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