If you would like to participate in any of our self-help activities, please contact our office at 518-962-2077.
Download a PDF of the Calendar of Events HERE.
If you would like to participate in any of our self-help activities, please contact our office at 518-962-2077.
Download a PDF of the Calendar of Events HERE.
Please review our September 2018 Self Help Calendar for activities and workshops this month. If you are not yet connected with MHA, call 518-962-2077 and request an intake today. Need someone to talk to? Call our Hopeline at 1-800-440-8074 for 24-hour listening support.
Download the calendar here: September 2018 Self Help Calendar
Over the next few months, you will be seeing a lot of posts about our community Out of the Darkness Walks. Why are these so important? First, they provide support and a sense of community and belonging for those who have lost someone to suicide, those who struggle and those who support the cause. Second, the money raised is needed so that we can continue to provide free local suicide prevention education and awareness programs in the 15 counties the chapter serves. We would love to have you join us at one (or more) of our 4 walks this fall but if you can’t attend, please consider making a donation.
Additionally, this year marks the 10-year anniversary of the North Country Out of the Darkness Walk in Lake Placid. To register for the Walk or to make a donation, visit www.afsp.org/northcountry. For sponsorship opportunities, please review the attached sponsorship packet.
NC Walk sponsorship packet 2018
After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools assists schools in implementing a coordinated response to the suicide death of a student. Originally developed in 2011, the second edition includes new information and tools that middle and high schools can use to help the school community cope and reduce suicide risk. The toolkit was developed in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and in consultation with national experts, including school-based administrators and staff, clinicians, researchers, and crisis response professionals. It is designed primarily for administrators and staff but can also be useful for parents and communities.
Link to the toolkit HERE.
Highlights of the second edition include:
If you or someone you know may be having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 800-273-TALK. To reach someone to talk to in Essex County, call the 24-hour Essex County Mental Health Services Crisis Line at 888-854-3773 or the Mental Health Association 24-hour Hopeline at 800-440-8074. Free and confidental emotional support is always available. With help, comes hope.
Mental health advocates delivered over 25,000 letters of support for increased funding for community-based housing.
Read more details here:
This event engages restaurants and their patrons to DINE United and help give back to the community in support of high priority Health & Human Service Needs across the Adirondack Region.
The next series in MHA’s Self-Help program will be Anger Management, beginning Wednesday, January 10, 2018. This weekly series of self-help workshops is designed to be used by participants in mental health and/or substance abuse treatment programs, but all are welcome to attend. The curriculum includes an overview of anger management, recognizing events and cues, designing your own anger control plan, learning about the agression cycle, working with a conflict resolution model, learning about anger and how it affects the family and much more. Participants can attend as they are able, you don’t need to attend all of the sessions to be able to participate.
If you are an active member of the Mental Health Association in Essex County and would like to register for Anger Management classes, you can click here , call Kellie or Transportation at (518) 962-2077.
If you are not yet an active member of the Mental Health Association and would like to attend, please call Kathy at (518) 962-2077 and request an intake. Please call prior to January 4, 2018 to allow sufficient time to process your intake.
Curriculum source: Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients, SAMHSA
Kellie Trombley, MHA’s Self-Help Advisor, recently conducted a series of groups on the topic of life skills, with the mission to remove mental health barriers to employment and education with exercises that promote practical outcomes. Participants learned about coping strategies to deal with emotional concerns while gaining knowledge about the culture of the work environment. By identifying personal strengths, participants learned about dealing with stress-related issues, becoming empowered to pursue educational and employment goals while improving general life skills.
For those who were not able to attend, please find the workshop handouts here:
The Right Frame of Mind
1A Attitude
1B Motivation
1C Responsibility
How to Handle the Tough Stuff
2A Conflict Resolution
2B Dealing with Anger
2C Stress Reduction
How to Put Your Best Foot Forward
3A Communication/Non-Verbal
3B Communication/Verbal
3C Communication/Interview
The Nuts and Bolts
4A Money Management
4B Time Management
4C Decision Making
The Balancing Act
5A Setting Priorities
5B Home/Work/School
5C Family/Friends/Myself
Time to Act/Stop Procrastinating
6A My Personal Plan
6B Design a Resume
Adapted from the Life Skills Support Group Curriculum, County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, CALWorks Supportive Services, 2007. Find a link to the full original document here: http://passthrough.fw-notify.net/download/318796/http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dmh/171974_LifeSkillsFinal3-18-08.pdf
On November 1 and 8, MHA will host two opportunties to participate in The Kindness Rocks Project. We’ll be making rocks for ourselves and for the upcoming Survivor Day event on November 18.
Check out more details here: Kindness Rocks Presentation
For information about participating in MHA’s Community Center activities, call our Westport office at (518) 962-2077.