Mental Illness
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A Monthly Educational Series:
"How to Survive & Overcome Depression and Bipolar Disorders"

The first Thursday Bright Tomorrows support group meeting of each month (note second Thursday exception in July on topical calendar below) will be devoted to the presentation of Tim & Nancy Reside’s educational series entitled: How to Survive & Overcome Depression and Bipolar Disorders. This program is not only open to those who regularly attend the weekly Bright Tomorrows Support Group meetings; it is also open to family and friends of support group participants, others who are caregivers, as well as to the general public (adults only).
 
The program will be facilitated by PowerPoint slides. The content of the PowerPoint presentations will be made available to attendees. Note-taking materials will be provided. There will be question and answer periods. There is no charge for this program, however, tax-deductible contributions are welcomed and appreciated.
           
The meeting location is in the Fireside Room on the second floor of the Family Life Center on the campus of Evangelistic Temple Church at 5345 So. Peoria Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Purpose and Goals:

For one experiencing a diagnosis of mental illness, it can be frightening and the cause of great sadness and/or anger. It can be equally traumatic for family and/or friends learning that their loved one has a mental illness. It is important to know that it’s okay to feel this way and that you and your loved one are not alone. Many people from all walks of life have suffered from mental illness. There is help and there is hope for a better future.

This educational series will respond to such questions as:

• How can I get a clear diagnosis for my relative?
• What is major depression—bipolar disorder?
• How do I handle crisis?
• How does one learn how to cope with major depression—bipolar disorder?
• What are co-occurring anxiety disorders?
• What about spiritual resources—prayer and faith?
• What do I do if my loved one won't accept help—or accept that they have an illness?
• How can my relative and I communicate better?
• What local services in the community am I missing out on?
• What is my responsibility as a family member or friend?
• How do I as a caregiver take care of myself in all of this?
• What are all these medications for?
• What are the best treatments now available?
• What about psychiatrists, counselors, and support groups?
• Where are the sources for getting more information and education?

Tim & Nancy Reside have experienced the invading shock and distress of mental illness coming into their home and disrupting their life dreams. They know how painful and disorienting this is. They know what it is to desperately look for help, answers, and a reason to believe that things can be better. They remember all too well the feelings that went with wondering if anyone else knew what it was like to go through what they were going through. They wondered if others had survived—if so, how?

These sessions have been designed to encourage others that they too can survive and become overcomers even in the midst of mental health challenges. These sessions are designed to be non-threatening, informative, educational, and open to questions—and even inspiring.

Tim and Nancy make it clear that they do not offer themselves as clinicians. They are fellow "journeyers" who have survived a great crisis in their lives. Today they are experiencing the thriving blessings of recovery. Married since 1971, they are the proud parents of two adult children and equally the proud grandparents of three lovely grandchildren.

Professionally, Tim and Nancy’s training and experience has been in "pastoral care" for over three decades. Tim holds a M.A. in Practical Theology and is currently a doctoral candidate in the Doctor of Ministry program at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

If you have further inquiries, feel free to call and leave a message at our voice mail number 918.744.5761 and/or email Tim Reside, at treside@brighttomorrows.org. We will respond to your questions.

2008 Bright Tomorrows Monthly Educational Series Calendar

The first Thursday of each month program will offer:
(1) Topical Lecture (2) PowerPoint Presentation (3) Q&A Session
(5) Resource Exchange (6) PowerPoint Notes

The following is an outline of lecture topics.

January 3 = ATTITUDES, ACTIONS & ASSUMPTIONS

• A discussion regarding the “non-denial” attitudes, actions & assumptions essential to becoming an overcomer in the midst of major depression, bipolar disorder, and co-occurring anxiety disorders.
• The goal is to discover how to promote on-going healing and recovery.
• There will also be an overview introduction to the calendar year educational program objectives and goals.

February 7= FACE & FEELINGS

• Putting a face on the subject of mental illness, Tim & Nancy Reside will share their personal story of mental health crisis, on-going healing and recovery.

 
March 6 = FACTS & FOCUS—Pt. 1

• An overview presentation of facts about affective (mood) related disorders: (1) major depression; (2) bipolar disorder; and (3) co-occurring anxiety disorders.
• This session will include an overview discussion about treatment protocols (psychiatry, diagnosis, medications, counseling, and support groups).

April 3 = CRISIS & OPPORTUNITY—Pt. 1

• A discussion regarding opportunities for converting crisis, grief & loss into opportunities for faith, hope and love.
• This session will take a specific look at mind-over-matter faith-based ways of thinking as an overcomer in order to promote on-going healing and recovery.
• The goal is to not succumb to passive and/or fear-based ways of thinking.
• This session will look at essential strategies for acquiring skills in the self-monitoring & self-managing of attitudes & actions that are essential to attaining & maintaining healing & recovery.

May 1 = CARE-GIVING & RECEIVING—Pt. 1

• A discussion about how to be a “healing presence” in a way that promotes the on-going healing and recovery process.
• This session will also focus on the need for care-givers to take care of themselves and accept care-giving for themselves.
• This session will provide an overview outline for providing and/or imposing emergency mental health care.

June 5 = COMPASSION & COUNSELING—Pt. 1

• A discussion on how to recognize and compassionately respond to mental illness that looks at care-giver counseling fundamentals.
• This session will take a look at “what to say and what not to say”—“what to do and what not to do.”

July 10 = FACE & FEELINGS—Pt. 2

• A follow-up to the Tim & Nancy Reside story as told in February.
• This will be an opportunity for a more extensive question and answer dialogue with Tim & Nancy about their on-going experience with monitoring and managing the mental health challenge that is in the midst of their marriage relationship.    

August 7 = FACTS & FOCUS—Pt 2

• This session will provide a more extensive look at facts about major depression, bipolar disorder, and co-occurring anxiety disorders.
• This session will also include an opportunity for a more extensive question and answer conversation with Tim & Nancy about treatment protocols (psychiatry, diagnosis, medications, counseling, and support groups).

September 4 = CRISIS & OPPORTUNITY—Pt 2

• This session will include a conversation with Tim and Nancy about their practice of using mind-over-matter faith-based overcomer ways of thinking in order to promote on-going healing recovery in their individual lives and marriage.
• The goal is to reject passive and/or fear-based thinking.
• This session will review essential strategies for acquiring skills in the self-monitoring & self-managing of attitudes & actions that are essential to attaining & maintaining healing & recovery.

October 2 = CAREGIVING & RECEIVING—Pt 2

• A more extensive discussion about how to be a care-giving healing presence.
• This session will offer practical tips for the care-giver on how to take better care of themselves—and, consequently, be a better assist to the one they are striving to help.
• This session will provide a review of the outline overview for providing and/or imposing emergency mental health care given in Pt. 1.

November 11 = COMPASSION & COUNSELING—Pt 2

• This session will build on the first “Compassion & Counseling” session and will offer more wisdom-based practical insight on how to better understand and, with compassion, counsel and encourage those struggling with mental health challenges.  

December 4 = SURVIVAL & THRIVAL

• This session’s discussion underscores the fact that the optimization of mental health for those with mental health challenges requires a life-style of self-monitoring and self-managing.
• This session discusses why improved wellness requires that the one with the health challenge continue to humbly grant permission to those who know them and care about them to help them in the ongoing process of self-monitoring and self-managing.

* M&M Tip = Self-Monitoring & Managing