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Just Joined Twitter, not sure what that means!

Howard Hyde Inquiry

Inquiry into the Death of Howard Hyde reconvenes on October 19, 2009, for two weeks. Mr. Hyde died 30 hours after being tased while in the custody of the Halifax Police. The Inquiry is to determine how the legal and health systems in Nova Scotia treated Mr. Hyde. The Inquiry is streamed live online. I will be a witness at a later date, my evidence will focus on mental illness and stigma.

http://www.hydeinquiry.ca/

Slowly getting back to wearing a jacket and tie!

Inspiring Lives Award

Carol Tooton, executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Nova Scotia Division, has nominated me for an Inspiring Lives Award. The awards are presented by the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia at a luncheon on May 6, 2009. I understand that 17 people have been nominated.

The Awards are presented to a Nova Scotia who has:

i) overcome the challenge of living with a mental illness;

ii) shown perseverance in taking control of his / her life;

iii) created greater understanding of mental illness and reduced the stigma;

iv) inspired and supported others; and

v) contributed positively to his / her community.

Canadian Health Magazine

I completed the draft article for Canadian Mealth Magazine, to appear in the 2009 summer issue. I thank Diana Swift at the magazine for her assistance.

Alan Stern, Q.C.

One morning, a few days after my article appeared in the Bar Society's magazine, I checked my emails and there was one from Alan Stern, Q.C. Now, Alan was the Bar Society's lawyer when I was suspended. As we work in an adversarial system, Alan's job was to act in the best interest's of the Bar Society, and thus, to act "against" me.

So, just to see Alan's email in my inbox was something. I took a breath and clicked on. He wrote

"Hello Keith,

I just read your article in the Society Record. Thank you for having the courage and taking the time to tell others about what happened to you.

One of the facts relating to your real estate practice that stood out to me at the time was how well all of your files were organized. My obvious conclusion was that you were a highly competent real estate practitioner.

Over the years I have provided advice to individuals on reinstatement from suspensions or disbarments and should you need any such advice I would be pleased to talk to you ( at no charge of course ).

Sincerely, Alan "

linkedin.com

I joined www.linkedin.com today. I had heard about this site, then caught the founder on Clarlie Rose last night. It is a networking site for people with a career/ job focus. Another forum in which to spread my mental health advocacy work.

Facebook

I joined Facebook ( www.facebook.com ), looks interesting. It could be a great means of contacting people and being found. Just trying to continue with discussing depression , in a different forum.

5th Annual Living with Mental Illness Conference

I had sent Linda Alderson my mental health "resume" in the fall of 2008 (gotta get the word out there !) .She then wanted to meet. Ms. Alderson is with the Family Working Group, Cape Breton District Health Authority, which spondsors the Living with Mental Illness Conference, held in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

After our neeting, she asked me to speak at the Conference, tentatively scheduled for Octobert30, 2009. This year there will be 4 speakers, each allotted an hour to speak.

I attended last year's, it was a well done event, with great speakers. There were 550 people in attendance.

Now, this may be my first public speach on my depression in my home town ( unless something comes along before), so I am looking forward to this event for sure.

Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission

I was asked by Krista Daley, CEO / Director of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, to be a panel member at the Canadian Council of Administrative Tribunals Annual Conference scheduled for Halifax on May 31-June 2, 2009. The other panel member is Prof. Archie Kaiser, of Dalhousie Law School.

I have been asked to discuss how one (me) with a mental illness (depression) dealt with various bureauracies, sort of a consumer's perspective.

I can bring a different view of appearing before tribunals, I suggest. I have appeared before such as a lawyer on behalf of clients; I have sat on the Cape Breton-Victoria Counties Residential Tenancies Board for 7 years and on the Nova Scotia Assessment Appeal Court for a few years; and now, I was before two Bar Committees as the "client / consumer".

As well, Ms. Daley has asked me to speak with the Commission's staff.

It should be interesting indeed.

