Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Award Presentation to our attorneys in the NIMBY case
NIMBY = "Not in My Backyard" = Discrimination. This is our story and recognition of our supporters. The opposing neighbors can speak for themselves... and they do ...
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
A NEW LEASE ON LIFE by Linda Pendley
At age 68 I retired from my job and fell into a case of the blahs—a state of depression. When I asked my internist to refer me to a psychiatrist he told me that there were no psychiatrists who would take Medicare. I lingered in this depressive state feeling totally useless after having worked for over 50 years of my life. I felt that I no longer had a purpose.
Finally, my husband, God bless him, found a geriatric psychiatrist on the internet who did take Medicare. I made an appointment and enjoyed a very relaxed discussion with a laid back non clinical guy who referred me to the Wesley Woods Senior Transitions Group. He told me to try it for one day and if I didn’t like it we would try another approach. He sized me up and realized that I am a “people person” and do well when interacting in a group.
I fell in love with the participants in the group, many of whom were a good bit older than I was. Their wisdom, incite and humor were a delight. The counselors who led the group were wonderful. After several weeks of this therapy I felt rejuvenated and joined the Senior Depression Group that meets on Tuesdays at the Fuqua Center and is free of charge. I found that all of the participants in the group had similar issues and feelings. It was easy to connect with the group and achieve mutuality. Trust me, we don’t have pity parties. Listen in at the door when our group is meeting and you will hear laughter. We have a wonderful time together and we are a source of support to one another.
One day Cathy Rambach came to our group and asked for volunteers to take the Certified Peer Specialist training being held at Simpsonwood in Norcross, GA. The Fuqua Center would sponsor me to take the course. I volunteered. Certified Peer Specialists have a mental health diagnosis and can relate to the problems people have coping with mental health issues and the stigma that goes along with the diagnosis. The focus of the Certified Peer Specialist is on growth and recovery, not the illness.
After being certified as a Peer Specialist I saw an ad on the internet for a CPS to work at the Peer Support and Wellness Center in Decatur, GA. I began working there in October of 2009. Working with peers both one on one and on our warm line phone has been rewarding. I also facilitate a group on a weekly basis that focuses on whole health and smart shopping. The Fuqua Center at Wesley Woods and my work at the the Peer Support and Wellness Center have given me a new lease on life.
Linda Pendley
Finally, my husband, God bless him, found a geriatric psychiatrist on the internet who did take Medicare. I made an appointment and enjoyed a very relaxed discussion with a laid back non clinical guy who referred me to the Wesley Woods Senior Transitions Group. He told me to try it for one day and if I didn’t like it we would try another approach. He sized me up and realized that I am a “people person” and do well when interacting in a group.
I fell in love with the participants in the group, many of whom were a good bit older than I was. Their wisdom, incite and humor were a delight. The counselors who led the group were wonderful. After several weeks of this therapy I felt rejuvenated and joined the Senior Depression Group that meets on Tuesdays at the Fuqua Center and is free of charge. I found that all of the participants in the group had similar issues and feelings. It was easy to connect with the group and achieve mutuality. Trust me, we don’t have pity parties. Listen in at the door when our group is meeting and you will hear laughter. We have a wonderful time together and we are a source of support to one another.
One day Cathy Rambach came to our group and asked for volunteers to take the Certified Peer Specialist training being held at Simpsonwood in Norcross, GA. The Fuqua Center would sponsor me to take the course. I volunteered. Certified Peer Specialists have a mental health diagnosis and can relate to the problems people have coping with mental health issues and the stigma that goes along with the diagnosis. The focus of the Certified Peer Specialist is on growth and recovery, not the illness.
After being certified as a Peer Specialist I saw an ad on the internet for a CPS to work at the Peer Support and Wellness Center in Decatur, GA. I began working there in October of 2009. Working with peers both one on one and on our warm line phone has been rewarding. I also facilitate a group on a weekly basis that focuses on whole health and smart shopping. The Fuqua Center at Wesley Woods and my work at the the Peer Support and Wellness Center have given me a new lease on life.
