Couple united in mental health aid
EARL Robinson doesn’t have a problem talking about mental health, in fact he relishes it, but that wasn’t always the case.
His wife Jan recalls that after his first session to see a counsellor he came home and declared it hadn’t worked and he didn’t feel better.
Several sessions later, and after much time spent just talking, Earl and Jan are now vocal advocates for getting help with your health, no matter what the issue.
“You’ve got to be able to talk about it,” Earl, who was diagnosed with PTSD, said.
“I was brought up that men don’t show weakness or talk about it.
“I get asked ‘ aren’t you embarrassed?’ since I did start talking, but it really helps me. “It lessens the anxiety.”
Jan has had her own mental health obstacles and has at times found herself with crippling anxiety. She said that, with Earl’s support and after much effort, and many wrong turns, she found the help she needed.
Jan was the first of the pair to be diagnosed, and during her journey to wellness found herself with a therapy dog.
The couple added the German shepherd puppies, Zac and Zena, to their menagerie of animals in 2015 and haven’t looked back.
“If it wasn’t for Zac being there when I was going through a suicidal problem, who knows where I’d be,” she said.
“I went and got help and when I got help there wasn’t much locally to help me.
“I was referred to one guy and he told me he couldn’t help me and it was my fault.
“Thankfully I found someone else and that really helped me.
“In the past two years there’s been massive progress in the town about mental health treatment and help.”
Some of that progress comes in the form of the Charters Towers Community Mental Health Directory, launched in town this week.
Jan and Earl have each played a role in the development of the directory, which was auspiced by Epilepsy Queensland with funding from the National Disability Insurance Agency.
Jan was a part of the locally based strategy group and pushed hard for a simple flowchart at the start of the directory that could provide quick help for those needing it.
She said it was so good to see something like the directory available to people and available at many places in the community and online.
Earl’s brushwork graces the cover, his painting Steady the Lead helping to inspire people to pick the publication up.
Jan’s passion for spreading the word on mental health services and Earl’s soft-spoken personal approach have them leading the way locally.
“This directory is a great thing, it’s going to help a lot of people,” Jan said.
The booklet is available in hard copy from the Excelsior Library, Charters Towers Regional Council chambers, the Charters Towers Hospital, GP surgeries and Prospect Community Services.