3 days with Marius & Sandra, Sydney has been a chance to recharge our batteries. It was wonderful to spend some quality time with Marius & Sandra (Romme), we have our outline plan now for the first world meeting on hearing voices which will take place in Maastricht next year-watch this space. We took them to our favourite bits of Sydney, down to the harbour, out to Watsons bay to Doyles for a fish lunch, Bondi beach, I had 20 minutes in the surf, the currents were strong and there were too many people so I retreated back to the shore.
The apartment we stayed in had a roof top garden where we sat for evening drinks and to watch the sun as set it over looking the harbour and the CBD.
Ron & Marius went to the opera house to see a ballet, whilst Sandra, Monica & myself went for drinks and a fabulous Thai meal.
Ron & I worked for St Vincents on the Thursday, Ron has been working here over last couple of years as they take their services on a huge period of change & discovery towards working from a recovery philosophy.
It was a hard day with several short sessions through out the day, but very positive. We were invited to the acute ward for chocolate cake after lunch, this was the most poignant and connecting part of the day as I listened to peoples stories of their journey, there was much wisdom , woundedness & spirituality + some great guitar and song making.
Friday we had the luxury of a whole day to ourselves, we stayed at our favourite Holiday Inn, near the harbour. Had a long lie in, big breakfast, a swim in the roof pool and then took a ferry to Darling harbour, lunch in china town & 2 hours looking round paddy’s market before taking a taxi to the airport, only to find the plane was delayed and a huge electrical storm brought the airport to a halt for an hour.
Finally arrived back in Melbourne close to 11pm and headed back to Ron’s family and kids.
Ron Coleman and Karen Taylor have an international reputation as speakers and authors. They are the directors of ‘Working to Recovery Limited’ an innovative international consultancy, training and publishing company with a cutting edge approach to supporting and improving mental health provision.
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