Linda Pendley
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tell Big Pharma…”Gone Fishing”
By Linda Neiheisel, CPS
“No time for a chill pill now,
Linda the luna is having lunch
With Charlie the tuna”
I couldn’t forget that little boy’s matter-of-fact observation, ”What’s wrong with Miss Linda?” It was 1980 and my first year of teaching. I had just experienced the famous carbohydrate/caffeine crash right in the middle of our Montessori morning work period. At that moment I decided never to be “cranky with the kids” again and committed to a high protein breakfast every day. I did not suspect that thirty years later I would be writing about the benefits of a diet high in protein as essential for our brain health.
What is brain health? Brain health is achieved by understanding how our food choices affect our brain chemistry and particularly, our mood. This is good news for people diagnosed with any mood disorder because it offers a happy alternative to the pharmacological imperative called antidepressants. Three choices present themselves to those of us who seek to improve our mood. We can take medications, fish oil supplements, or choose a third (delicious) option.
We can eat fish. Any way you slice it, eating fish three times a week significantly increases your health. It also improves your chances of fighting depression, according to recent research studies. Psychotherapy cannot be effective if the brain isn’t nourished properly, says Susan Lord, director of nutrition programs for the Center for Mind-Body Medicine.
The Omega 3 essential fatty acids found in most cold water fish are a part of every single cell membrane that make up our brain cells. When a person’s diet is not rich in magnesium, zinc, and omega 3 fatty acids, our neurotransmitters (which form the basic “wiring” of our brains) are not getting what they need to function.
The 1999 Harvard University pilot study dramatically showcased that Americans eat a lot more damaging fats than good fats and that a healthy diet consisted of five grams daily of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids.
Did you know that other published studies show that countries with a higher fish consumption experienced less cases of depression among its population? Even further, the American Journal of Psychiatry gathered cross-national data correlating seafood consumption with a reduction in bipolar disorder.
Maybe Grandma was right when she said, “you are what you eat”. If you nourish your brain, you strengthen your ability to cope and who couldn’t use that in our stressful lifestyle. Here is a delicious way to make your brain food more delectable. ENJOY!
Spicy Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
Whiting or Cod fillets, Olive oil, Lime juice, Favorite herbs, Cornmeal
Multigrain tortillas, Pre-packaged slaw mix, Reduced fat sour cream
Lime zest and lime juice, Adobo paste
Cooking directions:
Marinate fish in lime juice, olive oil, and herbs no longer than 30 minutes.
Stir in one cup of corn meal and bake on a baking sheet for 7 minutes.
Make a Crema sauce out of sour cream, lime zest, lime juice and adobe paste.
Assemble fish taco by putting a crispy fillet in a tortilla. Add slaw on top and and end with spicy crema on top.
“No time for a chill pill now,
Linda the luna is having lunch
With Charlie the tuna”
I couldn’t forget that little boy’s matter-of-fact observation, ”What’s wrong with Miss Linda?” It was 1980 and my first year of teaching. I had just experienced the famous carbohydrate/caffeine crash right in the middle of our Montessori morning work period. At that moment I decided never to be “cranky with the kids” again and committed to a high protein breakfast every day. I did not suspect that thirty years later I would be writing about the benefits of a diet high in protein as essential for our brain health.
What is brain health? Brain health is achieved by understanding how our food choices affect our brain chemistry and particularly, our mood. This is good news for people diagnosed with any mood disorder because it offers a happy alternative to the pharmacological imperative called antidepressants. Three choices present themselves to those of us who seek to improve our mood. We can take medications, fish oil supplements, or choose a third (delicious) option.
We can eat fish. Any way you slice it, eating fish three times a week significantly increases your health. It also improves your chances of fighting depression, according to recent research studies. Psychotherapy cannot be effective if the brain isn’t nourished properly, says Susan Lord, director of nutrition programs for the Center for Mind-Body Medicine.
The Omega 3 essential fatty acids found in most cold water fish are a part of every single cell membrane that make up our brain cells. When a person’s diet is not rich in magnesium, zinc, and omega 3 fatty acids, our neurotransmitters (which form the basic “wiring” of our brains) are not getting what they need to function.
The 1999 Harvard University pilot study dramatically showcased that Americans eat a lot more damaging fats than good fats and that a healthy diet consisted of five grams daily of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids.
Did you know that other published studies show that countries with a higher fish consumption experienced less cases of depression among its population? Even further, the American Journal of Psychiatry gathered cross-national data correlating seafood consumption with a reduction in bipolar disorder.
