| Here at Grow a Strong Family, we are working diligently on building tools since we were awarded a CHNA15 mini-grant! Grow a Strong Family: Spread the Support Project Description: Develop the training and certification online course with mentoring for facilitators of the Replanting Lives Uprooted by Mental Illness Support Group. The online format enables sustainability and replicability for more support groups to be available in any community that offers support to families uprooted by mental illness. Working with Paula Gilarde, whose specialty is WordPress website design and consulting, our website has been updated and is much more user friendly. We have purchased the LearningPress platform for creating the online courses. This is very exciting! When you visit our website, you can click on links to information, services, and resources. Two new pages include one that brings you directly to where our booklets are! https://growastrongfamily.org/booklets-available-on-amazon/ The other page is a direct link to purchase cards for promoting insight and reminders about how to get through the labyrinth of loving someonewith a mental illness: https://growastrongfamily.org/for-sale/ . September is a transitional month, as we all know. As such, it is imperative for families to have a Safety Plan and to be aware of how to manage symptoms since they are likely to return. It is also important to build self-care into your lives. I learned, over the summer, that the reason that airlines tell us to put our oxygen masks on ourselves first before helping anyone else is because hypoxia sets in within 20 seconds and you need to be able to help others! Keep that in mind as you go through the month! Safety Plans/Crisis Management: https://growastrongfamily.org/safety/ Self-Care: https://growastrongfamily.org/caring-for-the-caregiver/the-case-for-self-care/ Symptom Management: https://growastrongfamily.org/coping-when-symptomatic/ Replanting Lives Group: Tues Sept 10 from 10:30-noon will be at the Bedford Public Library (7 Mudge Way, Bedford MA) and Weds/Sept 11 7-8:30 pm at the Bedford COA, (12 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA). FREE. Registration preferred (scroll down the page): https://growastrongfamily.org/replanting-lives/ September is a very good time to strengthen your skills through our coaching program. Coaching is all about acquiring, practicing, and mastering new skills with compassion and support. Put a cheerleader in your tool box! For more information, click: https://growastrongfamily.org/about/servicescoachingseminarswebinars/family-coaching/ Remember to take good, loving care of yourself! For tips on how to get started, check out the handout developed by the Family Advisory Board of UMass Medical Center/Worcester: https://growastrongfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Self-Care-is-Putting-on-YOUR-Oxygen-Mask-First-probably-final.indd_.pdf Thank you! We thrive on the generosity of others including our Board (Meeting to be held on Sunday, Sept 15 at 8:30am at our home offices in Bedford: Public Invited! Call 781.405.8376 to reserve your spot.) Donations come in all sizes and shapes including motor things like cars and boats, credit card payments, fundraisers on FaceBook, and of course,checks. We thank you all for helping us help families! https://growastrongfamily.org/donations/ |
