Homemade mango ice-cream, hummus, and vegetable-laden pizzas were just three of the dishes on offer at Kaiyu Konnect’s latest healthy eating lesson.
Held at Argenton Community Hall, the 60-minute sessions allow participants to explore ways to better serve the connection between healthy eating and mental health.
Portion sizes, the dangers of influencer diet fads, and the common confusion between hunger and thirst are among the topics discussed.
Hosted by Samaritans and led by a Hunter New England Health nutritionist, the regular sessions are one of an extensive list of activities on offer for those looking to boost their life skills, as well as find connection.
Inspired by the Awabakal word meaning “to have power and ability”, Kaiyu Konnect is a drop-in centre for people with a primary mental health diagnosis.
The service provides a safe space to focus on wellbeing, recovery, and connection with others.
“Wholistically, we are a non-clinical mental health service,” Kaiyu Konnect Service Manager Reg says.
“Everything we do is about attempting to fill a gap, supporting to keep people well along their mental health journey.”
Connection
Activities on offer include yoga, art sessions, cooking classes, sound baths and clinician visits, with participants arriving from a range of referral bases including mental health teams throughout the Hunter.
“It’s up to the individual what they would like to get out of their time with Kaiyu,” Reg explains.
“Some people will be here from the time we open till the time we close, and other people might just drop in for yoga and go.”
The Kaiyu Konnect team – Reg, Mel and Dion – can also offer help linking participants with other vital mental health services.
“If someone needed to make an appointment or needed assistance with a specific concern, we can assist with research, support to make an appointment or discuss options available,” Reg adds.
“We're here to help with general day-to-day living and keeping well, it’s about offering connection.”
Rebuilding
The service is often one of the first social gatherings attended post diagnosis.
“When people arrive at Kaiyu for the first time they may be experiencing anxiety; walking into an unknown space can feel overwhelming.
“It's our job to support people to engage with activities of interest, with others in the group, and to ease anxiety so each person who walks through our doors can get the most out of their Kaiyu experience,” Mel says.
“Our programs are here to assist people living with mental illness or psychiatric disability to have satisfying and valued lives as full members of the community.
“It’s about self-care, skill building, and offering a sense of belonging with a focus on social inclusion.”
Combat loneliness
For many that attend, Kaiyu Konnect is a way to ward off loneliness.
“A lot of people live independently and may not be interacting with many other people regularly. This can create a feeling of isolation and, sometimes, loneliness. We work towards creating a space at Kaiyu where all people can feel a sense of belonging and connection,” Reg says.
“Most people are wanting to make friendships and socialise with others, and this is a nice, safe space where these connections can be made with like-minded people.”
Debriefing
For the team, debriefing has become a technique that helps them keep tabs on one another’s mental health.
“You're getting pulled in multiple directions, so you've got to look after your own wellbeing,” Reg says.
“We are a tight team here and if there is something that is proving to be a challenge we can bounce ideas of each other and debrief when needed.
“We're a good team in that sense. We look after each other.
“Some people can tell you some pretty heavy things about their life or things that they're going through and that can be a lot. A debrief between the three of us is really helpful.”
Visit Samaritans website for more information about Kaiyu Konnect.