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Putting a Face to Mental Illness

In Our Own Voice:  Living with Mental Illness

NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s leading grassroots advocacy organization, solely dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals with severe mental illnesses and their families. NAMI’s efforts focus on advocacy, support, education and research. Family members affected by mental illness founded NAMI in 1978.

Since then, NAMI has created a program called In Our Own Voice: Living with Mental Illness, in which diagnosed individuals who have worked through their recovery, put a face to mental illness and share their stories of their journeys through illness to wellness.

In Our Own Voice is a consumer led program created by NAMI to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and inform audiences of all types, to the reality that recovery is possible. This presentation is ideal for other consumers, family members, friends, health providers, law enforcement officials, faith communities, any community or civic organization.

In Our Own Voice is a brief, yet comprehensive interactive presentation about mental illness—including video, personal testimony, and discussion—enriching the audience’s understanding of how people with these serious disorders cope with the reality of their illnesses while recovering and reclaiming their productive lives.

IOOV is a practical tool to educate and increase awareness about the true nature of brain disorders, commonly known as mental illnesses. The presentation covers issues frequently faced by those dealing with severe mental illness:

• Dark Days
• Acceptance
• Treatment Strategies
• Successes, Hopes and Dreams

If you would like to schedule an In Our Own Voice presentation please contact NAMI Clark County at 360-695-2823.

Audience size may range from 10 to 20 for consumer groups, and up to 50 for all other audiences. Ideally, the program runs from 60-90 minutes to allow for ample discussion time. However, the length of the presentation can be adapted for certain audiences. If you provide the audience we will provide the trained presenters. Our only requirement is a VHS or DVD player and monitor.

A donation of $50.00 to help defray the costs of the speakers is greatly appreciated. Because of your donations we are able to continue to provide presentations to businesses and groups in Clark County. Thank you for your assistance in helping to educate the public about recovery from mental illness.

^{© Copyright 2007 NAMI Clark County}

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