept gaining weight, or see it as positive restoration"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiztx66xGd8E-fFp7Hf-f_2u7FRT2yqzrhBvOVVfleM0jtiTkRUeUtpVBCXxplidY-NdijKPXH_XWirvaNGFa2rRdLdH5IczHhhX3GPQSWKt-_USWs1akC2RrOCU11O71djoid00D8E1eg/s1600/IMG_2644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiztx66xGd8E-fFp7Hf-f_2u7FRT2yqzrhBvOVVfleM0jtiTkRUeUtpVBCXxplidY-NdijKPXH_XWirvaNGFa2rRdLdH5IczHhhX3GPQSWKt-_USWs1akC2RrOCU11O71djoid00D8E1eg/s320/IMG_2644.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I
wish I could feel 'good enough'"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I
wish I didn’t feel envious of others to the point of self-sabotage, isolation
or resentment"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I
wish I could enjoy resting and eating nice things without crippling guilt"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I
am still not 100% sure what the 'solutions' are, but I guess all I can do is
work hard and hope that daily bits of magic combined with the 'key ingredients'
I mentioned (and others), will help me make more of myself than I currently am.
But, as mentioned every individual is different, so every spell needs to be
too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
recipe/spell idea is something which lots of places use - I often see
'recipe/spell for happiness/health/love...' posters about, but this is my
personal one. It’s two-fold also, because it is common for people with eating
disorders to enjoy, or do, baking/cooking often, sadly I am not blessed with
this talent, nor do I enjoy it. In fact, during a treatment I had, baking
group/cooking sessions, were cause of much anxiety, tears and tantrums for me
(as my fellow 'inmates' will recall I’m sure!!) So again, this suggests that we
cannot simply 'stamp a stereotype' on someone with a disorder, as, ironically,
one size simply cannot fit all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To
add the 'finishing touches' I used a few embellishments - the butterfly (a sign
of spreading wings to freedom), hearts (because a little love - self or
otherwise, goes a long way) and the 'keep calm and craft on border' because
keeping calm and craft can both be therapeutic, I’ve found!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I
really enjoyed doing this piece, although I criticise its imperfections, I feel
pleased to have completed another square for SOS."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>18. Natalie McCulloch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"My
first cross stitch piece for SOS is quite wordy. As those who know me will
probably agree, I’m often not short of a word or two to babble off, regardless
of the sense of it all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I
chose to divide the cross stitch piece into two. This is because I often feel
I’m in 'two minds' - a healthy one and a less healthy one. And one side is more
'recovery-geared'/'lighter' and 'hopeful' with all the pleasurable things and
desires I possess. The other is somewhat 'darker', 'gloomier' and more
'distress signalling'. The tape measure border lines the gloomier side, because
this is how I feel measuring myself by such 'inadequate measures' as
shape/weight, is. After all - what does the number on the scales or the
measurement of a body part, say about a person, really? It doesn’t show who
they are, who they can be, what they value or strive for. The border on the
other side is far more 'happy' and 'hopeful' suggesting 'dreams can come true'
and re-instilling the need for goals and positivity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
quote I used was by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu and, to me, represents the
need, sometimes, to not think too far into the future (as this can be scary and
daunting as to put you off from even making an initial bit of progress), but to
think of one smaller way to make a difference or one smaller change - which,
hopefully, will all amount to a greater (excuse the irony) gain eventually.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I
am fairly pleased with the overall piece I created, although I could (and have
done) easily criticise things I failed to mention on it or the neatness. I
enjoyed engaging in the creation of the piece, and hope it gives a small
'window' into the two extremes of an eating disordered mind-set."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>21. Natalie McCulloch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">HOW ARE YOU?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“I
created this piece to represent how often the answers we give to questions such
as 'how are you?' lack actual validity. They are socially constructed 'polite'
responses, they are 'protective' responses to protect ourselves and others,
they are 'what we think others want to hear', they are 'rushed' responses, they
are 'socially acceptable' - but they are not always true. Equally, when others
say to use we look 'fine, ok, well' etc., it doesn’t necessary mean what we
interpret it to. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jnq3p1li6TwpAnKSGvlWMdgrX_IOSGE5eZ23yQ1EsJeRoQjIToAvCc3aSQQP5iD8mV9oEJXEXAaKmcOqR71JcYqo4_CVzdmHlT3S7nxzdePqDyO9EmoUvLFc9GJq9Zs_R3dxNIEMMcc/s1600/IMG_2650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jnq3p1li6TwpAnKSGvlWMdgrX_IOSGE5eZ23yQ1EsJeRoQjIToAvCc3aSQQP5iD8mV9oEJXEXAaKmcOqR71JcYqo4_CVzdmHlT3S7nxzdePqDyO9EmoUvLFc9GJq9Zs_R3dxNIEMMcc/s320/IMG_2650.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had the
pleasure of meeting a lovely lady from Poland, during a recent hospital
admission, who explained to me how, in her culture, when someone asks 'How are
you?’ they actually want a response/wait for a response. She was shocked how,
in our culture, quite often it is just 'something we say' without necessarily
waiting for, or wanting an honest response. It does pose the question - why we
ask it, if we do not 'care' to listen to the response. But it did make me
realise how frequently I do it...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also
acknowledge that I find the comment 'You look well' hard to hear as it makes me
feel people are saying 'you've gained weight, we can see it' or 'you should
have your life sorted if you look well'. Which is an eye opening acknowledgment
in itself. I don’t think I’m alone in this feeling, but it is something I’d
like to challenge. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I really
enjoyed doing this piece, it was very therapeutic to 'get it out' of my head. I
did criticise how I didn’t plan it, had to 'Google' words beginning with
certain letters which my vocabulary didn’t extend to and I also criticised the
'poor stitching'. But I did it regardless. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
border is meant to be 'messy' to represent how 'messy' our emotions can be and
how seemingly 'messed up' our approach to them are too.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>23. Natalie and Hayley McCulloch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“The final piece added to the SOS display is very special to
me, it is the Audrey Hepburn image sporting the quote “nothing is impossible-
the very word says ‘I’m possible’”. I love this quote, as it’s both clever and
motivational too! I also love Audrey Hepburn – I think she is beautifully
elegant, talented and her love for others is honourable. Many people may just
know her to be the eye-catching actress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s – but it’s
worth noting that she was also a passionate humanitarian who supported
children’s charities across the globe and even set up her own children’s
charity too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She once said</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> “I speak for those children who cannot
speak for themselves, children who have absolutely nothing but their courage
and their smiles, their wits and their dreams.” I can’t help but feel this
quote is also powerful in terms of mental health conditions – sometimes we need
that ‘Audrey’ to speak for us, or help us speak out, to end the silence which stigma
can cause… And we also need to utilize our smiles, wit, dreams and courage to
help us stay strong during trying times. It also shows that people often have
deeper layers than others see – far from being just a beautiful talented
actress, she was many other wonderful things too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sometimes I fear stigma
originates from people failing to ‘look deeper’. Allow me to use personal
examples to elaborate: - just because
someone isn’t eating pudding – it doesn’t mean they’re on a diet; similarly
just because they’re a healthy weight it doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling
with eating issues. Just because someone doesn’t make small talk it doesn’t
mean they’re anti-social; if someone isn’t working it doesn’t mean they’re
lazy. Equally if someone smiles it doesn’t
mean they’re happy. As humans we are quite skilled at masking a range of
issues! </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The quote is fabulous, it’s so
positive, and sometimes I think we need to believe that anything is possible,
in order to avoid spiraling into any dark thoughts. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnUsoYJ-CuBODTYtl2iULkD8rm4rtjdPIquCjN43T8P6aa4_myN7fE81CjH4AF7acfbcMRTRDmANNNDjh5ynTnyTx8llEGmHjA60n67oDOZhc6YfUIHGdrrSOR3OlBzSBdnq7az-EQFQ/s1600/IMG_2638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnUsoYJ-CuBODTYtl2iULkD8rm4rtjdPIquCjN43T8P6aa4_myN7fE81CjH4AF7acfbcMRTRDmANNNDjh5ynTnyTx8llEGmHjA60n67oDOZhc6YfUIHGdrrSOR3OlBzSBdnq7az-EQFQ/s320/IMG_2638.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m so pleased that Audrey made
it onto SOS – as she is one of my idols. However, the added importance of this
piece is that it was created by my wonderful sister, Hayley, as a birthday
surprise for me. And what a wonderful surprise it was too – I was amazed at how
perfectly she’d captured Audrey’s beauty through cross stitch and touched by
the thought, time and talent which had gone into it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I won’t deny it was hard for me
to part with the piece, but I also feel so proud of Hayley for doing it and
proud of SOS as a whole – so it seemed a perfect way to fill the final gap and
a perfect home for Audrey! It was also hard decision to part with it as I
worried Hayley wouldn’t want it shown in SOS as she’s quite shy and very much
undervalues her work. I also worried that
she’d question whether I loved her gift to start with (I definitely do love it
– but I love it so much, it seems a shame to selfishly keep it to myself as opposed
to share it with everyone who will see SOS, and it seemed the perfect way to
rectify our ‘space’ issue on the display!).
