Here's some of what we heard from this year's participants:
- Loved sharing regarding language; comments about meeting each person where they are without judgment.
- The great interaction between all participants and the sincerity of each speaker.
- The passion of so many of us trying to change the system.
- Personal and collective experiences turning into powerful insights… huge thanks!
- Community building. Dialogue with emotion. Changing the word recovery to re-co-creating.
- I loved what was said about anger and how space is held for emotions most people are afraid of.
- Most powerfully, for me, is “being with” a community of such people, many of whom have been through the psychiatric system. Your experiences inform your commitment to Soteria/peer respites. Humbling and inspiring.
- I am not alone in the desire to be part of creating more compassionate, more accessible, voluntary, less threatening "re-co-creative" environments. That there are already dialogues opening and circles gathering to make that difference.
- Many great ideas, especially about handling conflict, anger, listening to others whose beliefs, statements or actions might be upsetting, how to develop greater equality between staff and guests.
- I took away so much. I feel it is a space in which I'll feel safer sharing emotive issues which others may disagree with and it feels good to know others recognise the harm of power structures.
- My main takeaway is probably that what was once an idea and an effort is now a movement. I deeply appreciate the personal histories and ongoing efforts of so many.