Dear Clients old and new: Please note that I am in the process of closing my private practice. I am moving in new directions and away from the practice of psychology. Please feel free to contact me if you need referral information.
This website will be undergoing changes over the next couple months.
Currently I am coordinating a worldwide awareness campaign for consumer groups, mental health workers and NGO's. This campaign is regarding the vital information contained in the World Health Organization (WHO) report, "Mental Health and Development: Targeting people with Mental Health Conditions as a Vulnerable group. This landmark report will be launched at UN Headquarters in New York on September 16, 2010. We have established a Mental Health Worldwide google group and members to date are from Nepal, Brazil, India, Zambia, South Africa, Ghana, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Australia, Ireland and Canada. We are continually adding new members. Our campaign will include local and international press releases. Some groups will be delivering copies of the WHO report to their relevant ministries of government - not only to the ministry of Health but also Education, Employment and Housing. Participating organizations can receive advance copies of the WHO report for awareness efforts. We are working together so that national groups may have a stronger voice internationally. Mental health continues to be the most under supported and under recognized health issue even though it affects each one of us. Persons with mental health conditions constitue a marginalized group that has largely been ignored especially in developing nations. Feel free to contact me for more information. Please join us!
Following the WHO report launch, Linda will be establishing an International NGO and/or Private Foundation to continue these international awareness efforts and strengthen the voices of Mental Health Service User organizations. Ideas discussed include international walk-a-thons, music videos, films and so on. Again please join us so those made invisible by society become visible and equal to all others. Our group supports the latest UN Convention - The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD states that all persons with disabilities have the right to be treated equally in all aspects of life including education, employment and the right to live in the community. These rights are currently not realized by those with mental health conditions especially in developing nations. We welcome you to become part of our international group - Mental Health Worldwide.
In 2009, Linda completed the International Diploma in Mental Health Law and Human Rights Legislation with Distinction. This program took place at the India Law College in Pune, India in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). Current International Mental Health Projects include working with the WHO, Service User groups and her classmates from around the world.
To further advance her mental health advocacy efforts, Linda is pursuing a PhD in Disability Law at the Centre for Disability Law and Policy (NUI Galway), Ireland. Her supervisor is Prof. Gerard Quinn, one of the lead delegates in the drafting of the current UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Her research will take place in Zambia working with one of her classmates, Sylvester Katontoka, President of the Mental Health Users Network of Zambia.