Our Latest Blogs

Great Blog on Mental Health Recovery

For the last few months I have been following a great blog on mental health, Shedding Light On Mental Illness.  It is written by Amy Gamble, a former Olympic athlete and businesswoman, who also happens to be living in recovery from bipolar disorder. Yesterday’s and today’s posts are on the “Pathways to Recovery” Workbook, which […]

ABC News: Barbara Walter Interview with Peter Rodgers

newspaper

In a recent ABC News preview of an upcoming Barbara Walters interview with the father of UC, Santa Barbara shooter Elliot Rodger. Peter Rodgers speaks out in  Mental Illness in Kids: How to Spot the Signs and Ask for Help  as a way to raise awareness and education people on the warning signs of mental health […]

E-cigarettes Still A Risk for People Living With Mental Illness

sleeping boy

We have known for some time that people living with mental illness are much more likely to use tobacco products than those without mental illness.  It’s estimated that more than half the cigarettes purchased in the United Sates are consumed by people with mental illness.  Now, a recent article in Time magazine, The Weird Link Between […]

Mental Health Stigma in America

close-up of angry eye

While states continue to cut back on mental health services, many people living with mental illness are reluctant to use remaining services for fear of being stigmatized. Read more in this well-researched feature article in USA Today…      Cost of not caring: Stigma set in stone

Parenting Tips for Adolescents with Mental Illness

friends running on beach

Good article here… Tips for parents of children with mental illness entering adolescence from the Omamas blog of oregonlive.com. As a child with mental illness moves into adolescence: tips, resources for parents Many of the resources listed in the article are local to Oregon, but the tips are section offers some good general guidelines and […]

Nighttime Seizure Monitoring

Man Helping a Family Member in Psychosis

Nighttime Seizure Monitoring:  A Mother’s Inquiries Lead to Innovation in the Care of Epilepsy Hi Everyone. I am blogging today on a topic closely related to mental health and mental illness: epilepsy, a neurological condition in which 20-30% patients share a co-occurring psychiatric disorder.  In 2005, RtoR Resource Specialist Eileen McAndrews (RN, LCSW) wrote an […]

First Appointments: Choosing the Right Psychiatrist, Therapist, or Other Mental Health Professional

doctor and patient

Someone you love needs help.  Following the recommendation of a trusted friend, or website such as rtor.org, you have identified a qualified mental health professional and made a first appointment.  By all accounts, this person has the experience and skills to do the job.  But how do you know he will be a good fit […]

Where to turn in a mental health crisis?

older couple holding hands

You might think that twenty-five years of experience in the mental health profession would have prepared me for what to do when a mental health crisis strikes at home.  It didn’t. When a member of my own family needed urgent mental health care, I had little idea of where to turn for help.   The process […]

Eunoia: Thoughts on Healthy Thinking

debi strong power of thoughts

EUNOIA [yoo-noy-uh].  This little known word comes from the Greek εὔνοια, meaning “well mind” or “beautiful thinking.” It is also a rarely used medical term referring to a state of normal mental health.   Think of it as the opposite of paranoia, with which it rhymes.  In its original sense, the Greek philosopher Aristotle used the […]

Resources to Recover for Young Adults

Young adults

There is a new generation of young people being diagnosed with mental health disorders.  What our youth and their families may not realize is the vast growth in the field from 30 years ago.  Advancements in medicine and mental health care have provided an array of resources that can start individuals on a path to […]

Mental Health At Home: Tips for Family Members

With mental health disorders affecting an estimated 54 million Americans, the responsibilities that come along with providing treatment are affecting more and more families every year.  Support is one key element of recovery that individuals with mental health disorders need. This support typically comes from the individual’s family and loved ones.  What does this need […]

Student Film on Young Adults and the Mental Health First Aid Act

In 2013, President Obama signed the Mental Health First Aid Act, which provides more than 20 million dollars of grants to promote Mental Health First Aid training programs around the country.  This act was passed to help teachers, educational staff and other citizens recognize the signs of mental health disorders and locate appropriate care for […]

What’s Your Definition of Recovery Applied to Mental Health?

The concept of recovery for individuals with mental health conditions is different than what we understand to be the standard doctor’s definition.   The generic definition of recovery is ‘a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.’ Have we considered a form or recovery that involves more than taking a pill or wearing […]

Overcoming Stigma in the Workplace

stop the stigma of mental illness

Individuals suffering with mental health disorders aspire to have a normal life.  They seek balance and happiness in their work, education and family life.  One of the greatest barriers to that normal aspiration is the stigma that makes it difficult for people living with mental illness to find acceptance within their communities and society as […]

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