Cinco de Mayo FIESTA!!

    Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Pot Luck!

You’re Invited! NAMIWalks Info Meeting
Join us for a fun, information filled afternoon and find out more about the Los Angeles County NAMIWalks fundraiser on October 6, 2012 at the Santa Monica Third Street Promenade

This is NAMI Antelope Valley's major fundraiser each year and we need your help to bring Mental Health issues to the public and
     Eliminate the STIGMA!
The funds that we raise at this fantasic event are used to provide NAMI signature programs like Family to Family Education, Basics Education and Peer to Peer Recovery Education to our community.

Date: May 5th Saturday
Time: 3:00 -6:00 pm

Place: Discovery Resource Center

1609 E. Palmdale Blvd, Suite G
Palmdale CA 93550
Get information about NAMIWalks Los Angeles County
(Walk Manager Wayne Baldaro will be available for questions)

In Our Own Voice (IOOV) presentation at 4:00 PM

                   Piñata – Food and more…….

*Call 661-718-0088 to RSVP your pot luck dish!

cover design contest no.6: DSM-5/DSoM at 40, american psychiatric association/pink floyd [2013]

Hey designers: check out this Dark Side of the Moon/Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders cover contest...

The wonderful art & literary blog Venus febriculosa has announced it's new book cover design contest. This time it is asking for a cover design inspired by two classic tomes of our culture.

One of them is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health (DSM-5) as it is preparing for its 5th publication in 2013 to replace the current edition last published, according to amazon.com, in 1994. FINALLY. Also included in this cover design contest is Pink Floyd's album Dark Side of the Moon which will be turning 40 years old in 2013 - Woah.

Follow this link to the complete info and rules:

cover design contest no.6: DSM-5/DSoM at 40, american psychiatric association/pink floyd [2013]

NAMIWalks Kick Off!

The 2010 NAMIWalks Kick Off Luncheon was held yesterday at the beautiful California Endowment Center for Healthy Communities. We had a delicious lunch and got everyone amped up for team building and fundraising. Heidi Lennartz, CEO of Mission Community Hospital spoke about motivating her community and fellow business leaders to rise to the call of raising awareness and raising funds. We also heard Marvin Southard D.S.W. and Anand Pandya M.D. speak.

Mari Ledergerber of NAMI Westside was recognized for her efforts in team building and made a grand entrance with a violinist playing "The Yellow Rose of Texas" to emphasize her inclusion of friends and family in Houston. Debbie and Tim Watkins from NAMI Pomona Valley were recognized with as the "Most Inspirational" for their team efforts in team building and fundraising. They were able to double their affiliate's income from with NAMIWalks funds! It was an inspirational event and great to see everyone excited to start team building!


Here are Team Captains Vanessa (Team CSU Northridge) and Krystal (Team L.A. Lujah.)

Let's make NAMIWalks 2010 the #1 walk in the country!

Gearing up for NAMIwalks!

NAMI Antelope Valley is gearing up for NAMIwalks. We are looking for sponsorship and more walkers to join us in Santa Monica on walk day (October 2, 2010.) If you are interested in becoming donating or becoming a walker, please visit the website to sign up!

We hope to see you there!

Thank you to The Sound LA!

We have a media sponsor for the 2010 walk!

100.3 The Sound will be partnering with us with over 40 PSA's an on air interview, on line links and walk day promotion.

Also, take a listen to the New Directions Choir on this week's America's Got Talent in the video below. This Choir amazed our Team Captain Kick Off Luncheon Crowd in 2008! Such a powerful and inspirational group.

Pathways to Wellness - Sunday June 13, 2010

DR. MICHELLE GOLLAND Keynote Speaker "THE MEDIA, MENTAL ILLNESS AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS" Sunday June 13, 2010 Conference Times 12:15PM - 5:00PM Doors Open at 11:30AM American Jewish University 15600 Mulholland Dr. Bel-Air, California 90077 Open to Everyone

Hear keynote speaker, clinical psychologist, writer, personal coach and television personality Dr. Michelle Golland plus a collection of talented guest speakers... For more information and to register, click here.

Music is Medicine, Music is Sanity

Robert Gupta, violinist with the LA Philharmonic, talks about the redemptive healing of music through his friendship with Nathaniel Ayers on the renowned lecture series. TEDtalks:

Christoher Payne's Photography of State Mental Hospitals

Asylum: Inside the Closed World of State Mental Hospitals By Christopher Payne

Reviewed by William Wiles - 04 February 2010

Christopher Payne's book, released October 2009, with an introductory essay by Oliver Sacks reveal "These vast, decaying buildings were part of a grand experiment in health care that lasted for over a hundred years."

