On June 21st, 2019 NAMI held their National Convention in Seattle. The convention provided the community an opportunity for education, connection, and access to resources. This annual event supports individuals living with mental illness and their loved ones.
What is NAMI?
NAMI stands for the National Alliance on Mental Illness and is our nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. NAMI also has more than 500 affiliates that work in local communities to help provide support and education on mental illness. Their goal is to educate, advocate, listen, and lead in fighting stigma and encourage understanding of the importance of mental health.
What does NAMI do for you?
NAMI has a plethora of knowledge and tools to help anyone and everyone who is affected by mental illness. Their website features pages such as, “Know the Warning Signs”, which gives information about typical thinking and behavior of someone who has a mental illness. It also has a whole page dedicated to mental illnesses that people may struggle with, the treatment they may want to try, and how to support yourself or a loved one if they struggle with this type of illness. They also have a tab on their website that allows individuals to find support by giving them resources such as a hotline, email address, and tips on how to disclose their mental illness to loved ones.
THIRA’s own Dr. Kathryn Korslund was an invited speaker at their most recent convention in Seattle. Her talk helped mental health professionals, physicians, patients, and the community understand the philosophical foundations and principles of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, an evidence-based treatment originally developed for severely suicidal patients. In her lecture, Dr. Korslund painted an image of hope and courage by asking the room…
“How do you get people out of hell?”
The answer, said Korslund, is DBT. She went on to describe the development of the treatment that integrates acceptance and change. And most importantly how it is important because it has allowed so many patients struggling with mental illness to find new ways to heal and create a life they enjoy living.
