January Newsletter
Like many of you, we took the opportunity to assess our progress this year and determine where we needed to make improvements. We are still a young organization and there is so much to do!
We have recognized a void in programming for families of transition age youth (15-25 year olds) who are aging out or in need of mental health services. As such, we are in the process of initiating the development of a module based curriculum of materials focused specifically on families with transition age youth. This is in addition to continuing to develop and distribute materials for all families uprooted by mental illness.
Most of the energy of this year has been expended in building our brand, developing materials, collaborating with community agencies, and writing and acquiring funding through grants.
We have also received many essential donations through our website Support Our Organization and our Facebook page. Feel free to donate to our organization so that we may continue to bring free customized services to families uprooted by mental illness.
The group, “Replanting lives uprooted by mental illness: Support for families,” continues to explore the ways that families can strengthen their responses to the changes in the family when a loved one has a mental illness. The focus of this past month was on managing the holidays. Participants were encouraged to anticipate possible scenarios and prepare in advance for them. The sessions included exercises in using basic communication skills in order to prevent misunderstandings.
This FREE group meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month from 7-8:30 PM at the Edinburg Center, 205 Burlington Road, Bedford. For questions and to register (recommended), please contact Janet Hodges at 781-761-5287 or jhodges@edinburgcenter.org
We also offered a daytime session of the “Replanting Lives” in Carlisle at the Gleason Public Library. It was a promising beginning as a handful of members of the Concord/Carlisle Community joined us in discussing how guilt and responsibility impacts our relationships with our loved ones. We are planning on offering another session in January!
Please help us continue to grow by filling out this survey
What’s New? January Happenings
Tuesday, Jan. 9: 10:30-12 at the Gleason Library in Carlisle. Replanting Lives Uprooted by Mental Illness: Support for Families – Finding the Person. It is easy to get caught up in the symptoms of mental illness/brain disorders and lose sight of the very person we love! This session guides family members on balancing the person and the illness. The discussion includes some strategies for managing more efficiently and respectfully. Join us as we discover how to create more resilience in our families. FREE! For questions and to Register (not required but preferred): or 781.405.8376
Wednesday Jan 17: Webinar: ADHD (Attention Differently and Happily Developed), 12-1 pm. Focus is on what ADHD is, symptoms, gifts, and strategies. Registration preferred: ADHD Webinar
Wednesday Jan 31: Webinar: Moving On: Managing Ambiguous Grief. 12-1 pm When a loved one is diagnosed with a mental illness/brain disorder, our loved one and ourselves experience a sense of uncertainty and quite often a sense of loss as everyone grapples with the new circumstances. This webinar discusses how to cope with this difficult process. Registration preferred: Moving On Webinar
These tips are essential for getting through tough times!
Stick to your “normal” routines as much as you can Eat and drink in moderation Plan on exercise; build in “nature” time. Make sure you have a Plan B and a Plan C in place for the unexpected Keep music that you love on hand and listen to it when needing to Prioritize your time, activities, and commitments (do what you want to and can) Take good, loving care of yourself!
FYI We have several pages on our website with presentations you may find useful:
Cope when loved ones are symptomatic
Parenting children with behavioral health issues
If you want to join our online community, please do!
Our public page is FB Public Page
Our private page is: FB Private Page
When extra support is desired, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at www.growastrongfamily.org
We appreciate the generosity of so many people who have donated to Grow A Strong Family! We cannot thank you enough in supporting this mission and nurturing its growth. As we grow, so do the families who are uprooted by mental illness. When 1 in 4 adults has a mental illness, we know that just about every family is impacted. Grow A Strong Family makes sure that they are not alone! Your donation helps us achieve this. Thank you again! Feel free to do so through our website http://growastrongfamily.org/support-our-organization/
May 2018 bring you and your family health, resilience, and love.
Have a healthy and peaceful holiday season.
Grow A Strong Family is a Non-Profit Organization Dedicated to Working With The Families of Those with Mental Illnesses & Behavioral Issues