Purchase the book here.

Visit christopherpaynephoto.com.

Via Steve Lopez at The LA Times:
Mr. Ayers -- Recording Artist

Congratulations, Mr. Ayers! We look forward to hearing the fruit of your labors.

How Are You?

Rachel and Lauren share how their friendship deals with the ups and downs of bipolar disorder:

View the video here.

Visit halfofus.com for more stories from people dealing with their life situations.

No Kidding, Me Too!

Check out the trailer for a documentary from No Kidding, Me Too! (founded by actor Joe Pantoliano)

For more information go to http://nkm2.org/

Debate over cognitive, traditional mental health therapy - latimes.com

From the LA Times

By Eric Jaffe

January 11, 2010

 

"I don't care what psychotherapy the person is getting," Lambert says. "I care whether they're responding." 

Debate over cognitive, traditional mental health therapy - latimes.com

Posted using ShareThis

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness | Helpline

How does flu season effect people with mental illness? The National NAMI website answers these good questions about flu season and you:

Why is this flu season important for people with mental illness?

What about hand-washing? Is that still a good idea?

I got the flu but I am now getting better. How long do I need to stay away from others?

How risky is the flu for people with mental illness?

Is my psychiatric medication a reason not to get the vaccine or vaccines?

The CDC has made changes to its recommendations regarding the flu vaccine. What do the changes mean for people with mental illness?

go here for the full article and answers to the above questions

Here is a great article about how far NAMI has come that appeared in the Huntington Post on October 6. Primarily interview Sharon Dunas a leader in LA County NAMI and president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness for the Westside of Los Angeles. Congratulations to Sharon Dunas and to Robert David Jaffee, a warrior for writing about NAMI and bringing light to the topic of mental illness!

Who do you call?

NPR's Morning Edition had a report on mental health issues on college campuses this morning. Besides the lack of psychologists and peer support groups, they also discussed the community wide problem of "Who Do You Call?" One student recounts her story of being woken up & interrogated by the police after talking to her family about her depression. Why is it that the police are the first responders to mental health crisis? What kind of buffers or safety nets can we build to fight the fear and stigma of dealing with a mental illness appropriately and safely?



Listen to the whole story here.

My AV Online

Check out this community site set up by Samara Hart called "My AV Online." A community network and blog space specific to the Antelope Valley. I posted some of the NAMI info there, but check out the other members. There is even a blog that lists all the local menus courtesy of AVMenus.com. It's good to see an active community in the AV!

See you at The Square!

Hi Everyone!

This is a late newsbreak! I just got the news myself on Thursday. NAMI Antelope Valley is participating in a community event at the Ponticlon Square in Palmdale from 10AM until 4PM Today, October 24th. The square is located near the Chimbole Center on Palmdale Blvd. at Sierra Highway. Stop by and see us at the NAMI Information table. We will have information to hand out and someone to answer questions about NAMI. Se habla espanol.

See you at The Square!

Denise Boehlert
President, NAMI Antelope Valley

Check out what Glenn Close is doing to fight stigma! 
For more information and videos visit bringchange2mind.org

Job Fair

Next week the South Antelope Valley Worksource will be holding a job fair.


October 22 / 10am-Noon
Job Fair, 1817 E. Ave. Q Ste A-12, Palmdale
South Antelope Valley Worksource
(661) 265-7421
map


While you are there, check out what FREE services they have to offer for job seekers. From the website:

One-on-one Career Counseling

• Employment Preparation Workshops
• Special Training Programs
• On-the-Job Training Opportunities
• Entrepreneurial Assistance
• Access to the latest Job Leads

Plus free use of tools you need including:

Computers and Printers

• Internet Access
• Phones, Fax and Copy Machines
• Assistive Technology for individuals with disabilities

Join us for a FUN-RAISER!

I know its a cheesy title, but it got your attention didn't it?

Wednesday October 14th, 2009, between 5-8pm
Souplantation in Palmdale
is donating 15% of sales generated to NAMI Antelope Valley!

Just print out this flier and present it at the register with your dinner purchase. Print out a couple and pass them along to your friends!