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I do think it looks really good
on the display however, and the powerful quote speaks volumes and almost
mirrors the stories which have come through since starting SOS – that anything
is possible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am trying to believe that
anything is possible for my own life as I often fear I’ve ‘messed everything
up/wasted too many years/I’m too old or stupid’, but perhaps If I start
thinking more positively, positive results may just happen…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>24. Natalie McCulloch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Little Mermaid<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Everyone
loves a Disney film! Right? Well, I certainly do and I thought I would show it
via stitching! The lyrics to this song seem very emotive to me - <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"MAYBE
THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME" -
I have to question this about myself a lot, and sometimes I think I don’t
question it enough and I take my 'habitual behaviours' as 'the norm'.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"LOOKING
AROUND HERE YOU THINK SHE'S GOT EVERYTHING" - This is something which
people often say to me, that I always seem to 'relapse' when things are going
well, when I have, on the surface 'everything' going for me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"BUT
WHO CARES, NO BIG DEAL, I WANT MORE" - I always want more, it’s never
enough, never good enough - I'm always HUNGRY for more in my life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwm-S6gOcMHCpS1rTfWxqbRdlVSoB9lT5uc1r2VoYqkxEZDYXBq-xdw9q3hhLzmO8yF8qIbpn0EoMjhLi10mynL_bPFHbyZLLf8c6kOK3liHNNmOyUDcoMEC2c_jd3jJQ4DwtCNkAza9s/s1600/IMG_2665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwm-S6gOcMHCpS1rTfWxqbRdlVSoB9lT5uc1r2VoYqkxEZDYXBq-xdw9q3hhLzmO8yF8qIbpn0EoMjhLi10mynL_bPFHbyZLLf8c6kOK3liHNNmOyUDcoMEC2c_jd3jJQ4DwtCNkAza9s/s320/IMG_2665.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I
WANNA BE WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE" - This lyric relates to my loneliness, how
although my photos/statuses on Facebook will suggest I 'do a lot', most of the
time it is alone, and I don’t like this. I fear loneliness, yet somehow it
feels safer, at times, too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"WANDERIN'
FREE" - everyone else seems to 'have it easy' at times, they seem to 'grow
up' easily, they seem to deal with hellish things with 'ease'. So I question,
what’s wrong with me that I struggle so much?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"WISH
I COULD BE PART OF THAT WORLD" - I desperately want to mix with people
more, and reach certain goals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I
enjoyed doing this piece, I am not sure whether it looks like 'Ariel and
Flounder' or whether I should have asked permission from 'DISNEY' - whether
this is something else I have done wrong....But I enjoyed doing the piece and I
do feel it is relative to my condition. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u>25. Jeanette
Llewellyn</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRrdd_AeorV0nsD0JNpWkC3hV8S4Sc0E8zH_BFXJeDihKRqxWoAVOjDMlyeH4TCHSirdw5LiqzdJjaxJgeJ1rQj-fHubFEg5ep_eOpIk5-2IyjsHOyqXk80-5MTt0Huk_BmdT_vQwjpk/s1600/IMG_2639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRrdd_AeorV0nsD0JNpWkC3hV8S4Sc0E8zH_BFXJeDihKRqxWoAVOjDMlyeH4TCHSirdw5LiqzdJjaxJgeJ1rQj-fHubFEg5ep_eOpIk5-2IyjsHOyqXk80-5MTt0Huk_BmdT_vQwjpk/s320/IMG_2639.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"This hedgehog was
the first counted cross stitch I completed and started me on a journey that
brought xx loads of challenges which stopped me feeling depressed and gave me
something to enjoy. I have done plenty of cross stitches since, but it helps me
to keep focused." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
Stitching Out Stigmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170316729179368761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6362698474674210888.post-34812982150395090332016-03-31T13:27:00.003-07:002016-03-31T13:46:52.993-07:00The written pieces for SOS's finished squares Part 1<div class="WordSection1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjH1jehzSfmYO9YXka7rDgYj0_v-VP85vqyEdrAf5mYtvIUwukHzeg6VaYsYDOPhUTdM7bncaQTj9OUbYxVKC_nkfSBAW2QCdMiJcguTT-igHzZsd0EjKhershCd54RpuyPoKmcfkAaA/s1600/IMG_2687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjH1jehzSfmYO9YXka7rDgYj0_v-VP85vqyEdrAf5mYtvIUwukHzeg6VaYsYDOPhUTdM7bncaQTj9OUbYxVKC_nkfSBAW2QCdMiJcguTT-igHzZsd0EjKhershCd54RpuyPoKmcfkAaA/s320/IMG_2687.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The written pieces for one of the wall hangings are here. The numbers correspond to their position on the hanging.</span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span></u></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u>Kath Thomas</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I had been
searching for some time for a way to use my craft skills to get a meaningful
message across about mental health when I came across a weblink to the
Stitching out Stigma page. Perfect I thought, produce a 10 inch square cross
stitch to express my thoughts about overcoming depression. Only one slight
snag, I hadn’t cross stitched for years. I ordered a square of aida and dug out
my old embroidery silks that had been inherited from a Great Aunt a long time
ago. When faced with a completely blank canvas my first instinct is to
procrastinate, something I could have had a degree in by now (if I could have
been arsed to start it). So procrastinate I did. I had the seed of the idea
though, this spring in the South Wales valleys we had some of the worst grass
fires for a decade, acres and acres of lush green grassland was turned to
charcoal. The amazing thing about these fires was even though the top sol was
burnt, it didn’t stop the green shoots of the ferns poking through a few weeks
later. Defiant in their vivid greenness, the ferns pushed up and soon the hills
were green again despite the damage that lay below their blanket of ferns. So,
you can see where I am going with this, out of the blackness comes the green
shoots of recovery, but the damage still lurks below.</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vTlUyuvMKvIG0zLqfaC0mcuMBEWx2qo7CgkYikjWLV2xI_MeripFUQevmT0qQij9nK08fbdL143raUwF8RQhA_P4d1GgkS_RrknAEsETgaeoy00-T0brUAXHl21zgLwBrYzwQOk6S-Q/s1600/IMG_2633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vTlUyuvMKvIG0zLqfaC0mcuMBEWx2qo7CgkYikjWLV2xI_MeripFUQevmT0qQij9nK08fbdL143raUwF8RQhA_P4d1GgkS_RrknAEsETgaeoy00-T0brUAXHl21zgLwBrYzwQOk6S-Q/s320/IMG_2633.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Next I needed
some words, as when you become ill you are bombarded with words, whether you
like it or not. Everyone has an opinion ranging from complete incomprehension
‘come on it can’t be that bad’ to a simple helpful ‘let’s grab a cuppa and
chat’. Sadly you learn who your real friends are fast and that online, many trolls
lurk amongst the web forums. I have my own strict internal filters, I know what
can upset me and won’t get drawn into a debate if I can sense someone is being
less than genuine. One phrase I have carried with me over the last 20 years of
talking, reading and googling is the simple ‘accept, adapt and achieve’. I was
at a GP appointment feeling very anxious, but he sat me down, talked to me like
I was a real person and said ‘what you need is the three A’s’. He was probably
the sixth GP I had seen in as many months and I had been fobbed off so many
times with various scripts it was good to have someone who actually listened to
me. The was no means a miracle cure but it represented a turning point for me.