Maybe Grandma was right when she said, “you are what you eat”. If you nourish your brain, you strengthen your ability to cope and who couldn’t use that in our stressful lifestyle. Here is a delicious way to make your brain food more delectable. ENJOY!
Spicy Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
Whiting or Cod fillets, Olive oil, Lime juice, Favorite herbs, Cornmeal
Multigrain tortillas, Pre-packaged slaw mix, Reduced fat sour cream
Lime zest and lime juice, Adobo paste
Cooking directions:
Marinate fish in lime juice, olive oil, and herbs no longer than 30 minutes.
Stir in one cup of corn meal and bake on a baking sheet for 7 minutes.
Make a Crema sauce out of sour cream, lime zest, lime juice and adobe paste.
Assemble fish taco by putting a crispy fillet in a tortilla. Add slaw on top and and end with spicy crema on top.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
SOCIAL ROLE VALORIZATION WORKSHOP SUMMARY
Jen Banathy
May 12, 2010
As an individual who has experienced the stigma attached to mental illness, I was eager to attend the Social Role Valorization (SRV) workshop organized by the Georgia Advocacy Office. The basic premise of SRV is that people are much more likely to experience the “good things in life” (Wolfensberger, Thomas, & Caruso, 1996) if they hold valued social roles than if they do not. Therefore, the major goal of SRV is to create or support socially valued roles for people in their society, because the resources and norms of society that leads to the good things in life are more available to a person holding societally valued roles.
The content of the workshop clarified what tends to happen to people in our society who are labeled with something that others as a whole don’t positively value. The label could refer to any physical, mental, or social condition. In my case, being diagnosed with a mental illness profoundly impacted my life in that I truly began to believe that there was something horribly wrong with me because of the negative assumptions and judgments society as a whole makes about the mentally ill. I found that my life was being defined by my impairment and because of that narrow focus my wounds were growing in number and severity rather than healing.
My abilities were constantly marginalized and I found myself being excluded from numerous opportunities, such as a productive school and work life, that people in more valued social roles have access to in order to live meaningful lives. I was subjected to low expectations and put on a different path from my peers. It didn’t take long before I was buying into those imposed limits and began to see myself as disabled. I became consumed by personal insecurity and began to see myself as a liability and a burden instead of a contributor to society and began to believe that there was no value to my life and that I did not deserve to live.
Years passed as I continued to spiral downward and I became overly familiar with the revolving doors of the mental health system. Hospitalizations, day treatment programs, medications, and therapy filled my life with an emptiness that I could see no end to. After nearly fifteen years of struggling to live day by day, I came to the conclusion that some drastic changes must occur in order for me to find any happiness. I was forced to change my perceptions and render more positive judgments about myself and my future. My road to recovery was extremely perilous and painful; however, my perseverance and desire to live a good life led me along the right paths.
I am fortunate now to be working as a Certified Peer Specialist at the Peer Support and Wellness Center in Decatur, GA. I am able to share my recovery story with peers who are experiencing many of the same wounds I experienced as a person with a mental illness diagnosis. Many of my peers have experienced being distanced from the regular and normative pathways of life and have experienced the social exclusion common to the mentally ill, both of which can relate to a total loss of freedom and can lead to disastrous consequences.
Having shared these experiences, I am able to understand and identify with my peers and help them articulate what their vision of a good life is and assist them in their recoveries. The SRV workshop presented well documented strategies for lessening the negative effects of the labels attached to those in devalued societal roles and increasing the likelihood that the devalued will have access to the means essential for experiencing the good things in life. To quote Johnetta B. Cole, “We are for difference: for respecting difference, for allowing difference, for encouraging difference, until difference no longer makes a difference.” I no longer deny or hate my difference; I see it as a vocation and a gift I have been given to share.
May 12, 2010
As an individual who has experienced the stigma attached to mental illness, I was eager to attend the Social Role Valorization (SRV) workshop organized by the Georgia Advocacy Office. The basic premise of SRV is that people are much more likely to experience the “good things in life” (Wolfensberger, Thomas, & Caruso, 1996) if they hold valued social roles than if they do not. Therefore, the major goal of SRV is to create or support socially valued roles for people in their society, because the resources and norms of society that leads to the good things in life are more available to a person holding societally valued roles.
