The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) started out in someone’s living room – family members gathering in concern about how their family members were not getting the services they needed. They found many, many others who understood their pain and frustration and so their numbers grew and grew. They advocated and educated people with mental illness and their families. Today, there is a NAMI chapter in every state.
Utah has an especially wonderful chapter headed by Sherri Wittwer. She has an amazing team of volunteers. I want to acknowledge Rebecca, Mary, Pam, Susan, Chandra, Spencer, Liz, Kim, Shane and Kerri. These are good people who know what it is like to either have a family member with mental illness or have a mental illness themselves. They fight the good fight every day to make life better for those struggling with mental illness – AND their families. In fact, they offer a support group just for families. They also have a program called Family-to-Family which helps not only to support but educate. Their Bridges Program “brings together people who share the experience and knowledge of mental illness to empower each other with the tools to build bridges of recovery”.
In addition to their many, many on-going programs for adults, children, veterans, families and people who speak Spanish (please check out their website – www.namiut.org ) they have some special events they do each year. Today was the reception of the NAMI Utah Artists’ Project!
This is something Liz does every year. And though she was great at it to begin with, it just keeps getting better! The exhibit is going on right now through November 6th, 2010. Click here for more info
The other event, you have probably heard of: the Walk for NAMI! It’s you’re in luck because it’s coming up THIS WEEKEND!! NAMI is a non-profit organization so they rely on the walk to finance their good work. Please show them your support by going to http://www.namiut.org/nami-walks
Next year I hope that Happiness 101 will JUMP FOR NAMI! I still need to talk to Sherri about it, but I’m sure she won’t mind (smile)
~Frank Clayton, Licensed Professional Counselor
Studies have shown that writing five positives per day can decrease depression. This is one of them. This is just one of the tidbits from (the free class), Happiness 101. For more positives, click here..