Meetings
GAMMA meets on the 1st and the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm. We aim to get there about 7:15pm so we start on time. The venue is the ACON building, 414 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills. Meetings usually end between 9:00 and 9:30, with most people opting to have coffee with us and extending the chat a bit longer.
The atmosphere of the meetings is informal, and the environment is friendly, safe and relaxed. You can feel quite free to raise issues relevant to your current situation and share them with other men who have the same problems, aspirations and successes.
The meetings are confidential and anonymous, and are facilitated by experienced GAMMA members, often professionals in the field, who have been through a similar journey to yours and so have a first hand understanding of the subjects involved.
Guest speakers are also often invited to share their knowledge on such topics as:
- Family Law: the issues and suggested approach
- Managing the change with children, families and parenting
- Relationships with former spouses and gay men, and support networks for wives and families
- Safe Sex education and awareness
- Support Groups, social and professional
- Financial Planning: making long term responsible decisions
- Managing a Gay lifestyle.
GAMMA Meeting Schedule & Activities 2012
The following meetings are scheduled for the first half of 2012. Changes may occur unexpectedly. Speakers and events lined up for the second half of the year are listed at the end of the calendar.
| January | Wed 18th |
Legal Issues During divorce or separation, legal and emotional issues tend to become intertwined, though they are entirely separate things. It is essential that you keep both feet on the ground when questions of sexuality are added to matters of separation, children's rights and property settlement. |
Speaker: Tom Reeve Tom is a solicitor who has often spoken to GAMMA men about legal matters. He is from Marsdens Law Group. |
| February | Wed 1st | Group Discussion . Free range exchange of ideas about matters affecting men from the group. |
There will be no invited speaker on the night. Peter Kadwell, GAMMA President, will facilitate this informal evening. |
| Wed 15th |
Guilt and Shame Even in today's climate, society conditions many of our men to feel like second class citizens with something to be ashamed of, and why should we feel lacking compared to other men when our skills and talents tell us it is not so? Back to top |
Speaker: Eric Hudson Eric is a relationship counsellor with over twenty years' experience counselling individuals, couples and families. He is an ex-member of GAMMA and a good friend of the group. |
| March | Wed 7th |
Living in Two Worlds This is how many men have described their feelings when they have begun to explore their sexuality, perhaps for the first time. |
Speaker: Ross Feenan Ross is a psychologist well known for dealing with the after-effects of trauma in people's lives. He has also run 'coming out' groups for ACON. |
| Wed 21st |
The Needs of Children when Dads Come Out Back to top |
Speaker: Odelia Carmon This is Odelia's first time speaking at GAMMA. An experienced child psychologist, she strongly believes that 'healing begins with making contact, talking freely and being heard and understood.' |
| April | Wed 4th |
TBA |
Speaker: Anthony Venn-Brown From evangelical preacher to best-selling author, lifestyle coach and 'ambassador to the gay community', Anthony is also the founder of freedom2b, an organisation for gay men brought up with strong religious backgrounds. |
| Wed 18th |
Meet the panel from varied organisations: Wally Salinger from Team Sydney: Adam Bold, professional event organizer: Steve Ostrow from the Mature Age Gays Group: John Carayannis, the Secretary of Harbour CIty Bears: and a representative of the Gay and Lesbian Business Association. Back to top |
No matter what you'd like to do or how much you want to be involved, there's a community group to suit you. This is an introduction to as many activities as we can fit into the evening |
| May | Wed May 2nd |
The needs and perspectives of female partners With Roxanne McMurray, Manager of the Leichhardt Women's Health Centre, which hosts the only known funded group for woman partners of Gay and bisexual men. |
Roxanne helps men disclosing their sexual identity understand their partner's experience as things change. Her insights are offered without judgement and highly valued by the men who attend. |
| Wed May 16th |
Mental Health Issues The safe friendly atmosphere of a GAMMA meeting is one place where men can feel easy about discussing mental health issues involved as their life changes. Back to top |
Speaker: Ercel Ozser, doctor from Holdsworth House, who will discuss the symptoms of depression, anxiety, grief and loss; how to take care of yourself; and what resources are available to you. |
| June | Wed 6th |
Group Discussion Issues arising from the group |
GAMMA President Peter Kadwell will once again preside over an evening where there is no guest speaker and no set aganda, but simply a chance to share your thoughts and concerns and hear what others have to say about theirs. |
| Wed 20th |
Mid Year Dinner and Speaker Back to top |
Speaker, venue and cost are yet to be finalised, but we will stick to the GAMMA policy of keeping the evening within your budget by meeting part of the cost. |