I began to accept who I was, my flaws and my illness, I began to make a few
life changes and tried not to be so hard on myself but I did continue to
challenge myself and I still do, sometimes this backfires but I had to be able
to try. Something in me told me not to give up that I would improve, learn more
about myself and develop coping strategies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, this is my piece of the project, hope it
makes you think.”<br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
<br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>2. Jo Perry</u></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">"When my son had
his 2 year check-up we raised our concerns about the fact he wasn’t speaking.
The Health Visitor brushed these concerns aside but we insisted on a referral
to a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT). Eventually we got to see one who instantly
agreed with us our son was on the autistic spectrum (ASD). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">She uttered the
immortal words "You are going to need a folder" meaning "there
will be a lot of paperwork!". What she didn't mention was the jargon and
acronyms we would have to learn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Our son is six now and
attends a wonderful special school four days a week and a great mainstream
school one day a week. He is happy, safe and thriving in both environments.
Unlike many of his peers in mainstream education without the specialist support
they desperately need. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">One great source of
support and advice is the National Autistic Society (NAS). For this project I
asked the parents on their Facebook page for some acronyms I could use. Here
are just a few of them which I stitched onto the square for the project. If I
had used them all I would have been able to make an entire quilt myself! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
</span>
</span><br />
<div class="WordSection2">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">SEN - Special
Educational Needs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">ADOS - Autism
Diagnostic Observation Scale<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">BSL - British Sign
Language <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">IEP - Individual
Education Plan <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">NAS - National Autistic
Society<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">CAMHS - Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Services <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">CIR - County Inclusive
Resource <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5dXZTcMnc205zEFjZOIbzq6fT3EdYxRmrbAF2HKVQJiBUS87DgrrfeEpuRRUgCp6BUEewlV9uIPtsDPsxocgG2dGD08vcPiHN5HFErjB5xItEhmxjARgxxJyE9IwkKePEKTj1Bu61DQ/s1600/IMG_2634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5dXZTcMnc205zEFjZOIbzq6fT3EdYxRmrbAF2HKVQJiBUS87DgrrfeEpuRRUgCp6BUEewlV9uIPtsDPsxocgG2dGD08vcPiHN5HFErjB5xItEhmxjARgxxJyE9IwkKePEKTj1Bu61DQ/s320/IMG_2634.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">DLA - Disability Living
Allowance <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">EHCP - Education,
Health and Care plan <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">MDA - Multi -
Disciplinary Assessment <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">ADHD - Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">PECS - Picture Exchange
Communication System<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">SLT - Speech and
Language Therapist <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">GDD - Global Delayed
Development <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">BID - Bilateral
Integration Disorder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">CAF - Common Assessment
Framework <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">SPD - Sensory
Processing Disorder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">ODD - Oppositional
Defiant Disorder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">OCD - Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">LSA - Learning Support
Assistant <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">MLD - Mild Learning
Disability <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">SLD - Severe Learning
Disability <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">PDD - NOS - Pervasive
Development Disorder - not otherwise specified <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">ADD - Attention Deficit
Disorder <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">SN0 - Special Needs
Officer <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">CDC - Child Development
Clinic <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">PDA - Pathological
Demand Avoidance <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My design shows the happy child at the centre of all these words, he is jumping for joy and scattering the letters as he does so. Sometimes the experts get so engrossed in the different "disorders" and "syndromes" they forget to see the child at the centre. This is a reminder. With the right support our children can be full of happiness; they can learn and take a full role in life.</span><br />
<div class="WordSection3">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have to go now, apparently it’s essential that I bounce on the bed and tickle him!”
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: -19.85pt; margin-right: -17.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
</span>
</span><br />
<div class="WordSection4">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u>7. Charlotte
Compton</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“My cross-stitch piece
is based on seasons, summer spring autumn and winter. Even after the harshest
winter, spring will come. Nature and gardening have been a big part of my
recovery, getting back to basics. The words are lyrics from a song that’s got
me through hard times – “Fear” by “Blue October”. This band’s been with me
through hell and back more than any would know. All their lyrics bring a peace
in me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDnu2x3royRzjQz-u9cXUqubeOZQ1bATheJMYxzLqexarRvr6FJ_782PAPf2YQ_kr4URPwAMVDMoxbqlD19YtX_mPS6DoaCj3zYLLmaFF9pFsfiSlTuTXJZVxzh8kn1lbN9ympnbMNCg/s1600/IMG_2631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDnu2x3royRzjQz-u9cXUqubeOZQ1bATheJMYxzLqexarRvr6FJ_782PAPf2YQ_kr4URPwAMVDMoxbqlD19YtX_mPS6DoaCj3zYLLmaFF9pFsfiSlTuTXJZVxzh8kn1lbN9ympnbMNCg/s320/IMG_2631.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">I have what they call
borderline personality disorder, although this never summed up how I felt. I’ve
had depression, bulimia and addictive personality. Especially to abusive
relationships. Every time I recover from one aspect, I seem to slip into
another. People have judged, “Just get over it” and misunderstood. I smile even
when I want to scream. I consider myself semi recovered. I notice warning signs
in myself. I have a beautiful child who changed my world and gave me purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Blue October taught me
to see the world through child’s eyes, stand up and embrace good and bad.
