As part of a project to provide accessible information for the general public, families and persons with psychosis, I wrote a number of fact sheets on psychosis under contract for the BC Schizophrenia Society. I am also very proud of the educational collaborative board game for families and people with psychosis to learn about evidence based self care and environmental factors affecting psychosis. I have a professional designation in Art Therapy (DVATI CATA) and used principles of group art therapy to design the collaborative structure of the symbols and method for this game.
My challenge was to write technically accurate, evidence based health information which was at a grade 8 or lower reading level for public use. These fact sheets were reviewed and approved by psychiatric professionals who were experts in the topic areas. They were also reviewed and approved by family members of persons with mental illnesse, and later by Indigenous family support workers for the Indigenous adaptation. I did all the writing, layout and design formatting.
To follow are the links to the completed files for personal or health care use with acknowledgement.
If this information is useful to your or someone you know, the society granted permission to copy and distribute to others for non-profit purposes.- Psychosis Symptoms and What to Do
- Early Psychosis How Family and Friends Can Help
- What is Psychosis? What psychosis is and what to do about it.
- Psychosis and Mood Information about psychosis for persons with a mood disorder.
- Cannabis and Psychosis 2 page fact sheet, pdf format for persons with psychosis or schizophrenia who might be using cannabis / marijuana.
- Crystal Methamphetamine and Psychosis Fact sheet on the connection between crystal meth use and psychosis
- Postpartum Psychosis (for new moms and their famillies and friends) This fact sheet explains about the type of psychosis a woman can sometimes get shortly after she gives birth and the importance of getting immediate help for the new mother.
- Understanding Mental Illness – Psychosis A booklet for children, pdf, designed to be printed double-sided, folded and stapled
- When your brother or sister has schizophrenia
Recovery Cup Board Game – A board game for family members of persons with schizophrenia and psychosis and their ill loved one. This game drew upon the stress-vulnerability theory of psychosis. Each player rolled dice for a genetic risk at game start and then played the game, accumulating environmental stresses, resillience factors and self care activities to add or remove pieces from their cup. The game is played till all players have cups below ‘full’ which represents active psychosis. The game is designed to accommodate cognitive difficulties, and work collaboratively between players, and focusses on family member self care alongside the needs of the person with psychosis.
This Recovery Cup board game, created by me, (art therapist and designer Sophia Kelly) proved very popular. I was subsequently asked to adapt it with direction from indigenous support workers as the canoe game using baskets instead of cups for use on reserves. The metaphor there was that we were all in the same canoe together. The cards in all cases were vetted by psychiatric professionals.
The full materials to assemble a copy of this game for use with acknowledgement is provided below. Please request permission in advance to adapt.
- Vulnerability Cards
- Caring Cards
- Recovery Cup Instructions 2016
- Game board (canoe and basket version)
Sophia has helped us maximize the use of our website, greatly improving communications internally between our provincial network of members, staff and volunteers, as well as externally with professionals and the general public. She has helped us quantify and evaluate our services by being available to assist provincial staff with technical matters.
In addition, she has done an excellent job of managing a number of important projects, always doing excellent work that is completed in a timely fashion.
An intelligent and clear communicator, Sophia has provided valuable advice and generous assistance far above and beyond what can be written in a formal contract.
I would highly recommend her services to anyone.
~Jane Duval, Executive Director, BC Schizophrenia Society
