In the book by C.S. Lewis ‘The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,’ there is a sentence
to be treasured...it reads, “The darkness did not grow any less, but she began to
feel a little - a very, very little-better...Courage, dear heart.”.
At AWARE NI, we believe that it is not the absence of mental illness that makes someone 'strong'; instead, it takes incredible strength to live with mental illness, seek support and embark on a road to recovery. We recognise that the journey can feel slow, and the darkness you are experiencing can sometimes feel overwhelming and discouraging.
Perhaps you think you have tried many times - 'Courage, Dear Heart',
little by little, you have already made valuable steps towards recovery.
Perhaps you feel recovery might be possible for some people but not you
- 'Courage, Dear Heart', we all feel that way at times. You are not alone.
Perhaps you feel you do not have the energy to start trying to recover
- 'Courage, Dear Heart'; you are stronger than you know. We have been providing support for over twenty-five years, and we will be here when
you feel ready to take that first step.
We run a network of free-to-attend peer support groups where you
can meet with people on the same journey as yourself, be understood,
and discuss ways to move forward. We recognise that walking through
the front door of one of these groups for the first time can feel overwhelming; however, we often hear the life-changing impact they have had on our attendees.
And so, we say to you now in your darkness.
'Courage, Dear Heart'
Find an AWARE NI support group near you here.