When things got bad, everyone told me to exercise. “It always helps me to take a workout class — just to sweat a little,” my well-meaning friend said as she stroked my unwashed hair. “Just try it.” “Come to the gym with me!” My co-worker begged. “We both need the endorphins.” “How have you moved your
I knew when I was 16 years old that I would spend my life in some sort of service to others. My mother was the director of the local women’s shelter, a “Back to Work” program for unemployed miners and the local food bank. I was often recruited to volunteer for these different organizations
Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the world; in fact, 19.4 million people have at least one depressive episode each year. Accordingly, you likely know someone who lives with depression — maybe even someone who struggles with it daily. When that someone is your partner, and depression develops a presence in
After navigating a close relationship with someone who lives with borderline personality disorder (BPD) — and meeting dozens of people navigating similar situations — I developed an interest in better understanding the disorder. To broaden my understanding, I read the existing literature about BPD, completed a NAMI Family Connections class and participated in a
Confession: I’m anxious. In what feels like a former lifetime, I taught psychology college courses and worked as a business consultant, trainer and coach. Given my mentoring roles (and my Ph.D. in psychology) it wasn’t uncommon for a student or training participant to pull me aside and admit that they were suffering from anxiety.
Once again, I dusted off my outdated resume and began to write cover letters. Feeling cautiously optimistic, I applied to several companies listed on an employment site. As I returned to the job hunt, I was acutely aware that my moods could stop me from staying employed (again). However, this time, I decided to
“I can’t take this anymore.” Many of us who care for someone with a mental illness have heard these words before. We’ve watched friends and family members battle the pain and challenges, and we’ve worried for their safety when they say some days feel too overwhelming. This leaves many of us to wonder: What
Accepting a diagnosis is one of the most difficult experiences for people living with mental illness (as well as their caregivers). It certainly was for me and my spouse. I refused to come to terms with my diagnosis for six years. It took an involuntary hospitalization to start treatment, another 10 years to fully
As a church-going health care worker who has fought her own battle with mental illness, I’ve always been frustrated by one message I consistently heard in church: Mental illness makes you “a bad Christian.” Growing up in a gospel church in southern Louisiana — and even attending a nondenominational protestant church as an adult
Community Partner Spotlight: Carlos Plazola, Community Service Specialist Community engagement is such a vital and rewarding part of social services. Carlos Plazola is a Community Service Specialist with Imperial County Behavioral Health Services and the Center for Clinical Training. Carlos works on connecting the community to local resources and assistance, as well as training