Newsletter #3
April 22 – June 22, 2020
Introduction:
This newsletter is a collection of experiences sent by WAPR members, their colleagues and
friends, as we live through the greatest global pandemic since the Spanish Flu of 1918. We
asked you to tell us: How are professionals in mental health and rehabilitation faring? How are
people with lived experience of mental health conditions being served? Living through these
times? Their families? Their communities?
This is the third newsletter in this series. Some countries are ending their «stay at home» policies and now have had some time to experience what it is like to reopen. Some countries are
seeing a resurgence of the virus, just when they thought it was over. Some are seeing an increase
in infections and deaths in parts of their country, that had escaped the brunt of the pandemic
until now. World wide protests about racial and social injustice have sprung up, increasing the
risk of new infections. By this point, we have all been living with the uncertainty of this crisis
for some time.
We hope to continue to share these experiences with you, our global community, in brief
snapshots to keep us connected and perhaps even inspired by each other’s stories. The stories
were contributed by every stakeholder group—psychiatrists, social workers, researchers, mental health directors, individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions, families and
supporters, advocates to name but a few. Some have given their permission to use their names.
Others have not. We have identified those only by country.
We have included a few resources some have found helpful. Humor is one thing that we know
helps and therefore, we have included a few jokes and humorous images, also sent in by our
community.
If you yourself have a story (maximum 800 words) to share, whether it is your own, or someone who inspired you with something they did, please send them to:
Marianne Farkas, mfarkas@bu.edu.
We wish you and yours, health and all the best!
Take good care!
Marianne Farkas, USA, Marit Borg, Norway & Michalis Lavdas, Greece
Note from the Editors: This newsletter does not necessarily reflect the policy of, or endorsement of
its contents, by the World Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR). The content of the
published materials are solely the responsibility of the authors. For more information about the
WAPR organization see: http://www.wapr.org/about-us/board-2018-2021/
Detailed info about WAPR in your country you can find here: http://www.wapr.org/about-us/
wapr-in-your-country/
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