Meanings of Madness; Critical and Creative Perspectives.

‘MEANINGS OF MADNESS; CRITICAL AND CREATIVE PERSPECTIVES’
13 AND 14 NOVEMBER 2013 - UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK, IRELAND

A Two-Day Conference organised by the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery & the School of Applied Social Studies University College Cork, in association with the Critical Voices Network Ireland.

The conference offers opportunities to consider:

• Meanings of madness
• Broadening understandings of expressions of madness
• Creative approaches to engaging with and responding to madness

This conference, now in its fifth year, is unique as it is free for all participants and it involves people from diverse backgrounds (self-experience, survivors, professionals, academics, carers) presenting, discussing and debating critical and creative perspectives on and beyond the dominant bio-medical approach. The 2010 conference saw the launch of the Critical Voices Network Ireland (CVNI), a network of people interested in considering and developing responses to human distress, which are creative, enabling, respectful and firmly grounded in human rights. The conference will include an open forum to discuss the on-going work of the CVNI.
Confirmed Keynote Speakers (in alphabetical order): click on the speakers name to view the presentation.

Liz Brosnan has just completed her PhD through a Government of Ireland scholarship at the University of Limerick. Her research explored User Involvement in Irish Mental Health Services. Liz has both personal and professional experience of dealing with "madness".

Gail Hornstein, Professor of Psychology, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, USA. Her research and writings – grounded in an understanding of the mind, based on lived experience – challenge fundamental assumptions about ‘mental illness’ and treatment.

Irene van de Giessen, Expert by Experience employed at the Admiraal de Ruyter Hospital, Vlissingen, the Netherlands and Owner of the Convalescent Talent Agency.

John Read, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool, UK. He has written extensively in the area of trauma and psychosis.

Doug Ross, artist, founding member of Renew. Personal experience of sustained recovery from addiction and psycho-spiritual distress.

The Conference organisers are Harry Gijbels, Catherine McAuley School of Nursing & Midwifery, and Lydia Sapouna, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork, Ireland.