Crafting and art have always been therapy. When I got ill at 16 with bulimia, I
lost my way, art slowly bought me back. In patient taught me crafts and how
others cope. Focusing on a piece of art instead of my head helped. This
project’s helped realise what can achieve again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">I think more people understand mental health than we
realise. They don’t understand how it can affect every aspect of your life none
stop. But to anyone who’s ill, there’s hope. It takes years to be “normal” and
you’re still have bad days. But as my piece says, “I used to fall, now I get
back up.””</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
</span>
</span><br />
<div class="WordSection5">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u>8. Anonymous</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">During my second year at the University I got
stuck in a severe depression with regular panic attacks. I remember lying awake
in my bed at 5am in cloud sweat fearing that the world would realize how
improper and imperfect I was. Most of my friends and family labelled my
transformation from a cheery Christian girl to a moody dark clad creature as an
belated teenage rebellion, or would just pretend that nothing happened. It was
me against the whole wide world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhPP50Sl2P-RnrxpkhvTZWcABop8LcZzbFTBqsoeAVf4RJV6Pp_gojyoG-vRwdkH3CZFHQF_ZrOtgu9l3MDPQn0fv-L1K7RqU-UhUQ-FEEaAPdfaPSeblieC5UR7KSbtPKxe9oLhMC58/s1600/IMG_2630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhPP50Sl2P-RnrxpkhvTZWcABop8LcZzbFTBqsoeAVf4RJV6Pp_gojyoG-vRwdkH3CZFHQF_ZrOtgu9l3MDPQn0fv-L1K7RqU-UhUQ-FEEaAPdfaPSeblieC5UR7KSbtPKxe9oLhMC58/s320/IMG_2630.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">As my condition grew constantly worse, I
completely abandoned my studies and ended up in an year-long abusive
relationship with a married man twice older than me. All these months I
blamed myself for being stupid, not cheerful enough, and promiscuous.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I never got any professional help back then, and
getting back to reality was more of a miracle - somehow there was a friend that
was there for me. When I got better, I erased the depression years out of my
memory - completely. Even when I got premarital counselling (I feared that I’m
not good enough for my fiancée) they never came up. I didn't remember that
there was something like that in my life! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It took me a decade to understand that something
was wrong with me, and a couple of years more to get used to the fact that my
relationship back then was hurtful and abusing. I still blame myself, but day
to day I find more strength to be forgiving. And though most pains are healed,
I cannot help but wonder what would happen if somebody - anybody - back then
told me that I was having mental health issues and could be helped.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><b><u>9. Mary Hawkins</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">"The piece I have
sent in captures my message and feelings about having Bipolar Disorder, as a
youngster and teen I had many bouts of depression and manias. But was only ever
diagnosed with depression in my teens to get worse as I went onto university. I
became a secondary school English teacher but in a 12 year career I was dogged
with bouts of crippling depression. Last year I was finally diagnosed with
Bipolar Disorder. It was a case of my lowest point had been reached and I
realised teaching was no longer for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">I taught myself cross
stitch when I was in my final year of university as a way of calming myself
down. That was 15 years ago. Stitching is a comfort and therapeutic as it
allows me to focus on something positive. I have bad concentration due to the
Bipolar but my psychiatrist said to me that it was important for me to have
something like that and I should use it as part of my therapy. It does help
even if it's only for 10 or 20 minutes in the day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y6FB4lxtrKHWyRp8HCQKBw62pjeOrcWIszdbRkar_wFMyvyajknx2rOFSysNGL-b9QZ-6w0QO_dRPEmaKkZ6tdOiEmu7Rh0TdFXFmZu_jTkbwS3kx_3p6tsp4ISKRH3CX3no0b4GDbw/s1600/IMG_2629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y6FB4lxtrKHWyRp8HCQKBw62pjeOrcWIszdbRkar_wFMyvyajknx2rOFSysNGL-b9QZ-6w0QO_dRPEmaKkZ6tdOiEmu7Rh0TdFXFmZu_jTkbwS3kx_3p6tsp4ISKRH3CX3no0b4GDbw/s320/IMG_2629.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Bipolar has altered my
life dramatically. I have given up teaching because some of the basic duties
are triggers. A lot of old colleagues ad 'friends' stopped talking to me when I
explained I have Bipolar. It is lonely at times and frustrating but it forced
me to look at life and change. I am living life for me now - not others and am
embarking on a new career path in fashion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Mental health stigma is
crippling as people assume you are crazy and insist that you need sectioning at
the slightest aggravation. It’s like you are suddenly an alien with 3 heads and
people avoid you or they trivialise your illness. Either way you are judged.
That was the inspiration for my design. I chose the music print fabric because
with mental health illness you always lose that harmony or balance in your life
and it’s a struggle to get it back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">When I saw the Stitching
Out Stigma project on Facebook I knew I had to contribute. It resonates so
deeply with me and I can’t thank Natalie enough for allowing me a chance to
express myself in a way that is so therapeutic." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px; text-align: center;"><b><u>10. Maggie Robinson</u></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvvpi2URa7KKbccJFc5cp8GQh7hGeIzUGUwm2oSetzASbUNtwsVndEnFzvtnKUWndgO2NGOX0BO9489SyoW2flSu4flwQdCkLJtovWlKIBySIUvOIzB5w0DCMJr8MZKffGZfCDDbA_CE/s1600/IMG_2628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvvpi2URa7KKbccJFc5cp8GQh7hGeIzUGUwm2oSetzASbUNtwsVndEnFzvtnKUWndgO2NGOX0BO9489SyoW2flSu4flwQdCkLJtovWlKIBySIUvOIzB5w0DCMJr8MZKffGZfCDDbA_CE/s320/IMG_2628.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I am not really a stitcher and I have never tried cross-stitch until now – I bought this cloth to teach my young daughter some basic stitching! However, I have periodic poor mental health, which is only improved by decades of serious work, counselling, reading and psychotherapy to try and maintain it. Everyone has a mental health wobble at some time, but most people don’t like to think of it that way. It is so important to be open about our struggles as human beings, whether it be helping support poor mental health or learning how to develop good mental health. I have many many hobbies (mostly textile or woodwork) which are my main support in maintaining good mental health. In struggling to get started on this piece I experienced a familiar major struggle: Procrastination and my difficulty in finishing projects can look like sheer laziness to others, but stems from massive underlying self-doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This is by no means ‘good’ work, but it is a reflection of my fractured interests and inner turmoil. I love nature, notice small things of great beauty (reflected in my flower border) and this together with finding the wry humour in life keeps me going.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>11.
The Round Robin, part 1 by Inger Lovise Djøseland</u></b></span></div>
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<v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">
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</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="human being.png" id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" style="height: 190.4pt; margin-left: 0; margin-top: 52.8pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: margin; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: margin; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 193.7pt; z-index: 251657728;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></v:shape><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Hello,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I am Inger Lovise from Norway,
63 yrs old, married, mother of five and grandma of eight. The last 16 yrs
before I retired last year I worked as a train conductor. Before that I worked
as an assistant in the mental health home service for two years. In earlier
days I was in hospital twice due to overdose of pills, which again was due to
several things in my past and present life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When I learned about this
project on Facebook – another Norwegian woman stated that this was something
she’d like to join and I decided look it up and immediately wanted to join too.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupPP4Xjk1gG2Us8CjRBHXbnKy9WRK9Ejr5f7LsYAOCBUwQ-gbQ7qoKJx0aj7yzXLGn7OzX9vDN86fM0WVdMIk1R0HDCvHNDswp2lgUvOfFDBaXFsRO6lX9zbSHo8t_ZKygYUcFc7rSSc/s1600/IMG_2623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupPP4Xjk1gG2Us8CjRBHXbnKy9WRK9Ejr5f7LsYAOCBUwQ-gbQ7qoKJx0aj7yzXLGn7OzX9vDN86fM0WVdMIk1R0HDCvHNDswp2lgUvOfFDBaXFsRO6lX9zbSHo8t_ZKygYUcFc7rSSc/s320/IMG_2623.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Inger's square is bottom left</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I like to do several kinds of
crafts, also cross stitching. I make little patterns for a group of Nepali
women who make cards that are sold in Norway and wherever else they manage to
sell them. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
And when I had read about this project and decided to join this pattern showed
up in my head while I was dividing the square, and I just had to draw it and
print it out. Now I have it wrapped in an envelope and ready to go to Linn
Marie Bakke who will do part two.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Although I have managed an
