Nenagh peer support centre celebrates 10th anniversary

This Wednesday, October 8th, is a joyous day for the folks at Áras Folláin as they gather to celebrate 10 years of peer support and recovery in mental health.

As part of the 10 year celebrations, Áras Folláin is hosting an afternoon session in the Community Centre, Tyone this Wednesday from 4pm to 6pm. The sesssion is titled: 'Introduction to Peer Support' with Tim O'Connor and Eileen Gleeson. There will be presentations by Dr Teresa Tuohy and Dr Mike Watts on the findings of their PhD research. There will be a presentation on the development and continued growth of Áras Folláin Peer Support Centre, followed by refreshments in the centre.
Mike Watts has been involved in recovery from mental illness for the past 40 years.  As a young man he experienced paralysing levels of social fear and auditory hallucinations, which seriously curtailed his life.  In the 1960s he was diagnosed with ‘pathological shyness'.  Mike along with his wife Fran joined the peer support organisation GROW in 1976.  In 1980 Mike returned to third level study and gained a BA in psychology through UCG, did a Masters in family therapy in UCD and in 2012 completed a doctoral research study exploring processes of recovery through peer support through TCD. Mike has been a member of the Mental Health Commission from 2002-2007, an advisor to Amnesty, Economic Social Forum, a director of the Wheel and has also worked for GROW. 
Mike's research, 'Recovery as a re-enchantment with life', is based on the experiences of 26 Irish adults aged from 30-70, all of whom chose to embark on a peer support 'Recovery' route towards addressing their 'illness'.
Teresa Tuohy is a TCD PhD graduate of the School of Nursery and Midwifery and has been involved in mental health recovery for a number of years and believes strongly that peer support is crucial in regaining and maintaining mental health.
Teresa's research, 'Mothers Voices', is a study of mothering based on the lived experiences of women with mental health problems.