Hope and Friendship, Café Psychologique 23 May

Why we need hope and friendship, and how to find them

How to survive while the world goes to hell in a handcart

The world can be a tough place and maybe seems tougher than usual at the moment. That might be because of difficult personal circumstances – illness, bereavement, financial stress, pressure at work – or because headlines are dominated by Trump, Brexit, and Elections (and those are the relatively cheerful ones as compared to Syria, North Korea, climate change and global poverty).

So what will keep justifiable despair at bay; and if you believe that you do need to keep going how do you do that? Psychologists tend to agree that Hope and Friendship are two vital ingredients in helping people face and overcome difficulty, and find a way of keeping a sense of purpose and fulfillment. These seem crucial to happiness.

However, bad news and repeated setbacks militate against hope; and the powerful drive to blame and suspicion in difficult times might prompt us to withdraw from people. This café will explore how and why hope and friendship arise, often against the odds. We’ll also think about how to find hope and friendship when you feel like giving up.

Dr Nick Lalvani works in mental health recovery and will introduce this Café Psychologique on Tuesday 23 May, 8.00 pm to 9.45 pm in Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds. The Café costs £4 on the door.

There is a poster to download here:
Café Psychologique May 2017

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