Tags: by Phillis Benson | May 29, 2018 |
On May 17th, 2018 in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month, ASHA International was delighted to present Grit & Grace, a storytelling show to shine a light on mental health and end stigma, one story at a time. Ten fearless storytellers shared their journey of courage, hope, and resilience with a packed house of 200 people and were honored with a standing ovation. We salute the Grit & Grace of our storytellers, celebrate their resilience and honor their humanity. To learn more about ASHA Storytellers, please click here… We are thrilled to announce our 2nd annual Grit & Grace: Multicultural Women’s Mental Health Conference on Friday, September 27, 2019, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. To learn more, please click here… « Prev1 / 1Next »Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowJennifer P Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowBekah - Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowDave - Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowGrace Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowJennifer Y Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowKelly Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowMeghan Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowMolly Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowIt’s time to talk about youth mental health. | Yamini’s StoryDerald - Grit & Grace Storytelling ShowParents, don’t blame yourself. It is not your fault. | Yamini’s Story« Prev1 / 1Next » Photos from the event Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-001Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-002Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-003Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-004Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-005Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-006Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-007Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-008Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-009Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-010Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-011Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-012Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-013Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas Photography-014Grit + Grace-Andrea Lonas...
Tags: by Phillis Benson | Aug 20, 2017 |
Q & A with Emily Wu Truong How do you define wellness? Wellness is the ability to balance our strengths and weaknesses and the good & bad in life. Practicing this is easier said than done, but with tools and daily practice, it is not impossible. Most acknowledge that we need to exercise to be physically fit, but we need mental fitness too. We need to find the tools to help us gain contentment and peace of mind when circumstances are out of our control. What was life like before you found wellness? Despite my down-to-earth & personality, I grew up with low self-esteem. No one noticed how bad my negative self-talk was – it was a subconscious voice that reiterated my self-disappointment. There were signs that I was depressed, but no one said anything. Believing that I had to be perfect to survive this life, I held unrealistic expectations of myself, & I was never proud of me. Finding wellness helped me discover my purpose in life. It was the best feeling in the world. I took steps to find help for myself and became determined to normalize the conversations on mental health and suicide by sharing my story. However, I couldn’t do it alone. After meeting advocates from all over the world, life is good. Initially, my advocacy work was lonely. Now, it feels good to know I’m not alone. What do you do to live well? For self-care, I attend support groups from Recovery International & my local NAMI chapter to consistently surround myself among other individuals. I’ve also become a fashion statement for the...
Tags: by Phillis Benson | Jul 9, 2017 |
I am a River, not a statue I struggled to define wellness for years, mostly because I found myself trapped in a whirlpool of confusion as I waded through the many ways people tried to define my struggles. For example, during some of my most difficult times, when I trusted someone enough to reveal that I saw shadows jumping around my bedroom, heard other people’s thoughts and knew that people were trying to kill me, there was an immediate desire to help me by telling me my brain was sick and that I needed to take medications to get well. It was like they didn’t even hear what I was telling them. I didn’t like seeing, hearing or knowing any of it. I felt unsafe and frightened, however, even more confusing were the contradictions. When I took a long hot shower, I felt safe, even motivated. When I sat in the warmth of the sun, I remembered things I liked to do, like play soccer. When I played soccer, the action, and life itself, seemed to slow down to a pace I could handle. When I visited and cared for the dogs at the shelter, I smiled and wanted to take them home. Then I would see one of my teachers, another student or a neighbor and I would be afraid again. At night, the shadows would be more aggressive, and as I laid awake watching them, I would discover even more evidence of the harm people intended for me. Wellness, for me, became something I could search for and practice every day. I realized that...
Tags: by Phillis Benson | May 15, 2017 |
What is wellness? It is different for everyone. For some wellness may be living symptom-free. For me, wellness is having survived my dark days and lost years and learning to be happy. That begs the question, what makes me happy? The first thing on my to-do list every day is to be happy. Every morning I ask myself what is going to make me happy today. Then I close my eyes and the things that need to be done and that I want to do bubble to the surface. Happiness is being outside of my head and doing something nice for someone. Happiness is doing the things that need to be done even though they are difficult. Happiness is being present for my wife and kids. And most of all happiness is peace of mind. That for me is wellness. Dave Mowry is an author and stand-up comedian who has performed 40 Stand Up for Mental Health shows sharing his story and shattering the stigma surrounding mental health conditions, one joke at a time. And in his book, No Really, We Want You to Laugh. Dave’s Message of...
Tags: by Phillis Benson | Apr 18, 2017 |
For me, wellness is being your best self. Each one of us knows how difficult it is to act and behave kindly, to not dwell on others’ judgment of us, or to keep up with our healthy diets and exercise schedules. Living “well” isn’t exactly easy; it is built up of small or important routines, people, or interactions. There is no one correct way to live well; it is about finding what works for you and using it. For example, I live well when I surround myself with supportive people. They keep me accountable to make sure I am keeping up with my therapy, or making sure I am getting enough social interaction. For others, they may not have people to surround themselves, or may not want people around much at all; maybe they live better in solace, perhaps meditating or praying. Some benefit the best with nonhuman companions such as dogs or cats. Whatever the way to wellness, what is important is that it is your own. My wellness looks like daily medication, weekly therapy, monthly visits with my psychiatrist, and fitting as many coping skills into my day as possible, such as spending copious amounts of time with my animals, spending time with friends and family, listening to music, writing or blogging, baking, shopping, singing, and working. Many people’s path to wellness will differ from mine, but that’s alright. Keep searching for what works best for you, and use it. Bekah Miles is a member of ASHA International’s Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives Speakers Bureau and the winner of the 2016 HopeBringer Award. Beka’s Message for...