Doc Talk / Eastlink Television

On February 11, 2009, I was interviewed by Dr. John Gills for his show Doc Talk on Eastlink Television. It was broadcast on Feb.11,12,13, 16, and 17, 2009.

It was actually fun to do, no stress, no nerves at all. I now know for sure that I can speak at ease in a public forum about my depression, its impact on my life, and my recovery. The CMHA National Conference was a big confidence builder, and doing Doc Talk was the clincher.

I would like to thank Barb Anderson and Dr. Gillis for their invitation to do the show.

Nova Scotia Barristers' Society

I had an article appear in the Bar Society's monthly magazine, The Society Record, in January, 2009. It can be accessed throught the Society's website ( www.nsbs.org) . This magazine is sent to all lawyers in Nova Scotia.

I would like to thank Marla Cranston, Commincations Officer of the Society, for her editing skills.

I received a great response from lawyers, some I knew, some I didn't. Some even shared their own stories of depression and troubling times.

It felt real good to be in a publication of the Bar Society. Redemption and Validation.

Nova Scotia Lawyers' Assistance Program (NSLAP)

After writing for the Ontario Lawyers' Assistance Program, I thought, well, I live in Nova Scotia, so, I looked up the NSLAP website (http://www.nslap.ca/) and emailed Deborah Rozee, the Executive Director. Within an hour, she responded and asked me to call her. We spoke that day and discussed the advocacy work I had done. I was travelling to Halifax the following week ( we all need good timing!), so we arranged to meet at lunch on September 23, 2008. I met with Deborah Rozee and Cheryl Canning, the Vice Chair of the NSLAP Committee.

Now, this was an interesting meeting. For me to be having a lunch meeting with two representatives of the Bar Society was a little overwhelming, but I was more excited and keen than nervous. It was a great hour. We discussed my depression and recovery, and my mental health advocacy. They were quite interested, and commented on how honest my writing was. The Bar Society even covered the tab!

They asked if I would like to have an article in the The Society Record, the monthly magazine of the Bar Society, which is sent to all lawyers in the province. I readily agreed.

Ontario Lawyers' Assistance Program (OLAP)

In early September, I was reading through Dan Lukasik's site ( www.lawyerswithdepression.com), and noticed an article by John Starzinsky, the Vounteer Executive Director, of OLAP, discussing his bi-polar. I clicked on the OLAP's site (www.olap.ca) and learned about the program. It was re-assuring to come across another lawyer, with a mental illness. John, Dan and I made three I knew.

I emailed John and we exchanged messages for awhile. He was very supportive, and encouraged me to continue seeking a public forum to discuss my depression and recove. I suggested I write an article for the OLAP. He thought it was a great idea. I sat back, took a couple of days and wrote a long piece and submitted it. He had it posted online in a day. ( www.olap.ca/keith-anderson.html)

He and I continue to communicate by email and phone. One never knows from where support may come.

Update / CMHA National Conference

Well, it's been awhile, actually months, since I last wrote. I stopped writing because I became busy, and I thought, still do, that not many, maybe no one, reads this blog. But, regardless I am back and will try to try to keep this on track.

Now, being busy has been great. Since the last summer, life has steadily improved and proceeded to a place I had not thought.

I spoke at the CMHA National Conference last August. I co-presented, with Fred Armitage, a workshop on depression and recovery. We each spoke for 20 minutes followed by questions / answers for an hour. The audience was very receptive and supportive. It was a great confidence builder to learn that I still had the ability to speak in public, as I had often done as a lawyer.

I also heard from key note speakers and attended some other workshops at the Conference. I learned more about mental illness.

I have to thank Carol Tooton, Executive Director of the CMHA , Nova Scotia Division, for inviting to speak and telling me that I would be accepted. Also, Krista Hooper and Christiana King made be feel very welcome throughout the entire weekend. One has to remember that this was my first public event in over 5 years. I became comfortable in a public setting, it felt real good.