everyday life over the years, I have fought my inner battles. I tried to open
up some for my doctor, but he did not take it too seriously – I guess I was too
good to hide my despair. Finally when reaching sixty I broke down and called a
center for victims of abuse. I always thought that what I had experienced was
such a little deal compared to what others have gone through. And at this place
I found the help I needed. Things fell into place and I saw in how many ways
this has held a choking grip on me all those years and how many areas of my
life that had been disturbed by it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now I am eagerly looking
forward to become no. four on another square. I do like the idea of so many
different people joining each other to do this. I hope it turns out just as
wonderful as it should be! Good luck on joining all the squares at the end. I
hope you will send us many pictures on Facebook as the project keeps growing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u>14. Natalie McCulloch</u></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">“There are many reasons why this piece is powerful to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This was my final piece for SOS and so the idea of ‘letting go’ rings
true there, mixed emotions definitely feature with having to ‘let go’ of SOS
when I have had such a lot of positives from it... I guess, in a sense, it’s
not 'letting it go' as much as moving onto a new chapter of it - it will always
be a source of joy and pride for me, as I hope it will for all those who made
it possible! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Recovery and indeed, mental health experiences can be about 'letting
it go' sometimes, I think. Letting go of negative behaviours/thoughts, letting
go of coping strategies, letting go of people, letting go of places, letting go
of ideals/perfectionism... sometimes life doesn’t go well or 'to plan' and we
just have to 'let it go'....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I love the film Frozen and the lyrics from 'Let It Go' (one of the
famous songs from it) rang true to me, and potentially others, in relation to
my mental health which is why I thought it was a good thing to bring to
'SOS'...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweDUEHGngCKhmLlE0Y8EUo9n7FfpZrQ1bqUdCukHCc1MsB616PzVLIaU8lN9Qw9-pY52tWI-iSusqOhIdV3PXafRBO3NCzQIrfDZZJG5-h08MH4Z1mu9VlZ9XdG9UA5iRsyWY1KNHCvM/s1600/IMG_2626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweDUEHGngCKhmLlE0Y8EUo9n7FfpZrQ1bqUdCukHCc1MsB616PzVLIaU8lN9Qw9-pY52tWI-iSusqOhIdV3PXafRBO3NCzQIrfDZZJG5-h08MH4Z1mu9VlZ9XdG9UA5iRsyWY1KNHCvM/s320/IMG_2626.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The text reads:- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"A kingdom of isolation, it looks like I’m the queen,
the wind is howling like this swirling storm inside, couldn’t keep it in,
heaven knows I’ve tried”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">To me this represents how isolating my mental health issues can be,
how stormy the journey is (and I hate storms/get battered in them and feel
distressed!) and how I try to hide but I can’t... anorexia, especially, gets to
a point where it's obvious to outsiders that something isn’t quite right...<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Don’t let them in, don’t let them see, be the good girl you
always have to be, conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I feel a big part of my problem is that I was brought up always
expected to be good and fit into this image of being part of a 'perfect'
family/society model which I’ve carried through (or tried to) for years,
despite always falling far too short of 'perfection' or 'good' by anyone's
standards...<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Let it go, let it go, can’t hold it back anymore, let it
go, let it go, turn away and slam the door, I don’t care what they're going to
say.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This is true to me, I get to a point where I simply have 'had enough'
and I shatter without a care or thought for others feelings, views or opinions
of me....<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“It’s funny how some distance, makes everything seem small,
the fears that once controlled me, can’t get to me at all, it’s time to see
what I can do, to test the limits and breakthrough, no right, no wrong, no
rules for me..."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It is true how sometimes the distance (physical distance of
hospital/holiday breaks or 'time in a different setting') can help to put
things into perspective, for me. I would like to think that this last bit is a
bit about recovery which, one day, I hope to experience...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The actual procedure of stitching also included 'letting go’ for me.
Firstly, I lost the original embellishment which ironically someone else must
have 'let go of' because I found it on the floor (which sound awful!) but it
was a bit of a necklace I think and it said 'Let It Go'. I put it in one of the
notoriously bad 'safe places' and like most of the things I put here - I can’t
find it now! (When I one day work out where this safe place is, I’m in for a
lot of treats I imagine! lol). I knew the necklace had come from ASDA but sadly
they no longer stock them, so I found a different one, which I am quite pleased
with as its actually a mirror inside, which works as a reflection of how
sometimes I have to 'look and let go' in order to try and stay sane (ish).... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">As for the Sisters stitched onto it - well, this is because, as awful
as I am to her at times (sorry Hay) I do love her, and I know I put far too
much stress onto her, but I always aspire to change and I value the bond we
have, the founding 'blocks' of which we need to build upon. I couldn’t have
done any of this (recovery or stitching mission) without her. She did the
sister stitch on this for me and I am so grateful for it as, to me, it and her
are amazing. Of course, I look at my part in it and say 'It’s rubbish' compared
to her amazing part, but that’s sisters perhaps! And, what is perhaps most
important to remember is this is team work and there is no 'I' or no 'bad' in
team! </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">J</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">15.
Annalise</span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“My piece for ‘Stitching Out Stigma’, I have named
‘Silenced’. It represents firstly, my life, where my mental health condition,
Anorexia Nervosa, thrives in secrecy, protected by my enduring silence and
preventing me from voicing my emotions, and secondly, the shame that silences
me, living in fear of other’s reactions, the stigma, when they discover my
‘secret’ life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is based upon an actual piece of artwork,
which I created aged 17 years old, when confined to an adolescent eating
disorder unit, severely ill with Anorexia, existing on forced tube-feedings. I
had been wrenched suddenly from my family, to a city many miles away from my
rural, home environment, as my condition became life-threatening. The trauma of
this separation, for a shy, withdrawn teenager, rendered me mute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mhej1xlOidyxSMYx-5Pliy6WkEVDQHzacZavuj-geTsRV-SHS7XHVNL4VxEcCobE6dbM-lNiNCpTdPEieE6QI13aE5Acnt-erM4qKs-874lDVqnGzyC1V0C3v-hRZeDoP4oVGxYpbWQ/s1600/IMG_2627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mhej1xlOidyxSMYx-5Pliy6WkEVDQHzacZavuj-geTsRV-SHS7XHVNL4VxEcCobE6dbM-lNiNCpTdPEieE6QI13aE5Acnt-erM4qKs-874lDVqnGzyC1V0C3v-hRZeDoP4oVGxYpbWQ/s320/IMG_2627.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Creativity became my solace, and this artwork reflected my
first attempts to ‘speak’ through my silence, and begin to let people see my
true feelings, my pain, which lay behind my silence. I was lucky, I survived my
Anorexia, when my beautiful, talented friend succumbed, but Anorexia has always
been the ‘wolf at my shoulder’, stalking me through life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style="height: 219.2pt; margin-left: -1.65pt; margin-top: 411.2pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: margin; mso-position-horizontal-relative: margin; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: margin; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: margin; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 292.15pt; z-index: 251668992;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\H_MC8_~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">
<w:wrap anchorx="margin" anchory="margin" type="square">
</w:wrap></span></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have lived a
‘half-life’, confined by the ‘rules’ and ‘routines’ of my Anorexia, struggling
with its companions of depression, low self-esteem and low self-confidence,
significantly impacting upon all areas of my life. At times over all these
years, the ‘wolf’ has been very close, and I have felt its breath on my throat,
as I fought so very hard to save my ‘half-life’ from total destruction. I am
always alone … Anorexia ensuring it remains at the centre of my life …with the
prospects of further education, a career, friendships, relationships, children,
all being sacrificed in the relentless ‘need’ to satisfy its dominance … <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">… and so my secrets remain behind my smile, as I find myself
fighting so hard once more, hoping that I can remain strong enough so that the
‘wolf’ of my Anorexia does not consume me entirely … <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">… one day, I hope I can speak, my silence will be broken, and
my smile will be true …”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><b><u>1</u></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u>8. Samantha McCaughan</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">My personal experience
