GROW is a national community-based mental health organisation which helps people who have suffered, or are suffering, from mental health problems. The organisation helps members to recover from all forms of mental breakdown, as well as working to prevent such happening.

Founded in Australia in 1957 by former mental sufferers, GROW has a national network of over 130 groups in Ireland. It's principal strength is the support members give each other from their own experience in matters to do with mental health.

GROW members attend a weekly meeting, normally lasting about two hours, during which a specific Group Method is followed which enables members to learn a practical psychology of mental health, known as the GROW Program. Members provide mutual support in undertaking certain tasks that encourage a healthy change in thinking, behaviour and/or relationships.

GROW Group meetings are chaired by ordinary members but each Group has an Organiser and a Recorder, or less often, a Sponsor (e.g. a nurse using GROW to support a group of Day-care clients) whose primary role is to ensure that the meeting is run appropriately. Each Group is supported by an Area Co-ordinator, many of whom have experienced GROW first hand.

As part of Hot Press' Mental Health special issue, and in the lead up to Mental Health Week (October 6-12), we spoke to Michele Kerrigan about the work that GROW does in Ireland, and what happens when you attend a GROW meeting.

Michele Kerrigan

"The weekly meetings themselves are very much rooted in a trusting relationships with all the members within the group," Michele explains. "This then enables them to understand and support new people coming into the group. Because ultimately, when you go into a group, you want to feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel for you. Lots of people come in with a very dark cloud over them, and it's important that hope is there for them."

Michele notes that many people have come through GROW who have been in a very dark place, and are now at a level where they're functioning in their own communities.

"GROW offers support for those who suffering with things like work issues, anxiety, depression, the everyday stresses that life can throw at you."

Through the meetings, members work as a group to help each other deal with their own specific issues and situations.

"The group work helps people find resources within themselves, as well as external resources. One of the things that we do is start developing people's leaderships skills. For a lot of people who come to us - they may have been isolated for quite some time. Their social skills may have declined, their self-esteem might not be high. So within the group, we help them build up the resources to gain back those skills. That's our 12-step program of recovery."

Part of the program involves members being asked to do simple, but effective, tasks, which can aid in their recovery.

"Each week, an individual will take away a task which is related to their own needs," Michele says. "It might be a very simple thing - if someone is suffering from severe depression, the group might decide, 'Well, can you get up at 9 o'clock each morning for the rest of the week?' And then that person will report back on the next session. Now, they might have only got up one day during the week at 9, but that's progress. So the tasks are very important."

As Michele stresses, the program is very well structured, to try to ensure people get the most out of it as possible.

"It's structured, with very definite goals for individuals, and it's centred on their own path - bearing in mind that everyone's recovery journey is different. Everything about recovery is down to the individual, and we support that."

For those who want to contact GROW, you can call them at: 1890 474 474

You can also visit their website and contact them here: grow.ie/contact/