Skip to main content

Alternatives

My First Alternatives

by Leann October 30, 2012 Add Comment

Alternatives was a beautiful experience. People from all over the nation gathered for this groundbreaking progressive mental health conference in Portland, Oregon and it was a wonderful thing. I had the opportunity to listen to stories throughout the conference and get to know people as we conversed outside. Pretty soon I had a picture of just what this was about. It was about mental health, it was about fighting for our basic human rights, but mostly it was about coming together as one for a greater cause.

Creating a Plan for Ending Human Rights Violations in the Mental Health System

Khatera's picture by Khatera October 17, 2012 1 comment

Can you imagine someone you love or even yourself being left in physical restraints for four weeks?

Hall: Changing relationship with feelings key to personal recovery, social change

3 comments
Will Hall presents his keynote address

By Shannon Eliot

Mental health advocate and schizophrenia survivor Will Hall freely admits that he still has suicidal feelings.

But instead of feeling ashamed or embarrassed, he sees those feelings as just another aspect of himself and how he lives in the world.

Native American tribal communities provide hope for overcoming historical trauma

2 comments
Lakota elders provide guidance to tribe members

By Shannon Eliot

The key to recovery from historical trauma lies in restoring a community's "original instructions" and returning to cultural roots, according to Native American mental health leader Elicia Goodsoldier.

Historical trauma — which refers to a collective experience of one group experiencing repeated trauma over time — is neither immediately recognizable nor widely understood.

Portland CBO: Honest, transparent efforts at cultural responsiveness critical to program effectiveness, buy-in

Add Comment
Jammie Tribble of Central City Concern discusses cultural responsiveness

By Shannon Eliot

It's not easy being an organization that works with many cultures, but making and sharing an ongoing commitment to cultural learning is critical to effectively serving and gaining buy-in from consumers, according to Lynn Smith-Stott, Program Manager for Central City Concern.

The Portland-based organization is dedicated to serving people who are homeless and have mental health and/or addiction issues. One of their flagship projects is the Over Representation Program, or ORP, for African Americans.

A Letter of Thanks to the Pioneers

Shannon's picture by Shannon October 12, 2012 4 comments

Dear Sally, Joseph, Gayle, Celia, and all of the other trailblazers,

I have never accepted that another person singlehandedly knows what is best for me.

Maybe it’s because I'm self-aware — or incredibly stubborn — but I honestly can't recall a single time in my life where I did something simply because of social pressures or someone in a position of authority told me to do so.

Sithole: Look to Africa for lessons in recovery

1 comment
Presenter Masipula Sithole holds a thumb piano

By Shannon Eliot

Masipula Sithole Jr. has lived in societies so different from one another that he is still questioning the definition of normal to this day.

Sithole, a graduate student in international development at Johns Hopkins University, grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe. As a child, he struggled with stuttering and had his first experience with therapy at the age of five, years before ever hearing the phrase "bipolar." Now an adult, Sithole warmly looks back on that experience as fundamental to shaping his views on mental illness.

Hyde: Health care reform to offer new opportunities for consumers

2 comments
SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde

By Shannon Eliot

The Affordable Care Act will give consumers more opportunities than ever to get customized support for their recovery, according to Pam Hyde, Administrator for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

In the opening keynote of the 2012 Alternatives conference, Hyde reflected on previous models of care and the new importance of integrating behavioral and primary health care to meet the needs of the whole person.

PEERS helped in the recovery of nearly 1000 people last year. Help us reach even more. Donate.