of Mental Health Issues<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“I feel that my
experience off Anxiety issues started several years ago when I was suffering
from a condition called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome where I was virtually house
bound as I was so ill I didn’t have the energy to get dressed it completely
wiped me out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzFNQPok7swcpBewWFu-mxceIKpHM2FdAOmdoLndXb4byOYgKerggM1JcVqp4GYzPsbzas3xlrKeUk8fz29etp9gKbiVSzPiE1nSLFGCF9h2MuSKPY1meBNil_UVQcYE7AK-ZWy3BmcA/s1600/IMG_2622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzFNQPok7swcpBewWFu-mxceIKpHM2FdAOmdoLndXb4byOYgKerggM1JcVqp4GYzPsbzas3xlrKeUk8fz29etp9gKbiVSzPiE1nSLFGCF9h2MuSKPY1meBNil_UVQcYE7AK-ZWy3BmcA/s320/IMG_2622.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">I had other associated problems
that CF brings and it just wasn’t the chronic Fatigue I had associated chronic pain
and a long term Bowel problem as well. The anxiety issues gradually came on de
to me being anxious regarding my Bowel problem at the time I didn’t realize
that this was controlling me so much that I was so worried that if something
happened when I left the house how could I cope and it was easier to stay
indoors that go out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">I got to breaking point
and went to see my GP who had always been so supportive and helpful and he
realized that I was in a bad way and recommended that I had some support from
the CFS clinic and to address my Bowel problem again he also approached taking
anti-depressants which I was reluctant to have really so I was prescribed a
tablet called Citalopram 10mg a very low dosage I was on the around 6 months
and noticed I was more anxious that before and I can only explain that my head
seemed more funny than normal I couldn’t think straight and felt numb I was
crying at the slightest thing. so I went back to my GP and asked if I could
reduce and come off the tablet and he was so supportive and I was seeing an
occupational therapist who specialized in chronic illnesses and how to manage
your condition this helped me so much and we would talk through how I was feeling and we started a plan of
action to help me get out just to the local shop collect my paper which was
across the road and I started doing this and keeping a diary off everything I
did and score 1-10 on pain levels and fatigue and I found this so helpful I was
then able to increase going to the shop just for my paper but to browse the
shop so I was out an extra 5 mins which some people who have never suffered a
mental health issues wouldn’t understand that this can be so hard to do. I got
to know the staff and they were so supportive and I felt safe now doing this
activity. from having this help and support from my GP and OT I was able to
come off the medication and this changed my life I was able to manage my
conditions better and the key thing that was pointed out to me was that my
energy levels are like a battery and it was running on empty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">I started taking up
cross stitch which I found helped me considerably and become my real sole mate
through my illness and that would calm me down and kept my fingers and hands
supple and moving. All I can say is there is a light at the end of the tunnel
and Cross stitch kept me sane. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">I was thrilled to see
the article in cross stitch collection on stitching out stigma and to take part
in making a square for this fantastic cause and highlighting mental illness and
how crafting can help through difficult times." <br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u>19. Helen
Skinner</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“After hearing about
the campaign from Sew magazine I decided to get started directly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">I have found needlework
to be a constant help to me over the years. I have suffered from PND and GAD in
the past and have had successful CBT therapy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rysS7l0dbsBNw0i29fCBDJhdDMG94NyGweUn7B6cPOLDi88mBil-LIb40r98VrMtOo2txsc6_zss_qQwFjr9YDoklWDqMQY_Rb10P3hDd__URJAtN1FNp6eHUjnp2iG3e4xJWBEdw3A/s1600/IMG_2615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rysS7l0dbsBNw0i29fCBDJhdDMG94NyGweUn7B6cPOLDi88mBil-LIb40r98VrMtOo2txsc6_zss_qQwFjr9YDoklWDqMQY_Rb10P3hDd__URJAtN1FNp6eHUjnp2iG3e4xJWBEdw3A/s320/IMG_2615.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">The quote is from ‘The
Little Book of Mindfulness’ which I carry with me always.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u>20. Natalie McCulloch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">“I decided to ‘practice what I preach’ by doing this square. It is
being done as a ‘tool of therapy’ in a time where I definitely need it. I am,
in all sense, lapsing into my eating disorder and depression, this time it’s
different too as an admission isn’t on the cards and I have one session once a
week with (an albeit very good) member of local ‘SHED’ team. So it’s really mainly down to me to bite
more than the bullet (!) and put up with the ripple effect on my
urges/emotions. So basically this square is hopefully going to help that, the
reasons are listed below. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Cross stitch is a ‘tool’, for me. It relaxes me, distracts me from my
thoughts and has to be done mindfully and with concentration. It is helping me
‘sit down and rest’ in the evenings, usually with a film or episode of a show.
It’s distracting my thoughts away from the emotions of the day and its giving
me something to ‘do’ which isn’t anorexia led/energetic and also it’s quite
nice to feel productive at what I’m producing! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The second benefit is that it’s making me mindful of all the things I
have to be grateful of, as the quote I used said <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">"Every day may not be good, but there will be something good in
every day."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> It reminds me of an activity I
was introduced to in the adolescent unit I attended and later I was told about
in adult treatment. This activity is naming 3 positives every day with the hope
that, in time, the brain will get used to doing so without necessarily having
to ‘write it all down’ and thus a more positive mind frame will be created.
Sounds good! I do it occasionally and always find it helpful – but, as with a
lot of things with me, I have good intentions of doing it daily without fail,
but I give up or forget shortly into the ‘fresh start’... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">A few ideas of what’s on the square:- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Birds – I love the sounds of birds singing <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Yoga - I found this really helpful and owe thanks to a wonderful
lady/teacher Sian!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Knitting - a craft I enjoy and the focus of my volunteer role with
'Volunteering matters'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Sunshine – speaks for itself – instant happiness from above<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHfGhMa2suHSJ1hmEXTu16-t_9jys57GNYc6j5jHWk-3uqFQE6odD7b4Lei9CpzzT99wLy7Zjb5BmaBUU29oxKkHKWayC2Y0vfcdRooVwyjaS-DJUDw0kaNVnqeMQxeb-eDqfdhpsO4E/s1600/IMG_2614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHfGhMa2suHSJ1hmEXTu16-t_9jys57GNYc6j5jHWk-3uqFQE6odD7b4Lei9CpzzT99wLy7Zjb5BmaBUU29oxKkHKWayC2Y0vfcdRooVwyjaS-DJUDw0kaNVnqeMQxeb-eDqfdhpsO4E/s320/IMG_2614.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Shoes - buying new shoes, seeing new shoes, wearing nice
shoes...happy! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Flowers – I love all sorts of flowers, walking through the park and
seeing all the spring flowers, or having a bouquet never fails to make me feel
a bit brighter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Letters/post – I love, am lucky to get, post from my amazing friends
and family. I also enjoy writing to them, it’s a source of support, but also a
lovely way to keep in touch. It can make a day so much brighter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Camera - I love taking photos, looking at old photos (some cant fail
to raise a smile - esp. when they're over 20 years old and my dad is still
wearing same outfit! lol), I just struggle at times to be in photos! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Guinea pig - I love this little furry creatures and in the ward I
worked on, in Whitchurch hospital, they actually had 'resident guinea pigs' as
therapeutic tools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Tortoise - My flatmates had a lovely tortoise called 'flash', meeting
him made me smile! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Nail polish – it’s nice to do something for myself (although hard at
times to feel I deserve it)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Hugs - I love a good hug (or cwtch if you are welsh!) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Empathy - it’s lovely when someone, albeit might not understand, shows
empathy towards your situation <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Feeling good - speaks for itself <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Gardening - I have found this to be very helpful, I love connecting
with nature and seeing how things grow<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Fish and Chips, ice cream - my favourite foods! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Fresh linen - you can’t beat that feeling of getting into fresh bedding,
I think. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Everyone’s square would be different if they did their own 'positives'
and people well may look at mine and wonder why I’ve put certain things on it,
but its meaningful to me and, I think that’s what is important!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Doing the square is hard as I am not confident that a lot of the
