Hi SANE Community!

We’re excited to farewell the year with this monthly wrap, and to look back on everything that has happened in the forums in December 2021!

#️⃣Trending topics:

• International Day of People with Disabilities (Lived Experience)
• Merry Christmas 2021 (Lived experience)
• Estrangement and the Holidays: Part 1 (Blog)
• What not to say to someone with mental illness (Lived Experience)
• How to set boundaries and take self care when caring for someone with BPD  (Friends, Family & Carers)
• Daily check in space  (Friends, Family & Carers)
• Burnt out wife, OCD and Anxiety Husband  (Friends, Family & Carers)

🎉  Celebrate a member:

@Dimity for your kindness, compassion and empathetic support across the forums community 

@MDT for leading conversations and forums discussions with honesty, vulnerability and hope!

@Appleblossom for your thoughtful questions and contributions to a wide range of discussions. You make the forums are richer place  

@BlueBay for the kindness and love you displayed in tagging so many members of the forums in your Chirstmas thread. You have spread so much joy to others!

🗓SANE events in January:

Let us know what topics you’d like to see in the 2022 in the:

• Lived Experience Forum
  https://saneforums.org/t5/Welcome-getting-started/What-topics-discussions-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-forums-in/m-p/1127669 
• Friends, Family and Carers forum
  https://saneforums.org/t5/Welcome-getting-started/What-topics-discussions-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-forums-in/m-p/1127668#M1349

🔦 Spotlight on:

In December we celebrated International Day of People with Disability and had a week long discussion around identity, language and impact. We also acknowledged Human Rights Day, and made a space to discuss what equality looks like for each of us.

The forums now has a how-to guide for posting about suicide online, diving into why and how we post about this topic safely – and looking at SANE’s role in these spaces.

Take a look at the two Topic Tuesdays that occurred this month hosted by SANE this month! Our first on Finding Community: Feeling belonging and Connection with peer support worker @Former-Member.

The second on Strategies for coping during the holiday season with a SANE counsellor.

You can still view the discussions and hear from the community using the links above. 

🎊 SANE news:

The SANE Counselling and Peer Support Helpline team is taking a break at the end of the year, to rest and recharge. During this time, the forums will still operate as usual with 24/7 Moderation and support. You can read more about this here .

We are also accepting applications for the Community Guide Program! If you would like to apply, please see this post here .

The upcoming Topic Tuesday in January will be around supporting loved ones living with BPD in the Friends, Family & Carers forum, keep an eye out for this when we get back!

🌸 Quotes of the month: 

“I wish you all the best and hope you realise that this rough period will pass, like a rough ocean at the beach. Eventually the waves calm down and the ocean is calm and inviting again. Please stay strong and remember that you are a brave and courageous person!" - @Judi9877 

"Just having space held for me to be whether it's physical or online or even just in an idea of space being there. Like here with SANE forums. There is space that is held and open for me day or night. Crisis, questioning or recovery. Just knowing there's a safe space for me to just be me, even if it's for a breathe in a day or a week gives me the strength to show the world my true face with all my colours showing without the mask to hide behind. Oh and a space for laughter and Hugs" - @nony 

Do you know someone that could be celebrated in the next wrap or see a quote you think could be shared here? Feel free to email our team at team@saneforums.org 

If you are enjoying reading our monthly wraps - hit the support button, and we will notify you when the next one is up!

Tagging all those who supported our last Community Wrap

@ShiningStar @Former-Member @Former-Member @Dimity @Fluttershy1 @eth @MDT @chibam @Anastasia @Shaz51 @Snowie @Emelia8 @Eve7