The Pursuit of Happiness for The Pursuit of Happiness for AllAll
Marion AslanMarion Aslanwww.crazydiamond.org.ukwww.crazydiamond.org.uk
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions Dalai Lama
20’s 20’s UniversityUniversity
TeacherTeacher
Travel Travel
30’s 30’s Married Married
Running own businessRunning own business
MotherMother
1994 – my physiology changed!!1994 – my physiology changed!!
“… severely and enduringly mentally ill. You must realise you won’t be able to work again; you will need to be on medication for the rest of your life”
““You are to give up working and cancel your You are to give up working and cancel your
holiday – you’re just running away from your holiday – you’re just running away from your
problems!” Oh, and by the way send me problems!” Oh, and by the way send me your your
driving licence, I’ll return it to the licensing driving licence, I’ll return it to the licensing
authority”authority”
Is it any wonder that people get Is it any wonder that people get stuck?stuck?
At the Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD) we know recovery is possible because we see it happen every day.
Recovery Recovery
““What are the 3 most important things in What are the 3 most important things in
Recovery? Hope, hope and even more hope!”Recovery? Hope, hope and even more hope!”
Aslan 2008Aslan 2008
““The Purpose of our lives is to be happy”The Purpose of our lives is to be happy”
Dalai LamaDalai Lama
… … happiness, contentment, self actualisation, happiness, contentment, self actualisation,
contribution, inclusioncontribution, inclusion
Resilience and TenacityResilience and Tenacity
““I had to assess and then reject everything I wasI had to assess and then reject everything I wasbeing told by “the experts” and become my own being told by “the experts” and become my own ““Expert by Experience”Expert by Experience”
Anger at what I’d experienced and fear of going Anger at what I’d experienced and fear of going back made me look at -back made me look at -• ““reframing” the experiencereframing” the experience• giving up a sick role giving up a sick role • learning how to emancipate myselflearning how to emancipate myself
Recovery is hard work!! Others can’t “cure” you –Recovery is hard work!! Others can’t “cure” you –but they can help (or hinder!)but they can help (or hinder!)
TimeHealingResilienceInterdependenceVivacityEmancipation
THRIVINGTHRIVING
““The concept of thriving is to go beyond mere The concept of thriving is to go beyond mere
recovery to a place of restoration. Recovery may recovery to a place of restoration. Recovery may
take you back to where you were prior to take you back to where you were prior to
becoming distressed but to thrive means so muchbecoming distressed but to thrive means so much
more…more…
A place of ;A place of ;
• Renewal, new optimism and joyRenewal, new optimism and joy
• Broken in order to become whole again – “weller Broken in order to become whole again – “weller than well” having learned from the experiencethan well” having learned from the experience
Happiness & Thriving as a JourneyHappiness & Thriving as a Journey
• Turning pointTurning point• IdentifyIdentify• Explore Explore • Understand Understand • Move onMove on
• Reforming your experience into a more helpful Reforming your experience into a more helpful oneone– symptoms going or symptoms going or – changing cognitions and understanding, e.g voiceschanging cognitions and understanding, e.g voices
Turning pointsTurning points
““If you want others to be happy, practice If you want others to be happy, practice
compassion. compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice If you want to be happy, practice
compassion” compassion”
““An old day passes, a new day arrives. An old day passes, a new day arrives.
The important thing is to make it The important thing is to make it meaningful”meaningful”
Dalai LamaDalai Lama
Krysalis
The Big IssueThe Big Issue
Anam Cara Anam Cara – – First User led Crisis Service in UKFirst User led Crisis Service in UK
““We can live without religion and We can live without religion and
meditation, but we cannot survive meditation, but we cannot survive without without
human affection” human affection” Dalai LamaDalai Lama
Family / Children / Family / Children / Friends Friends
AnimalsAnimals
Faith / SpiritualityFaith / Spirituality
• Belief in somethingBelief in something
• PurposePurpose
• HopeHope
• ConnectednessConnectedness
““We can never obtain peace in the outer We can never obtain peace in the outer world world
until we make peace with ourselves”until we make peace with ourselves”
Recovery and Happiness Recovery and Happiness requires work and effort!requires work and effort!
Our mission: Enriching lives and minds by focusing onstrengths and recoveryMHCD