images look like they are supposed to, plus its very much 'unplanned' so I am
hoping it won’t look too messy at the end. But it’s enjoyable to have a project
to 'do a bit of' each day as opposed to have to 'strive to finish'.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><b><u> </u></b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px; text-align: center;"><b><u>21. Nicola Davis</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“My piece is about my experience with anorexia, depression and suicidal thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">I think that the fact that ‘I’m alive’ is something to be proud of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The rain represents all the bad things in life, and the rainbow and sun show how I have overcome them and focused on the happier things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJWoPSJn6Zt_K1Wbsrq8iw6gEXorC1vkPEfaXFHP5n1ZWw4SqxD7BszyYc1F9gQWnSSYCMcguO8GOZbw6yfahxOvNFRJFE4dOuNiuFBThRImEq5A2NNePUlT54K3dz9vwadQ5X052e4M/s1600/IMG_2619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJWoPSJn6Zt_K1Wbsrq8iw6gEXorC1vkPEfaXFHP5n1ZWw4SqxD7BszyYc1F9gQWnSSYCMcguO8GOZbw6yfahxOvNFRJFE4dOuNiuFBThRImEq5A2NNePUlT54K3dz9vwadQ5X052e4M/s320/IMG_2619.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The sparkly clouds add life to the piece and show that they are stronger and better than the raindrops.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">I think this project is a really good idea and I can’t wait to see all of the squares together.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>22. Ashleigh Meikle</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicscQLKYwWUnqpkRHQKPznE2B8F4GzgZptP8P__dNe7aZqJmXfgBEnq7UGFHHIkk8TyHuCoXALLw-fIjYQ4ptiFahdDegwhdzd95qKtDWdvcjYJa08WvQeAOcQELJuUzx5ArpV4BNYQ3M/s1600/IMG_2618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicscQLKYwWUnqpkRHQKPznE2B8F4GzgZptP8P__dNe7aZqJmXfgBEnq7UGFHHIkk8TyHuCoXALLw-fIjYQ4ptiFahdDegwhdzd95qKtDWdvcjYJa08WvQeAOcQELJuUzx5ArpV4BNYQ3M/s320/IMG_2618.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I came up with this design because there is a stigma with
any illness of disability that is invisible, such as mental illness and some
physical disabilities like epilepsy and Neurofibromatosis types one and two. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">People see someone who looks healthy on the outside and assume we must be
inside. That we are making excuses or pretending or that we “chose to have it”.
A disability of any kind that is obvious from the outside gets more
understanding, but an invisible one is misunderstood and can often be seen as
“worst case scenario” for =, in my case, epilepsy, which makes people put us
all in one basket and can affect employment and day to day living. I wanted to
highlight the issue that having an invisible condition doesn’t mean we aren’t
affected or that we are making it up. It’s real and we deal with it everyday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u>24. Orla Olivieri</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Cloud<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Anxiety and depression can feel like a dark cloud weighing
on one’s shoulders. That is what it feels like for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The cloud represents a description of what life is like for
me when I am suffering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TflfcoV6m3D9g6pBslkFnTzzTENRSk_3nQ5o9ubleo22KM3oOAKEFE5SjV2KPSQuLQw39M-DvHLsCAnwjHvWXrKw2m_OkWX1JHNkjspDHojk-wkABjC3UiTDRFhvkwZ1niUX_QTa5O0/s1600/IMG_2616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TflfcoV6m3D9g6pBslkFnTzzTENRSk_3nQ5o9ubleo22KM3oOAKEFE5SjV2KPSQuLQw39M-DvHLsCAnwjHvWXrKw2m_OkWX1JHNkjspDHojk-wkABjC3UiTDRFhvkwZ1niUX_QTa5O0/s320/IMG_2616.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">GAD = Generalized Anxiety Disorder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PND = Post-Natal Depression<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These are two of the labels I have been given. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The rainbow represents the hope that I have on my good days.
The coloured writing is what helps me overcome the black cloud. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’d like to say that I see a whiter cloud in my future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My mental illness has made me a deeper, understanding person.
I am grateful for that. It would make my life a LOT easier if I didn’t have to
carry it around.”</span></div>
Stitching Out Stigmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170316729179368761noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6362698474674210888.post-36940952474307818262016-01-04T18:00:00.000-08:002016-01-04T18:00:07.647-08:00I've been stitching in one form or another for some time. I started with knitting squares just because it was easy and accessible. I was travelling a lot at the time and wanted something else to occupy me apart from my job - task lists, unfinished project, texting and emailing. I had no ambitions to create anything I just wanted to see if I could still knit squares. I discovered I could indeed knit simple squares. I also noticed that after a few rows I felt calmer and somehow more focussed - an interesting development and unexpected benefit.<br />
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Like most humans I get stressed and anxious and sometimes anxiety has been more dominant in my life than I would have liked. Anxiety has, I find, a language all of it's own. Sometimes I understand what it is telling me - <i>slow down</i>, <i>change your approach</i>, <i>ask for help.</i> The voice of anxiety can be helpful and almost gentle. Other times I don't understand a word. It shouts and points the finger -<i>why have you not done that,</i> <i>you messed up there</i>. It's sharp, it cuts and it can lead to a paralysis - a stuck-ness. There is no reasoning with this state - any fighting can render me exhausted and so entangled.<br />
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I have tried all sorts of escape routes and sometimes I have escaped from <i>it</i> and not known how I got away. I have not known why the thoughts attached to anxiety have quietened or disappeared. For me that's the nature of <i>it </i>-whatever your<i> it </i>is. There is no quick fix. What worked before may or may not work again.<br />
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Stitching remains a constant for me. It involves physical movement with materials which can help put shape on what is indefinable. Stitching has a rhythm that connects me with body and mind - it pulls on the invisible, stretches the stuck-ness, unpicks and redefines. Stitching has has no concern about clean slates, new beginnings or resolutions. Stitching works in the present with the past and into the future.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04233116736617107797noreply@blogger.com6Northumberland, UK55.2082542 -2.078413800000021254.0510297 -4.6602008000000215 56.3654787 0.50337319999997865tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6362698474674210888.post-32961779118663685232015-12-14T13:29:00.000-08:002015-12-14T13:29:20.100-08:00The power of people<span style="color: magenta;">Fabulous people at that! </span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">I guess i could be classed as the founder of SOS - but basically i just had one of my random ideas, whilst in hospital, and messaged a few people and the rest kind of developed from there. Developed in the most fabulous of ways! </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Literally, every time i reflect on sos it fills me with a sense of wonderment, joy and amazement - they say that 'from small acorns, oak trees grow', well SOS is evidence of this. The acorn of an idea, has grown into something quite remarkable, encompassing skills, relationships, insights and knowledge along the way. Its certainly been a learning curve for me so far, and allowed me to engage in the solace of crafts, whilst meeting remarkable people, becoming closer to my fabulous sister (who has been a legend in this project!) and learning some lessons on stitching/communications/organisations. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Yes, i can look at it and see where i should have spent more time/money or where i could've done better - BUT ultimately all that seems to lack relevance when i reflect on the outcome - the pieces, the relationships and the feedback! </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;">I cant wait to see it in its finished state and hopefully meet people at the launch - also, i cant wait to see what people think. Its wonderful to hear the comments so far off people, and the work people have put into their pieces has been fabulous. Its also incredible to see the support we've had from organisations such as NHS, ST FAGANS, UWE AND CROSS STITCH CRAZY to name a few... </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta;">For me, this is a very important project, having worked in mental health services and been treated in them for over a decade of my life - i feel it's important to represent a truer picture than what often gets 'shown' in the media. Stigma is an added 'issue' which people fighting their mental health issues/demons, don't need the burden of, i feel, so hopefully this project will help, in a small way, to show what often labels hide - truth, amazing people, heartbreaking stories and real talents - </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta;">I am so grateful to absolutely everyone whose helped make sos possible, so far, every person whose liked us on facebook, tweeted us, set up twitter, spread the word, offered support, set up this blog, been in touch,,,, you're all amazing! </span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Its not completed yet, but watch this space! </span>Stitching Out Stigmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01170316729179368761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6362698474674210888.post-2708400788296540832015-12-13T14:00:00.000-08:002015-12-13T14:00:42.539-08:00Solace through stitching ... <div style="text-align: center;">
