2018; 12th May events …a sneaky peek at the full report to come!

I’m in the process of collating the wonderful feedback from the amazing Reps who dedicated their time and energy to hold events for the 2nd International #Emerging Proud day on the 12th May; it’s been such an uplifting experience to read the reflections coming in I wanted to share some of the love with you and give you a sneaky peek!

Global locations that held events this year:

Norwich, UK
London, UK
St Albans, UK
Reykjavik, Iceland
Rotterdam, Iceland
Copenhagen, Denmark
Budapest, Hungary
Helsinki, Finland
New Jersey, USA
Minnesota, USA
Vancouver, Canada
Sao Paolo, Brazil
Brisbane, Australia
Online virtual event

Feedback from discussions in Brazil (event hosted by Sean Blackwell and his wife Ligia)…

*Admiration & Gratitude*	*Information*
1. An inspiration 2. Congratulations. 3. Much admiration 4. I was proud of the person who spoke and of the other people who spoke about the challenges and insights they experienced. 5. The openness to share your own experiences, processes and show your vulnerability is admirable. 6. Example of overcoming. 7. How beautiful. 8. Lots of light. 9. I loved it. 10. Much love involved. 11. Gratitude. 12. I am grateful for the light and the words. 13. I am grateful for the conversation. 14. Gratitude for the respect, awareness, prudence. 15. Open and very sincere talk. 16. Inspiring. 17. Assertive. 18. Sensitivity. 19. Sincerity. 20. Peace. 21. I want more!	1. I cleared my doubts and was able to better inform myself about a previously unknown condition. 2. Sharing of knowledge 3. A great moment of reflection. 4. Clarifications 5. Knowledge 6. If you want, you can do it. 7. Breaking paradigms. 8. Importance of getting rid of the taboo of mental disorder, both for the diagnosed individual and for society as a whole. 9. Transformation by reframing experiences 10. Experience and sharing 11. Continuous integration process 12. Being smart and emotive is not easy. 13. Guilt and criticism do not help growth.
*Warmly embraced*	*Responsibility*
1. I felt welcomed. 2. I feel calm. 3. I’m feeling great. 4. Embraced. 5. I felt good with everyone!	1. Responsibility and self-responsibility. 2. Self-responsibility and health as the center of life. 3. Responsibility 4. It’s my responsibility. 5. I know that I am in command.

Iceland:

Here is a report, or a story, of how the organizing and happening of the #Emerging Proud day 2018 in Iceland went…

Most of the organizing was performed by three members of the „Uppvakningar“ team in Iceland. „Uppvakningar“ (Wake Up-ers) is a small, slowly growing, Facebook-group formed after the first #Emerging Proud day in 2017. The members consist of people who have or are presently undergoing a spiritual crisis, plus a few allies, or friends interested in the phenomenon. The present number of members is 17.

The three organizers were Hrannar Jónsson, chairman of the Icelandic Mental Health Alliance (Geðhjálp), Katla Ísaksdóttir, activist and pensioner and Halldór Auðar Svansson, worker at the Reykjavik City council. All three have undergone a spiritual transformation in the past decade.

The organizers met for a brief meeting at Geðhjálp April 17^th We agreed upon screening the film #Emerging Proud and holding a sharing circle afterwards. We talked about offering fruit and fresh and healthy drinks. We decided upon trying to reach the media with help of Anna Gunnhildur Ólafsdóttir, Director of Geðhjálp. We then met for an international meeting on Zoom on the 19^th of April.

In the end Hrannar was interviewed by a local newspaper and a member of the Uppvakningar group, Berglind Bang Óladóttir, took a beautiful picture of the crew sitting in a tree in Reykjavik.

And a heartwarming closing snapshot from #Emerging Proud Australia;

Some of the reflections from the Attendees at the Brisbane event:

This to me is a wonderful reminder to stop running from the gift that I have been given, that I once found frightening and abnormal. I feel grateful that groups like this exist and are creating an environment for people who have been labeled crazy to reach out and have a voice.
I believe I can see the future. Some people told me I was broken. My society told me I was broken. I did not fit into their very narrow box of human experience. The truth is mental distress is part of life and I have known few who have claimed to never experience it. So I changed the way I looked at it, I started to see myself as whole, not broken.
For the sake of labels I am many things, yet somehow nothing seems to qualify me more than my own lived experience. I work in a system who does not seem to understand the breadth or depth of human existence. I am a catalyst for something different, I create spaces where people can be themselves, where people can see other possibilities, a way for all to to have a space to touch there wholeness. This is my awakening and my souls work.

And the outcome…

Brisbane Australia has heard the call of our community and has set up the ‘Breakthrough Transform Network’ to continue the conversation and start addressing these issues at a grass roots level in our community. We also wish to link in with the wider community that can be allies of this project for referral and support services. We will be offering support groups, mentoring and coaching, think tanks and creative/spiritual skill building as tools for transformation and strategies to assist in emergence.

WOW. I am so very touched by the enormous efforts made all over the world by amazing Volunteers who are passionate about supporting people to feel safer about sharing and managing their Emergence process…together we are stronger, together we can create positive change. My heartfelt gratitude to you all, Katie ❤

Watch this space for the full report; coming very soon!