[MHTF] Update and next meeting Sept 19

Tue Aug 26 09:38:12 PDT 2008

Hello to All,

I am forwarding an interesting email exchange (start at the bottom)
between 2 members of the Community Service Network about a situation
that occurs when a family member/friend/colleague/neighbor lacks insight
into their mental illness and does not want to accept treatment.  There
is a book that is recommended that some of you are no doubt familiar
with.  I've ordered it to read.  I'm wondering if we might want to host
a community discussion about this book, maybe in collaboration with NAMI
Family - York.  We can discuss this idea at our next meeting.

At our final meeting last June those assembled decided to end our
monthly meetings since most meetings last year had very low attendance.
Instead, what we would like to do is go to 3 meetings per year with
monthly emailed updates.  

This year our meetings will be held on the following dates, please
consider taking a moment to put them on your calendar now: 

Sept 19, 12-1:30 York Public Library - brown bag lunch

January 16, 12-1:30 York Public Library - brown bag lunch

May 15, 2009 12 - 1:30 York Public Library - brown bag lunch

Please email me any updates by the end of the first week of each month
and I will get them out on one email to the whole group the second week
of the month.  Send September updates by Sept 5th.

Sept 19 agenda:

Updates

Discuss idea about whether to hold a community discussion group about
the book mentioned below: Xavier Amador's latest edition of "I am not
sick, I don't need help"  I still have MHTF funds and perhaps we could
purchase the book for those who want to read it.

I look forward to hearing from you, 

Deb

Deborah Erickson-Irons

Community Health Promotion Director

York Hospital Center for Community Health Promotion

P - 207.439.6504

F - 207.439.8764

Mail: 15 Hospital Dr, York Maine 03909

Location: 518 US Route One, Kittery, Maine 03904

________________________________

From: Jennifer Ouellette [mailto:JenniferO at ycspi.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 10:08 AM
To: 'Jeanne Mirisola'; Elaine Ecker; Scott Ferris; Jennifer Goodwin;
Lois Jones; Sherry Sabo; Deanna Mullins; Kendra Williams; William
Nelson; Deborah Rousseau; Tony Thompson; Don Burns; Elizabeth Sjulander;
Chris Souther; Mary Jane Krebs; Vicki MacWhinnie; Wayne Barter; W C
Martin; Mark Jackson; Deborah Erickson-Irons
Cc: Don Chamberlain; Jane Malinowski; Leticia Huttman; Lorna Bullard;
Marya Faust; Ron Welch
Subject: RE: Great Idea

Hello, All,

I would like to offer my two cents about what Jeanne is suggesting.
>From my perspective, having interacted with the mental health system for
close to 18 years now, what Jeanne is pointing out is right on target.
I am consistently perplexed by some of the interactions with the
"helpers" who feel more need to prove what they know (which sometimes
isn't really that much) or show how they know better than the "sick
client," or the family that clearly knows the individual far better.
Unfortunately, in my experience, what they lack is a basic, humanistic
approach to someone who is hurting in more ways than one.  I have seen
how consumers family members are shuffled aside, because (in the helpers
opinion) they create more work or struggles for the "helper."  I am not
saying the entire system is broken, or that all aspects of the helping
system need revision.  However, I am verbally supporting Jeanne in her
efforts because I think she has experienced first handedly how the
system and the "helpers" have failed her and her son.  At the last CSN,
Don Burns put it quite nicely when he said to me "we all have to work
together and not take sides against one another."  College and training
goes so far, listening and learning from the client and their supportive
family (if they are fortunate enough to have family left on their side)
is as crucial, if not more so.  "United we stand, divided we fall."

I will end by encouraging everyone to read the book and pay close
attention to what Jeanne and other supportive family members have to
say.  It is paramount in order for us to move beyond where  we are
today.  I can tell you that we, here at the Shelter, already use the
Leap method, although I didn't know it had a name.  To me/us, it is
common sense.  It is how I would like to be treated and talked to and
listened to.  I think we over generalize and take textbook learning too
far sometimes.  We forget why we wanted to be helpers-to help.
Sometimes I think we get too wrapped up in terminology, diagnosis,
treatment and "I will fix you" thinking and forget that our
clients/consumer/patients are people.

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Jeanne for her commitment to her son
and her willingness to help us all learn and remind us of where we might
improve ourselves.

Jen

From: Jeanne Mirisola [mailto:jmirisola at allcruises.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 8:01 AM
To: Elaine Ecker; Scott Ferris; Jennifer Goodwin; Lois Jones; Sherry
Sabo; Deanna Mullins; Kendra Williams; William Nelson; Deborah Rousseau;
Tony Thompson; Don Burns; Elizabeth Sjulander; Chris Souther; Mary Jane
Krebs; Vicki MacWhinnie; Wayne Barter; W C Martin; Mark Jackson;
Jennifer Ouellette; Deborah Erickson-Irons
Cc: Don Chamberlain; Jane Malinowski; Leticia Huttman; Lorna Bullard;
Marya Faust; Ron Welch
Subject: Great Idea
Importance: High

Good morning CSN 7 Members,

I have been re-reading Xavier Amador's latest edition of "I am not sick,
I don't need help" in an effort to better understand how to get my son
to accept treatment as someone who suffers from a total lack of insight
into his illness and it has occurred to me that, if roughly half of all
those suffering from mental illnesses like his have the same problem, it
would behoove us to educate everyone we can, starting with ourselves, as
to what the LEAP method Xavier speaks of in his book is all about and
how to use it when dealing with these people.  

I have emailed Xavier to ask for his help in getting started with this
as he has given seminars all over the country and I am sure will know
where to start.  I am going to be in touch with my son's ACT Team and
his psychiatrist as I feel strongly that they need to learn this as
well.  I would love to hear feedback from all of you as well.

This is something that everyone in the system who works with the
mentally ill needs to learn, along with family members and friends.  

I am attaching a pdf that describes in very simplistic terms what the
leap method is.  It takes some practice, as it runs counterintuitive to
what you think you should be saying, but it really works.  You really
need to read the book to get the full gist.

I hope you will all keep an open mind and really try to educate
yourselves as to what this is all about as I really feel it could help
everyone tremendously in their day to day efforts to help those
suffering from mental illness who lack the insight to be able to know
they are sick.  To try and rationalize with them is totally ineffective
and only serves to further isolate them and pit them against the ones
who love them the most and from the doctors, social workers, etc... Who
are just trying to get them to accept treatment.

Sincerely,
Jeanne Mirisola

Jeanne Mirisola
Cruise Specialist
Cruise Planners
(207) 361-1611
(877) 330-SAIL
JMirisola at AllCruises.net
http://www.AllCruises.net
Visit my blog at http://www.AllCruises.net/blog

You haven't lived until you've cruised!

________________________________

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