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Carol's Corner by Carol Ziolo

July 2009 - A Wellness Recovery Action Plan

At a recent conference I learned about WRAP, the Wellness Recovery Action Plan.

A WRAP can help a person navigate the process of recovery, stay healthy, deal with challenging times and reach individual goals. Components include a Key Concepts of Recovery section, a Wellness Toolbox, a Daily Maintenance Plan, Triggers, Warning Signs and Crisis Planning sections. It's a sensible, voluntary avenue that all people may use for healthy self-care, and worth taking a careful look.

Read Carol's Corner for July - and more about WRAP.

June 2009 - The Power of Real Life Education

Mental health professionals who work in an acute care hospital setting rarely get to interact with consumers who are well and functioning. But I had the opportunity this past April to organize several NAMI presentations at Northwest Community Hospital's Mental Health Network.

I invited several consumers who are trained to present "In Our Own Voice" and several family members to speak about their experiences. What strong performances!! These people spoke to approximately 130 staff throughout our two-day educational lab. I applaud their strength to stand up in the front of a room of providers who may have been part of their treatment in the past. The staff learned from first hand knowledge what it means to have a mental illness and what recovery looks like. Important feedback was offered by family members, which helped staff understand the impact of loving someone with a mental illness has on him/her.

Read more about the consumer presentations

May 2009 - Coping with Stress in the Workplace

"Our Stressful Lives"...these words on the cover of Roosevelt Review, my quarterly alumni magazine, caught my attention.

Three surveys last year by the American Psychological Association revealed that 81% of Americans say they lose sleep worrying about money and employment, topping health problems, family responsibilities, interpersonal relationships, and personal safety. The consequences of such stress can include health issues as well as unhappiness, anger, anxiety, and depression.

This month I'll outline findings from the article listing facets of workplace stress and crucial coping mechanisms we all can try. Read Carol's Corner for May

April 2009 - Be Active – Take Time to Relax

Relaxation, in most people’s minds, is a passive process: you think of a pleasurable place, focus on your breathing, or meditate. It is possible, however, to take action to control tension. A very simple technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) involves actively tensing your muscles and then relaxing the same muscles. Continue to my link for more on the Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) technique.

March 2009 - The Police Crisis Intervention Team

Calling police to help keep a loved one safe can be a very difficult situation. You worry about what will the police do and how will they treat you both. You ask if your family member will be put in jail. How safe will you all be during the crisis? Most importantly, will the police understand enough about mental illness to react positively in a psychiatric emergency? Continue to my link for more The Police Crisis Intervention Team.

February 2009 - The Changing Times

Recently, I received a booklet titled “De-Stress Kit for Changing Times” from Doc Children who is the founder of Heartmath. This material discusses the international financial meltdown and the increased stress it can cause all of us. The effects of the economic crisis are different for everyone. However, everyone can use similar coping mechanisms. Coping skills are useful for any event that causes stress. They can help anyone gain confidence to move forward.. Continue to my link for more on coping skills for the changing times.

January 2009 - The Power of Hope in Recovery

This month’s article is going to be subjective and from my heart. I have been
involved with NAMI for about four years. I truly can say the component that
motivates me to continue my affiliation is the hope I’ve seen in many consumers. The hope that comes from people who are working towards recovery is quite inspiring for me and gives me the emotional energy to continue to help others. Continue to my link for more on the convention.

November 2008 - The 2008 NAMI Illinois Convention

The Illinois Convention this year truly was a “coming together” of NAMI consumers, family members, and professionals from around the state. Their goal was to offer good information about the present and future status of mental health care in our state. I was very impressed with all the hard work that helped to make this convention a success. Continue to my link for more on the convention.

October 2008 - An Event You Won't Want To Miss

If you or someone you love has been touched by mental illness, it’s a great idea to attend the Illinois NAMI convention, coming up at the Hilton/Lisle on October 17-19. The convention speaks to consumers, family members, and professionals – it’s a great place to learn what is new in the field of mental health. Continue to my link to find out why I think you should go.

September 2008 - Anosognosia: Lack of Insight

I just received my copy of the Summer 2008 NAMI Advocate magazine. A very interesting headline caught my attention: Beyond Denial and Anosognosia: A Biopsychosocial Model for Insight by Dr. Anand Paudya, MD. While I was at the NAMI convention I read the book by Xavier Amador, PhD., I am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help: A Practical Guide for Families and Therapists. Therefore, I was able to acknowledge this unfamiliar word and know what it means. However, I wonder how many family members or consumers actually know what anosognosia is and what it means to them. continue

August 2008 - Schizophrenia: Public Attitudes, Personal Needs

July 2008 - NAMI National Convention 2008