Comments on: My Lived Experience Helps Others Heal: Working with Families on the Path to Recovery

By: Cassie Quinlan

Cassie Quinlan — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 21:06:19 +0000

I really appreciate the shift in energy, to help families support their children. My sister was treated by the MH system starting around 1964? and it was then secretive, held separate from family. She was taught not to discuss life issues with her family, only to her therapist – so no-one helped her learn till years later, to excuse herself if overwhelmed, plan ahead for a backup plan, so that family could expect her to be included in family funeral without having a meltdown. So much privacy was seen as the biggest piece to protect, but I see that as keeping family members from helping family. Privacy preserves chaos by keeping parties apart or using meds to make sure that chaos does not arise – but that is a method which ignores how families care and with some support, can add structure to show that.

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By: Mary S.

Mary S. — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:02:03 +0000

I am family. In a former life and place, I was involved with Mind-Freedom, Re-Thinking Psychiatry, Open Dialogue, the Process Center, Hearing Voices, Emotional cpr, Mental Health Association, and I love the works of Will Hall (a grand rounds talk) and Eleanor Langdon ( TED talk). I got booed and hissed at at a NAMI meeting for mentioning the work of Robert Whitaker, though some nams showed up at our workshop where Robert appeared. I worked in helping kids thrown out of schools and helping to transition high-risk persons out of in-patient, as a social worker with a family-service agency. I am old enough that I felt I needed to escape south, where I find being old is an asset. Triggers just have to be dealt with, even getting attacked for saying the word “trigger” by intelligent people who could grow hearts if they would choose to!

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By: Elly Litvak

Elly Litvak — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 15:48:08 +0000

In reply to Sam Ruck.

Hi Sam,

Thanks for your comment. I have read your articles and I am so sorry that you an your family had to figure out the healing process all alone. It sucks and takes a lot longer. I had to do most of my healing outside of the mental health system, which is why I created the template for the FNSP to be simply and easy t6o replicate in any community. Take care, Elly

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By: Sam Ruck

Sam Ruck — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 01:11:29 +0000

Hi Elly,
how wonderful. I wish there were more programs available to help families through all the struggles they encounter when supporting a loved one. It would have been so nice to not have to figure it all out on my own…
I wish you the best.
Sam

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