News and Events
16.06.11
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Emily Maguire left an audience of
service users and staff at 93 Church Lane deeply moved with a blend
of storytelling and performance at a recent Trust event.
Emily shared her own experiences of psychosis and depression
while performing a short set of songs and reading from her book
'Start Over Again'.
Emily said: "I realise that it is the responsibility of all of
us to be more aware of our mental health and to know when to seek
help either for ourselves or for our friends or family members. The
stigma that surrounds mental health is still a real barrier to
that. I felt I was adding to that stigma by not talking about my
own experiences so that's why I decided to publish 'Start Over
Again' and tell the real story behind my songs."
Attendees were full of praise for the frank way in which Emily
discussed her experiences with a number describing her performance
as 'inspirational.'
The Trust's Head of Occupational Therapy David Marsden led
on the event, with support from the Communications Team and manager
of the wellbeing centre Fiona Roy. He was delighted with the
reaction from the audience.
"It was fantastic that Emily could come along and not only
perform but also meet some of our service users and staff. We
accepted her offer because recovery, anti-stigma and
the use of occupation to promote health are all important to the
Trust. Emily brought these elements to life through her openness
and real-life examples which seemed to touch everyone."
Emily is regularly featured by Aled Jones on his Radio 2 show
and is currently touring with Dr Hook's Dennis Locorriere.
You can find out more about her and her music at www.emilymaguire.com.