The '<i>Stitching Out Stigma</i>' project has brought so much into my little life!!</div>
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Firstly, the opportunity to connect with others who also live with mental health conditions, such a valued point of contact for myself, as I live with silence, struggling to 'mask' in my daily life. I have <i>so</i> valued the supportive atmosphere of this group!<br />
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Secondly, the opportunity to celebrate the joy of creativity through cross-stitch and use this proactively to fight against the stigma that silences me through this <i>inspired</i> project ...<br />
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And finally, the opportunity to make a new friend, who is now so very dear to me!<br />
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I jumped at the chance to participate in stitching the 'Stitching Out Stigma' (SOS) squares together, as I needed to feel part of the supportive community that is SOS ... to combat the loneliness I often feel as I battle daily in secret ... alone with my mental health struggles, even when with other people. It made me feel that I had some value ... that I could contribute some worth ... when so often I feel worthless ...<br />
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On first sight, the amassed squares awed me into silence ... each one so beautiful and individual, unique in their meanings/messages. The impact become even more evident as I helped to lay them out ... with their words and motifs jumping out at me, forcing me to pause and admire them ...<i> just so amazed by the creativity, honesty, pain and hope conveyed through simple stitches</i> ...<br />
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It was <i>immensely</i> moving.<br />
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I was honoured to be able to offer to stitch one of the two wall-hangings ... to be a temporary guardian of so many people's thoughts, effort and talent, encased within their beautiful square/s. The feeling of responsibilty initially stalled me, as I wished to do justice to this inspiring project, but mirroring many aspects of my life with my mental illness, I <i>so </i>wanted to overcome my fears.<br />
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<i>And therefore I began ... </i><br />
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Tentively to begin, arranging the squares in the agreed pattern ... then 'tweaking' to fit into rows ... creating balance through considering the visual impact ... from bold designs, striking in their simplicity, to intricate, detailed wording and motifs.<br />
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I began pinning into place, admiring the SOS group choice of lilac banding, defining the individual squares. Braving the '<i>permanancy</i>' of the sewing machine, with shaking hands, I sewed the first row, and then stood back, loving the impact of the uniqueness, combination and contrast of the squares.<br />
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As I added more and more rows, this impact magnified ... a simply <i>glorious</i> fusion of colour, pattern, wording and motifs ... the adaptibilty of a simple cross-stitch!<br />
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The next stage, adding the verticals was the challenge! The spacing between the squares needed to be consistent, to maintain not solely the 'grid effect', but also to prevent any covering of the detailed edges of the squares, which in some squares, was obviously carefully chosen to enhance the square's meaning ...<br />
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With the liberal application of pins (to both my fingers and the wall-hanging!), I commenced adding the verticals of lilac banding, and watched with amazement as the pure beauty of the wall-hanging emerged beneath my hands ...<br />
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As I stitched, the incredible detail of the squares sprung out at me ... the more I looked, the more I saw. <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px;">The striking simplicity of some, illustrating the pure beauty of cross-stitch ... to the </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px;">added embelishments </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.32px;">stitched motifs ... beautiful ... and so very moving.</span><br />
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The positive occupation of stitching was a true blessing for me, a huge distraction in a period of difficult days, fighting as I view it, the "<i>wolf at my shoulder",</i> the overwhelming, controlling nature of my mental health condition. As I stitched, I sought solace within the messages of resilence, courage amid adversity, and also hope for a brighter future, relayed through the simple medium of cross-stitches within these squares, conveying the sheer strength and bravery of the individuals who contibuted them, many also battling mental health difficulties themselves. T<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">he words in front of my eyes were theapeutic for me, and I hope, will be so for many others in their final setting, gracing the walls of the new mental health hospital.</span></span><br />
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As the wall-hanging grew in size and impact, so did the challenge of stitching it ... at times, feeling overwhelming ... <br />
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I remembered the instruction of the inspiring creator of this project, Natalie McCulloch, <i>"No stress acceptable in SOS land!"</i>, and so sought encouragment by posting progress photos on the SOS Facebook page. The immensely supportive comments of the SOS group members helped encourage me to perserve ... and gain satisfaction from overcoming stitching difficulties as I encountered them ... triggering reflection of the parallels to trying to live life with mental health difficulties ...<br />
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<i>And so I perserved ... </i>gaining motivation from the emergence of an incredible tapestry of squares ... truly beautiful!<br />
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Finally, the last square was pinned and stitched into place, and I stood back, awed by the sheer impact of the wall-hanging ... it took my breath away with its beauty, complexity, colour and vitality. The searingly honest representations of the pain and suffering when living with a mental health condition and experiencing/fearing stigma, yet interspered with heartful messages of encouragement and hope.<br />
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... <i>t</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>he power of therapy through threads ... Stitching Out Stigma ...</i></span></span></div>
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<br />Livefreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00178203141297054578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6362698474674210888.post-81315970819635317082015-11-12T04:41:00.004-08:002015-11-12T04:41:53.999-08:00Welcome to the Stitching Out Stigma Group Blog!Stitching Out Stigma is a group set up by Nat to counter the stigma which exists around mental health issues. She set out with five main aims:<br />
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<li><i>Raising awareness of mental health issues</i></li>
<li><i>Fighting stigma which sadly often accompanies mental health
issues </i></li>
<li><i>Connecting like-minded people and providing a source of
inspiration/hope/encouragement/friendship</i></li>
<li><i>Giving hope to people affected by mental health issues</i></li>
<li><i>Enabling people to benefit from the many benefits that engaging with
their ‘inner creativity’ can assist with</i></li>
</ul>
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Nat's idea for a group project was inspired by <a href="http://embroideryofthecentury.org.uk/news.shtml" target="_blank">LaviniaEarl's 21st century cross stitch</a>, the <a href="http://www.bayeuxmuseum.com/en/la_tapisserie_de_bayeux_en.html" target="_blank">Bayeux Tapestry</a> and
a feature on a <a href="http://www.aledlewis.com/portfolio/the-coruscant-tapestry/" target="_blank">Star Wars cross stitch</a> found in a ‘cross
stitcher magazine’.</div>
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<br />The project involves creating a GIANT
cross stitch display created by volunteer stitchers.<br /><br /><i>It entails
doing a square of cross stitch which represents your
ideas/experiences/journeys/thoughts of mental health issues which you
are experiencing/have experienced or are passionate about. </i> </div>
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I read about this project in an issue of a cross stitch magazine and decided to get involved.</div>
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At the time of typing, the squares have all been received along with the stories behind the designs. They are in the process of being stitched into the giant banner which will be displayed in the new purpose built Mental Health Unit in
Wales In January 2016.</div>
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This blog has been set up to showcase the stories and designs from the various stitchers, there is an option to post anonymously if you prefer. It would be great if the blog continued with us all sharing ways to cope with the various issues we have experience of and also sharing our stitching - the perfect therapy for many of us! Hopefully the blog will evolve over time as we all contribute and grow together.</div>
Jo who can't think of a clever nicknamehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02663450738390351663noreply@blogger.com0