My Short Story - MHFA

 My Short Story

My full name is Donato Ruben Diele of 16 Higgins Court Bacchus Marsh Victoria 3340.

I was born in Gravina in Puglia South of Italy on August 11th, 1956. Migrated in Melbourne Australia on July 17th, 1969 with mother and father with five siblings and mother expecting the seventh child in a few months. We settled in Moonee Ponds and moved to West Sunshine in 1972 Victoria and began a new life in this wonderful country Australia. I am the third older child, one older brother, and one older sister and four younger sisters. We all went to school according to our age to primary and secondary schools including my father and mother to English classes to learn the language and to adopt the new culture. My father was a great influence in my life, he was involved with the community and also with the local council and the Victorian Government and a representative of Italians migrants in Australia and Italy and an artist and great humanitarian. I came from a family deeply rooted in the community that we lived in and wanted so much to be part of it. That was my background of influence.

The journey that led me to become a Multicultural Ambassador for MHFA started, because of the great influence that I had from my father and the personal experience caring for my wife with mental health illness and see my family members suffering from mental illness and related conditions. I became passionate and wanted to become an advocate for better mental health and awareness and support for sufferers and support for carers. I am now a member of Carers Victoria Australia, Accredited Member of Mental Health First Aid Australia, and a member of Beyond Blue and Red Cross Australia and a Counsellor Psychotherapist in private practice. Since then I desire to see that mental health is well promoted and understood among all communities to abolish stigma and ignorance. We all fear what we don’t know. This position means a lot to me and to see that mental health is well promoted among all cultures, indigenous, gender, race, languages, and multicultural groups.

My understanding of Mental Health and wellbeing

Mental health is a positive concept related to the social and emotional wellbeing of individuals and communities. Having good mental health, or being mentally healthy, is more than just the absence of illness; rather it’s a state of overall wellbeing.

The concept is influenced by culture, but it generally relates to:

· Enjoyment of life

· Having the ability to cope with and ‘bounce back’ from stress and sadness

· Being able to set and fulfill goals

· Having the capability to build and maintain relationships with others.

The term ‘social and emotional wellbeing’ is preferred by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as it reflects a more holistic view of health. It is also used by some people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, who may have different concepts of mental health and mental illness.

Being mentally healthy and living well is important to every single one of us – whether we are living with a mental illness or not.

Regards, Multicultural Ambassador, Donato Ruben Diele for MHFA.