asha international mental health

We Give Hope

The Cause + Event Race Series

October 18, 2015 Every race has a cause. No race has EVERY cause…until NOW. The Cause + Event Race Series is unlike any other race series of its kind. The runner (or walker) chooses their favorite registered 501(c)3 nonprofit and their cause will receive at least half of the racer’s registration. Join ASHA International’s HOPEBRINGERS team and help us raise funds to promote mental health awareness, and bring hope and healing to people’s lives. Date: Octobber 18, 2015 What: 5k walk/5k & 10k run Where: Bethany Village, Portland, OR Time: 7:30-8:30 am Cost: $35 includes bib and chip timing plus $15 donation to the cause of your choice. And a Free Kids Fun Run – Tot Trot and 1K To register, please click here  Click To Register Under Team Registration, please click on Join an Existing Team Please click on join ASHA International’s HopeBringers and complete the registration form. Thanks! To learn about 2015 Cause and Event please click below Click To Learn More About the Cause & Event Please register today and invite your friends, family, and colleagues to join us. Thank you! If you have any questions, please email Gayathri Ramprasad at gayathri@myasha.org or call 971 340 7190. We look forward to seeing you at the...
Living Proof: Telling Your Story to Make a Difference

Living Proof: Telling Your Story to Make a Difference

I am delighted to share that I am featured in a powerful, must-read book for advocates around the world, no matter our cause. Read it and share it with the advocates in your life. Thank you! If you are telling your story: To change minds To raise Awareness To touch hearts To influence policy To save lives To make a difference Living Proof is your guide. The post Living Proof: Telling Your Story to Make a Difference appeared first on Shadows in the Sun by Gayathri...
The healing power of art

The healing power of art

Art helps us express our deepest selves even when words fail us. Years ago, I was hospitalized after a suicide attempt. The only thing that kept me alive was the daily visit by my daughter and husband. While I desperately wanted to see my daughter, I was deeply troubled that she would be traumatized by her visits to the psychiatric ward. And, so each day, I created a little gift for her – a necklace, a bracelet with beads, stained-glass Christmas ornaments, or a teddy bear made of yarn. My daughter is now a young woman and it warms my heart that she cherishes these gifts I made for her and remembers her visits to the hospital with fondness not fear. I offer my deepest gratitude to the occupational therapist in the hospital who taught me that even amidst pain, I could create objects that brought joy to another person. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jeffrey Sparr, Co-Founder of Peace Love Studios and was inspired to learn how he uses painting to combat anxiety. Jeff is a man on an audacious mission – a mission to make mental illness cool. Not cool to have, but cool to support. Art heals. Art makes us whole. So, go ahead and tap into your creativity and enjoy the healing power of art. The post The healing power of art appeared first on Shadows in the Sun by Gayathri...
Let us talk about mental health

Let us talk about mental health

  On a beautiful sun-kissed evening in June, my dear friend Michele gathered a group of friends in her beautiful garden for an evening of friendship and conversation – about mental health. As the hummingbirds fluttered from bloom to bloom, we savored blueberry scones, topped with fresh raspberries and cream, grateful to be alive and in each other’s company. One of the women’s friend had lost her nephew to suicide a couple of days earlier and she couldn’t make sense of why a bright young man who had graduated from college two days before, had chosen to take his life. How can any of us make sense of a loss like that? Yet, we wondered how powerful if would be for family and friends to gather together and talk about mental health issues as a normal part of the human experience, and to help and support each other in our collective quest for health and well being. Perhaps then people struggling with depression like the young man would no longer feel hopeless and isolated. Perhaps he would have found comfort and strength in knowing that he was not alone in his pain. As the young comedian and activist Kevin Breel said in his heartwarming TED talk: “We need to stop the ignorance about mental health issues, stop the intolerance, stop the stigma, and stop the silence, and we need to take away the taboos, take a look at the truth, and start talking, because the only way we’re going to beat a problem that people are battling alone is by standing strong together. I agree with Kevin. We are #StrongerTogether. If you are struggling with a mental...
Alone we struggle; Together we thrive.

Alone we struggle; Together we thrive.

As a person who struggles with mental health issues and a mental health advocate, I have learned over the years that alone we struggle; together we thrive. Yet, the stigma surrounding mental health issues deters most of us from seeking help. Instead, we isolate ourselves from the very people that can help us, and soon become imprisoned by shame and secrecy. It takes courage to overcome our fears and ask for help from our family, friends, and community. And, when we do, more often than not, we discover the love and support we need to recover and rebuild a healthy, meaningful, productive life. If you are someone living with a mental health issue, or a family member or care provider, please ask for help. It is a sign of strength not a sign of weakness. A few years ago, a concerned husband called to ask for help with his wife who was struggling with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. I am honored to share their story of struggle and strength with you all today. The Goud Story The post Alone we struggle; Together we thrive. appeared first on Shadows in the Sun by Gayathri Ramprasad.   Wishing you wellness,  Gayathri Ramprasad, MBA, CPS  Founder & President, ASHA International  ...
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