The content of the workshop clarified what tends to happen to people in our society who are labeled with something that others as a whole don’t positively value. The label could refer to any physical, mental, or social condition. In my case, being diagnosed with a mental illness profoundly impacted my life in that I truly began to believe that there was something horribly wrong with me because of the negative assumptions and judgments society as a whole makes about the mentally ill. I found that my life was being defined by my impairment and because of that narrow focus my wounds were growing in number and severity rather than healing.
My abilities were constantly marginalized and I found myself being excluded from numerous opportunities, such as a productive school and work life, that people in more valued social roles have access to in order to live meaningful lives. I was subjected to low expectations and put on a different path from my peers. It didn’t take long before I was buying into those imposed limits and began to see myself as disabled. I became consumed by personal insecurity and began to see myself as a liability and a burden instead of a contributor to society and began to believe that there was no value to my life and that I did not deserve to live.
Years passed as I continued to spiral downward and I became overly familiar with the revolving doors of the mental health system. Hospitalizations, day treatment programs, medications, and therapy filled my life with an emptiness that I could see no end to. After nearly fifteen years of struggling to live day by day, I came to the conclusion that some drastic changes must occur in order for me to find any happiness. I was forced to change my perceptions and render more positive judgments about myself and my future. My road to recovery was extremely perilous and painful; however, my perseverance and desire to live a good life led me along the right paths.
I am fortunate now to be working as a Certified Peer Specialist at the Peer Support and Wellness Center in Decatur, GA. I am able to share my recovery story with peers who are experiencing many of the same wounds I experienced as a person with a mental illness diagnosis. Many of my peers have experienced being distanced from the regular and normative pathways of life and have experienced the social exclusion common to the mentally ill, both of which can relate to a total loss of freedom and can lead to disastrous consequences.
Having shared these experiences, I am able to understand and identify with my peers and help them articulate what their vision of a good life is and assist them in their recoveries. The SRV workshop presented well documented strategies for lessening the negative effects of the labels attached to those in devalued societal roles and increasing the likelihood that the devalued will have access to the means essential for experiencing the good things in life. To quote Johnetta B. Cole, “We are for difference: for respecting difference, for allowing difference, for encouraging difference, until difference no longer makes a difference.” I no longer deny or hate my difference; I see it as a vocation and a gift I have been given to share.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Busted Biscuits Belly Laugh
By Linda Neiheisel, CPS
“Look here Mister Pillsbury Doughboy, before you act a fool
Gonna fly past the refrigerated section
Get me some Sweet and Low”
I stood in front of the mirror. I couldn’t forget the little boy in the grocery store who drawled that cruel, cold observation, “Mama, that lady looks like a can of busted biscuits.” I burst out laughing at the visual.
Remembering my Intentional Peer Support training, I embraced my crisis as an opportunity. I knew that May 1 was National Laugh Day and I decided to investigate the possibility that, indeed, laughter was good medicine…and even could help with my belly fat.
How can laughing reduce belly fat? Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan, researchers from Loma Linda University in California, have studied the effects of laughter on the immune system. Their study, published in the 1996 issue of The Humor and Health Journal shows that belly laughing reduces the release of the hormones cortisol, norepinephrine, dopamine, growth hormone and triggers the release of endorphins, the bodies natural pain killers, which adds up to a general feeling of well being.
This is good news for those of us who have stress related dense fat in the midsection from the secretion of cortisol and dopamine which leads to high blood pressure, heart attacks, and diabetes, as well as obesity in general.
So put the deep breathing aside, and try on a good belly laugh for no reason. It is a workout in itself and could help you live longer and even more happily. To make it even easier, I leave you with a few pokes at those of us who need to take ourselves a little less seriously.
How many Certified Peer Specialists does it take to change a light bulb?
Ten—one to hold the bulb and nine to support turning the ladder.
How many Intentional Peer Support Facilitators does it take to change a light bulb?
Ten—one to hold the bulb and nine to negotiate turning the ladder.
“Look here Mister Pillsbury Doughboy, before you act a fool
Gonna fly past the refrigerated section
Get me some Sweet and Low”
I stood in front of the mirror. I couldn’t forget the little boy in the grocery store who drawled that cruel, cold observation, “Mama, that lady looks like a can of busted biscuits.” I burst out laughing at the visual.
