Why I’m so passionate about the area of Mental Health – Katrina Cox (Manager – Program Services)
I was asked to write a blog on “ Why I’m so passionate about the area of Mental Health”, this seemed an easy question and I know I am passionate about it, but putting it into words was something I had to think about. I started my Nursing Career in NZ as an Aged Care Nurse, then I moved into supporting people with disability and then general nursing. One day I evaluated where I wanted to go in my career, and thought about the patients/clients I had supported though their health journey and I realised that a high percentage of patients develop varying degrees of Mental Illness during this journey. I then decided to specialize in Mental Health Nursing as I felt drawn to this area and the potential to ‘make a positive difference’ in people’s lives.
My passion came when I was working in a small rural town, delivering assessments, therapy and having a close interaction with the local community. I developed a desire and passion to attend work each day, no matter how I was feeling at the time, so that I could have the privilege of getting to know and walking a journey with a person that came into the service for assistance. Working within Mental Health is developing a therapeutic relationship with your client, getting to know them and walking the journey with them. You experience the good times, bad times and everything in-between. My passion is my drive and my desire to assist people to achieve the skills they need at the time for them to live a meaningful life. Mental Illness can happen to anyone regardless of their situation and everyone has a life worth living. I feel privileged to be invited to walk along side of them for a period of time.
In my time in Mental Health I have seen some amazing successes with people who have stopped being part of their community because they feel they are a burden to society. I have also seen and still see the impacts that PTSD has on military personal both past and present, this has been a personal effect on my family as we are a family with 4 close family members serving with the Australian Defence force and some serving overseas. With every person I have walked a journey with I have seen their determination and drive and we have worked together to achieve a life worth living and they have gone on to do amazing things. I could say I have had an impact on them , but in reality they have had an impact on me that moves me to continue to work within mental health and assist people to walk the journey to wellness. This is no easy task and it takes motivation, determination and strength that I believe each and every person I have walked with has had and they are all heroes in my eyes.
