Pony rides, giant board games and super bouncy balls were on offer for the Invictus Games crowds flooding into Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday. What do these fun things have to do with the often-stigmatized topic of mental health? Let’s find out…
Equine Therapy
Two organisations, one Australian and one American, crowd-funded $20,000 to give competitors, their friends and family, and spectators a close encounter with a trained therapy pony.
Activities included groundwork (leading the horse, walking together, grooming or working to navigate obstacles) and horse-riding for small children, on ‘Penfold’ the Shetland or ‘Morris’ the One-Eyed Shetland.
Horses are used for therapy purposes because they understand non-verbal communication and social behaviours. Being prey animals, they are hypervigilant about their environment and are prone to overstimulation, anxiety and distress. They can therefore relate to someone who experiences post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression or suicidal impulses.
EquiCenter is a New York-based non-profit facility providing those with disabilities, veterans and at-risk youth with equine and gardening programs.
Reason to Thrive is a Brisbane-based charity that focuses on developing wellbeing in children, youth, adults and families who are experiencing disadvantage, disability and mental health issues, by providing equine facilitated therapeutic services.
Giant Snakes and Ladders
In front of the Quaycentre, home to the thrilling wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball and the wheelchair basketball events is a giant game of Snakes and Ladders for ‘kids’ of all ages.
“At Beyond Blue, we’re looking at the spectrum of mental health which starts around prevention, wellness, wellbeing, so that’s what this is focussed on,” said Kelly Naughton, Community Engagement Coordinator at Beyond Blue.
This special board game helps people play their way to the winner’s square via ladders of self-care and snakes that represent harmful behaviours. If you make it to the winner’s square you’re rewarded with something special!
Harmful behaviours include unhealthy eating habits, not doing activities that you enjoy and not getting enough sleep.
“A lot of people have been saying ‘this is me right now’. It’s been great seeing younger kids getting involved and playing it.
Kids have more of a grasp of self-care than adults at times.
“It’s a really good point that sometimes, what we would do for others, we don’t do for ourselves,” said Elle Holtham, Partnerships Manager at Beyond Blue.
Beyond Blue is an Australian independent non-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, suicide, anxiety disorders and other related mental disorders.
Bouncy Balls
Open Arms is giving out bouncy balls and colouring-in pencils to anyone interested in learning about the counselling services offered to all Australian servicemen and women and their families.
Open Arms is the new name for the Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service which was established in 1982 to provide support to Australian Vietnam War veterans.
Open Arms refers to the signal used to call a helicopter in to land, with the soldier standing in an open field, arms held out wide.
Alex Willis
Invictus Games Sydney 2018