Remembering my Intentional Peer Support training, I embraced my crisis as an opportunity. I knew that May 1 was National Laugh Day and I decided to investigate the possibility that, indeed, laughter was good medicine…and even could help with my belly fat.
How can laughing reduce belly fat? Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan, researchers from Loma Linda University in California, have studied the effects of laughter on the immune system. Their study, published in the 1996 issue of The Humor and Health Journal shows that belly laughing reduces the release of the hormones cortisol, norepinephrine, dopamine, growth hormone and triggers the release of endorphins, the bodies natural pain killers, which adds up to a general feeling of well being.
This is good news for those of us who have stress related dense fat in the midsection from the secretion of cortisol and dopamine which leads to high blood pressure, heart attacks, and diabetes, as well as obesity in general.
So put the deep breathing aside, and try on a good belly laugh for no reason. It is a workout in itself and could help you live longer and even more happily. To make it even easier, I leave you with a few pokes at those of us who need to take ourselves a little less seriously.
How many Certified Peer Specialists does it take to change a light bulb?
Ten—one to hold the bulb and nine to support turning the ladder.
How many Intentional Peer Support Facilitators does it take to change a light bulb?
Ten—one to hold the bulb and nine to negotiate turning the ladder.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Trading My Jelly Roll for a Six Pack
by Linda Neiheisel, CPS
“Keep your mean old jelly roll Mister King of the Blues
I’m riding my bike to the Lighter Side Dealership
And trading my jelly roll for a six pack of abs”
I stood in front of the mirror. It wasn’t long before my critical voice brutally commented,” You look like a busted can of biscuits in that shirt.”
I drew a deep breath and cut short the negative self talk. Remembering my Intentional Peer Support Training, I realized that when I dwell on what I want to move away from it is like driving a car forward while looking in the rear view mirror. It doesn’t exactly work.
What does work is picturing in my mind what I do want. I knew I could see myself at 140 pounds again so I started playing with that thought.
“Just for today I will exercise my way toward a 140 pound body weight.” Suddenly a little wave of hope swept over me and I smiled. That simple statement gave me the courage to go even further and believe that not only could I restructure my thinking but reshape my body too.
In light of this realization…I offer you some affirmations to help move toward a better size and shape.
Just For Today…
I exercise my way toward my ideal body size.
I choose to take a walk instead of a nap to move toward a better weight.
I visualize myself lifting 20 pounds to gain my perfect weight.
I empower myself by consistently exercising every day.
I congratulate myself for sticking to my food plan.
I allow myself to feel satisfied with a smaller portion.
I free myself with a clean diet and consistent exercise.
I move toward progress and not perfection.
I embrace my effort to eat well and exercise every day.
I grow closer to loving myself as I move toward a healthy weight.
“Keep your mean old jelly roll Mister King of the Blues
I’m riding my bike to the Lighter Side Dealership
And trading my jelly roll for a six pack of abs”
I stood in front of the mirror. It wasn’t long before my critical voice brutally commented,” You look like a busted can of biscuits in that shirt.”
I drew a deep breath and cut short the negative self talk. Remembering my Intentional Peer Support Training, I realized that when I dwell on what I want to move away from it is like driving a car forward while looking in the rear view mirror. It doesn’t exactly work.
What does work is picturing in my mind what I do want. I knew I could see myself at 140 pounds again so I started playing with that thought.
“Just for today I will exercise my way toward a 140 pound body weight.” Suddenly a little wave of hope swept over me and I smiled. That simple statement gave me the courage to go even further and believe that not only could I restructure my thinking but reshape my body too.
In light of this realization…I offer you some affirmations to help move toward a better size and shape.
Just For Today…
I exercise my way toward my ideal body size.
I choose to take a walk instead of a nap to move toward a better weight.
I visualize myself lifting 20 pounds to gain my perfect weight.
I empower myself by consistently exercising every day.
I congratulate myself for sticking to my food plan.
I allow myself to feel satisfied with a smaller portion.
I free myself with a clean diet and consistent exercise.
I move toward progress and not perfection.
I embrace my effort to eat well and exercise every day.
I grow closer to loving myself as I move toward a healthy weight.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
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