Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment Formed in 1999 to reduce - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

(ACE)

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“Its is ok to be vulnerable.”:

Promoting resilience among PHA living with or affected by mental illness and/or addiction OHTN HIV ENDGAME 2 Conference November 21 & 22, 2016 Alessandro Bisignano Lena Soje Alan Li Fatimatou Barry Henry Luyombya Josephine P. Wong

Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment

• Formed in 1999 to reduce

barriers faced by people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) who are immigrants, refugees or without status in Canada

• Coalition of over 40 health,

legal and social service

• rganizations plus individual

immigrant/refugee PHAs

• Community Education,

Research, Service coordination and Advocacy on issues related to HIV, immigration and access

http://www.hivimmigration.ca

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Why the ACE Program

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Program & service gaps in community Needs identified at frontline Consultation with CAAT members & PHA

ACE

PHA EMPOWER‐ MENT

From CHAMP to ACE: Addressing Multi‐layered Stigma & Promoting Resilience

Asian MH Summit 2016 4

cceptance cceptance

A & ommitment

mmitment to to mpowerment mpowerment

C E

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... ...

A C E

CAAT‐Legacy Program CAAT Mentors PHA Workgroup

• PHA-driven &

PHA-centered

• uild on

insights

B CHAMP

• pply

(cceptance & ommitment raining)

A ACT A C T

• pply

(ocial ustice

A CAT SJCE S J

& ollective mpowerment trategies).

C E S

Acceptance & Commitment to Empowerment (ACE):

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A 10‐session personal and collective empowerment program for PHA experiencing challenges related to traumas, stress, loss, and addiction issues. Objectives:

• Promote Psychological Flexibility
• Reduce stigma associated with addiction

and/or mental health challenges

• Increase self‐compassion and self‐care
• Consolidate mutual support and advocacy
• Build capacity for peer and collective

empowerment

ACE

Acceptance & Commitment to Empowerment (ACE)

• An integrated model of ACT and SJCE with foci on:

– Mindfulness practice – Self acceptance and self compassion – Nonviolent /Compassionate communication – Self‐care strategies – Critical dialogue on identities – Critical dialogue on social and structural influences on body‐mind‐spirit – Collective compassionate peer support and committed action

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ACE: First cohort

Evaluation Methods

• Session feedback forms
• Pre‐ and post training surveys
• Post‐training focus group

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Total of 10 participants

Session Evaluation Results

What participants learned What matters to participants How they will apply ACE strategies 1 Self‐awareness; self‐ care; mindfulness Safety (closed group); feeling “not alone” & “hope” Get to know self; share with friends, practice mindfulness 2 Mindful eating; self & social identities; how to let go Share experiences & compassion; connect with values Let go of labels; love myself more; being mindful in everything 3 memories as the

• bserved past, not

who we are; aware of thoughts as thoughts Acceptance: I still have issues and that is okay; being non‐judgmental of self How to deal with emotions and ask for support; staying in the moment 4 Gratitude exercise; loving kindness meditation Sharing & acceptance; mutual appreciation As inner healing; to build skill in not being a people pleaser 5 Non‐violent communication (NVC) Awareness of fundamental human needs; non‐judgemental It is okay to be vulnerable; practice NVC with children

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Reflection and Insights

• Awareness that pain does not have to become suffering
• Mindfulness and self compassion  reduce the effects of

emotional triggers; more self‐confidence

• Opening up – courage to be vulnerable
• Safe space and trust enable honest sharing and genuine

mutual support

• Experiential activities promote body‐mind‐spirit integration
• Dialogue on structural determinants of health reduce stigma

and self‐blame

• Practical tools support practices of self‐care and self‐

compassion  promote mental health and prevent relapse

• Value matters ‐‐ in promoting and supporting committed

action

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Letting Go, Getting Unhooked

I am wanted.

I am open.

I am beautiful & wonderful.

Soul Food: Compassion Social Justice Fairness

I believe I believe beyond the self… I deserve the best! I deserve the best!

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ACE: Not Only for Individual Resilience

• ACE Cohort One graduates are now co‐facilitating

Cohort Two training

• Many applied ACE strategies at work and among

family and friends

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Collective Resilience

Individual Resilience

Acknowledgements

• ACE Planning Committee
• ACE members
• ACE Coordinator: Alessandro Bisignano
• ACE Facilitator & Author: Josephine P. Wong
• CHAMP Designers & Co‐authors: Alan T. W. Li; Kenneth P.
• L. Fung; Josephine P. Wong
• CAAT Director: Maureen Owino

ACE is a group mentorship component of the Legacy Program, Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment

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