Hello everyone!

[SammyD100]

Hi everyone!

I've just joined the Beyond Blue community so thought I might introduce myself. I'm in my first year of a Psychology Masters and am doing a placement at Beyond Blue, posting on the forums.

When I'm not at uni or reading hundreds of pages of textbook every week (!), I also work at a school, and have two young children and a neurotic labrador 🙂

I'm looking forward to getting to know you and hope to be able to provide some support and information where I can!

SammD100

[baet123]

Hi Sammy,

Great to have you on the forums. Lovely to see more academics on the site. Look forward to seeing you around.

All the best.

Baet123

[PamelaR]

Hi Sammy

Very warm welcome to you! You sound an incredibly busy person. Look forward to seeing/hearing from you.

Lovely to have you here Sammy

Pamelar

[quirkywords]

Welcome Samm.

I agree with Pamela you sound very busy. I was studying when my children were young but not a Masters something a lot easier, so I know you must be super organised. Thanks for your introduction.

Quirky

[Quercus]

Hello Sammy and welcome to the family 😊

Always awesome to have more professional input on the forums. Peer support is fabulous but it does help to read and learn from people who have studied intensively like yourself.

I wonder would you care to share what sort of mental health areas you're most passionate about? It would be good to know a little more about your interests.

Two little kids, work, study and a k9! I am really wishing for some of your self care tips. I have two under 5 and that is enough on my plate as it is. What do you do to balance all of your responsibilities?

Lovely to meet you.

Nat

[SammyD100]

Thanks for your warm welcome everybody!

As a few people have mentioned - yes, life is very busy at the moment! But at least the semesters are only 14 weeks long so I figure I just have to really knuckle down for those few months and then there's a bit of a reprieve (although there's always that Thesis I need to be working on....!).

Quercus you asked about my interest areas? I'm particularly interested in ultimately working with children and adolescents, perhaps in a school and balanced with some clinical work. I also have a general interest in trauma and the lifelong impact of developmental trauma in children.

As for self-care, well I wish I had more time for that at the moment! I've been committing to doing some mindfulness activities most nights before bed; I walk the dog; I go to the gym when I can; and when I'm with my kids I just try to really enjoy that time with them. Fortunately I have a very helpful husband and extended family to help me too!

SammyD

[geoff]

Hi Sammy, can I also welcome you and have seen your name posted against several comments.

It's certainly good for us to be able to read your replies and it's an insight on how many of us have struggled through our type of depression.

Sometimes our moods can change from being absent on the site to replying in a half-hearted manner and then to be spot on with the comments we make, unfortunately, that's part of depression, it's an insidious illness.

Great to have you.

Geoff.

[SammyD100]

Hi Geoff

Thankyou for your welcome too - I've seen many of your posts on the site, you've obviously been a very committed and helpful member for a number of years!

I hope that my replies will be helpful to people, as I'm absolutely sure your numerous replies have been too! I guess a range of perspectives - from lived experiences through to 'academic' - help cover a number of different bases for people who may be struggling to come to terms with their experience.

You mention that sometimes your replies might hit the mark and sometimes they may not, depending on how well you're travelling. Mental health struggles or otherwise I think that's true for all of us! Please don't feel you have to apologise for maybe not being on the money everytime. I'm sure I'm not quite going to get it right many times too. At he end of the day we're all just doing our best, right?!

Thanks - SammyD

[geoff]

Hello Sammy, thank you, I really appreciate your reply, and yes you are right, we all have our strengths which may change from day to day, but that doesn't mean we never lose them, sometimes we just can't show them.

Best wishes.

Geoff.