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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Free Download: Paper on Postvention in a School after a Suicide


This paper on Postvention in Youth Suicide was published in proceedings of a conference, and later in the book of that conference ‘Preventing Youth Suicide’
The paper still has much to say about how to work in schools after a suicide.
Martin G., 1991. Postvention in Adolescent Suicide. Proceedings of the Australian Institute of Criminology Conference ‘The Prevention of Adolescent Suicide’, Adelaide, July 1990. In Preventing youth suicide : proceedings of a conference held 24-26 July 1990. Sandra McKillop (ed.) ISBN 0 642 17512 8 ; ISSN 1034-5086 Canberra : Australian Institute of Criminology, 1992 (AIC Conference Proceedings; no. 13)

Then go to 'Resources' to download

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Taking Charge; a journey of recovery

I will be taking down the individual chapters from my book about recovery from paraplegia. However, the book is available for purchase from

Family Concern Publications

Friday, May 24, 2013

"Taking Charge: a journey of recovery" Buy the book


If you were interested in buying a copy of 'Taking Charge; a  journey of recovery, it will cost you $18 in Australia including postage and packaging. You can use BSB transfer or PayPal. No credit cards I am afraid.
If you are from overseas, then feel free to write and ask about postage and packaging. There is a dialogue box on the site

Taking Charge: a journey of recovery

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Why do I write Haiku?

I think predominantly writing Haiku is a kind of meditation.
I belong to a list on Twitter called #Haikuchallenge. Each day they offer a single word, and we all try to give it our best shot. I guess the first bit of the puzzle is 'association' to all sorts of things in my mind. I just let the mind run, while drinking my coffee first thing, and then build from there.
I do try to keep things 'traditional' in the sense of using 5-7-5 as my format. This provides a 'structure and a 'discipline'. However I also try to be traditional in the sense of 'simpleness' or 'everydayness'. I guess this is driven by some of the original Japanese writers (for instance Basho who wrote "Old pond/Frog leaping/ Splash". It is so 'duh', but so amusing, and challenges us to be aware of ordinariness in our daily lives - hence the mindful quality of writing Haiku.
I guess I also have some 'categories' - not that I intentionally write for them, but more I am aware of contexts - every day, family, intimate relationships, psychiatry, meaning of life. Within this, I am trying to build a repertoire of Haiku about Love and Sex - 'Sensual Haiku'. I am currently authoring a book drawing all of my sensual haiku together.
But my final  'category' is just that it is fun. It is such a joy to play with words, try to get them into some sort of order, use the discipline to control the words, but perhaps have a simple surprise at the end.
Today's word was 'itch'. I wrote:

Itch is found in snitch
In pitch, glitch, witch, switch and stitch
Also in body

and then


Itch makes my nose run
Not to do with allergy
Just hearing the word

and then


Number one lesson
Mosquito's main goal in life
To make us all itch

Monday, May 13, 2013

Haiku ('broken' and 'crack')

'Broken'
Long separated
Finally filed for
The contract broken

They came together
Shuddering in wild delight
The long drought broken

Psychiatric care
Skilled mending of broken minds
Or just pill pushing


'Crack'
Looks like its broken
See, there's a crack across here
The end of the line

Marched across the moor
Set a really cracking pace
Fell into a bog

Relationship cracks
Must be fixed before bedtime
They widen in dreams

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Haiku from the last two days (absence, yesterday)

Our coldest fearing
Nothingness of existence
The absence of love

We each want to die
Having achieved all our dreams
In absence of pain

Absence of hatred
A world full of light and love
I see it in dreams



All our yesterdays
Wrapped up in who we are now
Signpost tomorrow

Yesterday a boy
Today an ageing poet
Tomorrow just words

Yesterday's Haiku
Clever reflections all gone
Today's word ripples

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Recent Haiku Musings: Secure, Upset


Insecure feeling
Lost you on the underground
Can't use phone in dreams

Secure PIN number
No-one will get my data
What was it again?

Secure the castle
Batten down all the hatches
Another cyclone

Gen Y mindfulness
Try to think really deeply
How you support me

A piece of my mind
Upset equilibrium
Need to meditate

Upset apple cart
Fujis, Jonathans, Coxes
Going for cider