91. Bridie Boyd - Mental Health, Holding Hope for Others, and Knowing You Are Valuable

Bridie Boyd is, among other things, a chaplain at Hillmorton hospital, a psychiatric care facility in Ōtautahi (Christchurch). She is also involved in advocating for, and supporting, women in the Anglican environment in Aotearoa, New Zealand.  We talk about both of these roles. What drives her in her advocating for others? What draws her to love those others neglect or even despise?  We discuss what the role of chaplain actually involves and the challenges and rewards of doing such a role with people who are struggling in their mental health. Bridie also shares about her own mental health journey, how that has helped her in her role, and what she has learned along the way. Within the kōrero we talk about embracing awkward spaces to learn from one another, the way chaplains hold hope for people when they can't hold it for themselves, and how valuable people are no matter who they are or what they're experiencing.  If you'd like to support the work of the hospital chaplains, head to ichc.org.nz  ___ Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations  Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations Email: [email protected]