Building Bridges in Mental Health: An Insight into Coordinating an Interdisciplinary Network for Professionals working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people
A desire to connect with others who support the psychological needs of deaf and hard of hearing people saw clinical psychologist Christina Clarke become an MHPN Network Coordinator, of what might be MHPN’s most unique network.
“I was eager to find others who work with this niche client group to enhance my understanding, share knowledge, and create a supportive practitioner community working in what is often an isolated specialty,” she said.
“To my delight, others shared my vision, and the network quickly grew into a large online community that continues to expand.”
To date, the network has met 12 times since launching in 2021 and engaged over 240 practitioners across the nation.
Being a Coordinator has been an exciting and rewarding journey
Christina feels that being part of something new and forging connections with professionals from a range of disciplines is a privilege. She believes that collaboration helps create a stronger sense of community, enabling professionals to support and learn from each other. And that ultimately a collaborative approach improves the experience for Deaf and hard of hearing clients in the mental health system.
As the network has grown, Ashleigh Wallach (psychologist) and Debra Swann (mental health social worker) joined as Coordinators. Christina believes their involvement is crucial, particularly as she has no lived experience of deafness and Ashleigh and Debra do, allowing the three of them to model what is possible through collaboration.
Ashley says, “Dissemination of expertise in a niche field such as this is so important to the continued improvement of services and supports available to the deaf and hard of hearing population. The professionals themselves can also discover and feel more connected to others working in this field.”
Advice for Aspiring Network Coordinators
Thinking about leading a network? Christine says to dive in, and that your enthusiasm and passion could be the catalyst for creating a much-needed professional network that could positively impact the clients you support. She also notes that her role as Network Coordinator is made easier with the direct support from Amanda, MHPN Senior Project Officer.
Get involved!
The network’s next meeting ‘Allyship: a model for reconciling lived experience and evidence-based approaches’ is on Thursday, 19 September. Join the network below to attend!
