Mental
Health Ministries
e-Spotlight
- December
2008
COPING
WITH
THE
HOLIDAYS
BROCHURE
 The
holidays are
upon us. They
are supposed
to be a time
of joy, parties
and gatherings
with friends
and family. But
the holidays
can be a stressful
time under
the best of
conditions. The
commercialization
of the holiday
season bombards
us with unrealistic
expectations
especially
in this troubled
economy. With
one in four
families
living with
a family member
with a mental
illness, dealing
with relatives
and friends
who do not
understand
a person's
illness can
be difficult.
The
brochure, Mental
Illness: Coping
with the Holidays,
provides helpful
self care
tips for persons
living with
a mental illness,
tips for families
and friends
and tips for
communities
of faith. You
can download
this resource
from the Mental
Health Ministries
website in English or Spanish. There
is a link
to this resource
on the Mental
Health Ministries
Home page or
you can find
it in the
Other Resources
section on
the website
under Brochures.
NOTE:
All of our
brochures,
bulletin inserts
and other
print resources
are available
for download
at no cost.
NAMI
FAITHNET
A
new
brochure
describing
the
mission
of NAMI
FaithNet
will
soon
be available
for
download
or purchase
from
the
NAMI
store
at NAMI
store: www.nami.org/store. A
NAMI
FaithNet
mission
and
vision
statement
is
available
at www.nami.org/faithnet/mission
NAMI
FaithNET,
NAMI National's
information
resource network
for NAMI members,
faith communities
and community
partners,
prepares a
monthly e-newsletter. Its
purpose is
to provide
announcements
about current
events, resources
and projects
related to
spirituality
and mental
health . It
will help
NAMI members
and other
interested
persons learn
about your
organization
and events
happening
across the
county. 50-100
word submissions
should be
sent to carolejwills@sbcglobal.net by
the last Thursday
of each month.
You
are encouraged
to visit the
NAMI FaithNet
website at www.nami.org/faithnet and
sign up to
receive monthly
e-newsletters.
BUILDING
BRIDGES
RESOURCE:
MENTAL
HEALTH
CONSUMERS
AND PRIMARY
HEALTH
CARE
REPRESENTATIVES
DIALOGUE
In
March 2005,
CMHS sponsored
a dialogue
between consumers
of mental health
services and
representatives
of various
sectors of the
primary health
system. I
was privileged
to be a part
of this dialogue. In
an effort
to develop
improved
mutual understanding,
respect,
and partnerships,
the two dozen
participants
accomplished
the following:
- Identified
issues involving
mental health
consumers
and their
experiences
with primary
care providers,
including
those that
both hinder
and help
recovery;
and
- Developed
recommendations
regarding
attitudinal
shifts and
systems
transformation
that can
lead to
improved
mental and
general
health care
responses
to people
with mental
illnesses
by primary
care and
mental health
providers.
The
findings and
recommendations
from the dialogue
are summarized
in this publication
that can be
downloaded
with this
link.
Building
Bridges:
Mental Health
Consumers
and Primary
Health Care
Representatives
in Dialogue
END
OF
YEAR
GIVING
As
a nonprofit
ministry, Mental
Health Ministries
accepts and
appreciates
donations. Gifts
are 100% tax
deductible. We
rely on your
gifts to help
us continue
to provide educational
resources to
erase the stigma
of mental illness
in our faith
communities.
SALE!!!
We
are phasing
out our VHS
resources in
preparation
for an exciting
new resource
for 2009! All
VHS resources
have been marked
down to $10. Ordering
on line will
reflect the
sale price. For
quantity orders
of any of our
DVD or VHS resources,
contact Susan
for a reduced
rate.
SNIPPETS
FROM
SUSAN
The
Holiday Season:
Finding Light
in the Darkness
We
are entering
into a festive
season. The
winter holidays
are meant
to be times
of joy, parties
and gatherings
with friends
and families. But
for many people
this is a
lonely stretch
of the year
marked by
hard memories
and unrealized
dreams.
The
commercialization
of the holiday
season bombards
us with unrealistic
expectations,
especially
in these difficult
economic times. It
is not unusual
for people
to experience
a decrease
in energy
and motivation. But
some people
experience
an exaggerated
form of these
symptoms.
Their depression
and lack of
energy become
debilitating. This
condition,
known as Seasonal
Affective
Disorder (SAD)
may affect
over 10 million
Americans. The
milder, "Winter
Blues" affects
an even larger
number of
individuals.
But
for those
of us who
live with
serious mental
illness all
year long,
the holidays
can make us
feel even
more alone,
isolated and
disconnected
from friends,
family and
from our God. Psalm
88 reflects
that feeling
from an emotional
spiritual
perspective. "You
have put me
in the depths
of the pit,
in the regions
dark and deep." "Lord,
why do you
cast me off? Why
do you hide
your faith
from me?"
The
cold landscape
and trees
empty of their
leaves reflects
our inner
winter. Having
been in this
place, I now
understand
that God is
working in
our silent
darkness. As
with nature,
we can trust
that new tender
shoots will
emerge from
the dark,
silent soil
to bring unlimited
possibilities
of new life.
It
is for this
reason that I
wrote a brochure, Mental
Illness:
Coping with
the Holidays. This
brochure provides
tips for persons
living with
a mental illness,
tips for family
and friends
and tips for
faith communities wanting
to be supportive. Family,
friends and
caring faith
communities
can remind
us that we
are loved
and accepted
by God even
when we feel
unworthy and
alone.
Many
churches realize
the importance
of acknowledging
the grief,
loneliness
and depression
associated
with the holiday
season by
holding special
services like "Blue
Christmas." Rituals
often focus
on light breaking
through the
darkness. Christians
celebrate
the birth
of Jesus Christ
who will become
the "light
of the world." The
eight day
Jewish celebration
of Hanukkah
is known as
the Festival
of Lights serves
to remind
their people
of the miracle
which re-kindled
the Temple
menorah light
at a time
of darkness
and despair.
I
now know that
no matter
what the circumstances,
we are not
alone in the
darkness. God
is working
in our lives
even when
we are not
aware of it
to bring about
healing and
hope. This
holiday season,
may we be
open to those
moments of
grace when
flickers of
light break
in to penetrate
our darkness.
Break
into my confusion,
Lord.
Help
me to know who I am
and
what
I
am
meant
to
be.
Guide,
uphold and strengthen me
as
I
leave
behind
the
world
of
limits
and
labels.
Guide,
uphold and strengthen me
as
together
we
create
a
world
of
infinite
possibility.
Have
a
blessed
holiday
season,
Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder
Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries
6707 Monte Verde Dr.
San Diego, CA 92119
www.MentalHealthMinistries.net
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