Nicki Evans
I have been a member and co-facilitator of various Psychology in the Real World groups. I helped develop the original idea for the first Writing Group and have co-facilitated three writing groups since. I have also been involved in the planning, advertising and running of the Walk and Talk group over the previous years. I co-facilitated a Thinking about Medication group with Zounish Rafique in Telford and currently organise Film club with Guy Holmes and Patrick Larkin. On a personal note, having been given a diagnosis and medication, I feel that challenging ideas and practices in mental health has proven crucial for me. I am now aware there are many unimplemented routes, which do not include hospital environments or being heavily medicated, that lead to a better sense of wellbeing. I have a fondness for animals, especially my dog, the outdoors, travelling, photography and writing poetry as a means of expressing myself, something that has developed since co-facilitating the Writing Groups. I also have a keen interest in computers and have built and currently maintain this website.
Psychology in the Real World groups I have been involved with
The Writing Group 2008
The Writing Group 2009
Thinking about Medication 2010
The Writing Group 2012
Walk and Talk 2009 - Ongoing
Film Club -2012 - Ongoing
Toxic Mental Environments 2013
Publications
Happiness at no extra cost: Poem in the article 'Walk and Talk' in Openmind, 153, 12-13. (2008)
Survivors Poetry- Poetry Express Issue No.29 – Spring 2009
Overcoming Sadness and Depression manual- The Thrive approach
Marion Aslan & Mike Smith (2009) www.crazydiamond.org.uk
Chapter 40 Out of the Box and Chapter 58 Experiencing the journey from service user to group facilitator. In Holmes, G (2010) Psychology in the Real World: Community-based groupwork. PCCS Books: Llangaron
Evans, N., Gilpin, L., Holmes, G., Rafique, Z. & Yates, I.(2010) Power and status in groups. Therapy Today, 21, 26-29.
Simple Things. In Home Sweet Home: United Press Poetry Anthology (2012).
Being Human? My struggle with self-harm: Article in Asylum Magazine, Summer 2013, Volume 20, 19-20.
Chapter 18 Working through self-harm. In Baker, C., Shaw, C., Biley, F. (2013) Our Encounters with Self-Harm PCCS Books: Ross-on-Wye
Cartmell, J., Evans, N., Moloney, P., Rafique, Z. (2014) Toxic Mental Environments 2013: A social action therapy project. Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy, 14, 100-107.
Concepts from the work of David Smail discussed by members of Walk and Talk. Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy, (March 2015)
Conference Presentations
Holmes, G. & Evans, N (2009) The variety of outcomes of community-based groupwork. Network for Change 21st Anniversary Conference. Leicester.
Holmes, G. & Evans, N (2009) Community-based groupwork in the ‘modern’ NHS. Division of Clinical Psychology Psychosis and Complex Mental Health Faculty Annual Conference. London.
Coakley, C, Evans, N, Holmes, G and Upton, J (2010) Walk and Talk. Service User Involvement Celebration Conference. Newport.
Holmes, G. & Evans, N. (2011) Walk and Talk. 1st International Conference on the Multi-Dimensions of Well-Being. University of Central England.
Holmes, G. & Evans, N. (2012) Medication Groups. Medication Conference, York.