Your Monthly News & Updates

DECEMBER 2015 BULLETIN

 
From the President's Desk:

Another year comes to its close and I wish everyone a happy and calm holiday season. NAMI Four Seasons has had a very busy year. Board members and volunteers worked over 4000 hours. Here's a brief overview of our accomplishments:
A Family-to-Family class was held in Hendersonville in July. Charlie Moreland took the training to become a Family-to-Family Instructor.
We presented seven great Informational Programs.
Four programs were in Hendersonville and three in Polk County.

We collaborated with other agencies for CIT Training and Mental Health First Aid: 
  • Crisis Intervention Training for Law Enforcement with NAMI, THRIVE , Smoky Mountain Center and Blue Ridge Community College
  • Two Mental Health First Aid classes held in Hendersonville and Polk Counties, with Smoky Mountain Center.
A Bridges of Hope two-part training was offered. Bridges of Hope helps educate church staff and members about mental illness so that they can create stronger safety nets and a welcoming community of faith for people living with serious mental illness.
We have a newly trained facilitator for the Hendersonville Family Support Group; Kathleen Cameron is now co-facilitating with Bob Anderson.
We received a grant for distribution of our "Mental Health Resource Booklet" and we hope to be able to have that ready for distribution in May of 2016.
Our Planning Meeting for 2016 took place in September and we are committed to beginning a community effort to create a Mental Health Court.
Our brochures have been updated and feature "Hope" on the front page.
We had six successful fundraising events.
We were invited to attend the Apple Festival. The four-day event was a great marketing success for NAMI Four Seasons. We also attended two Health Fairs and plan for more next year.
We are working on a NAMI Four Seasons information sheet to be put in the discharge packets for area hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and the Hendersonville Corrections Facility.
Board members and NAMI Members attended various community meetings concerning mental health.
Kathleen Cameron has worked and researched untold hours on the issue of adult guardianship and has helped to pave the way for meaningful discussions concerning better oversight. Amazing advocacy initiative!
    
Adrienne Brady
NAMI Four Seasons President 
 
Click the box below to visit our website:
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS 
Tuesday, December 29 
7:00pm
TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
900 BLYTHE STREET
HENDERSONVILLE, NC 
 
An Interfaith Service for Peace 
Presented by The United Religions Initiative and Interfaith Action

Music by Tom Fisch & Steve Smith
Readings from World Religions
A story by Ronnie Pepper
Speaker Lyndon Harris (Founder Gardens of Forgiveness & Co-director of Tigg's Pond Retreat Center.)
Following the service there will be a video and discussion, and a reception.
 
NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS  
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
EDUCATIONAL FORUM
presents: 
 
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER 
Thursday, January 14 
6:00pm
 
CENTRAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
27 CHURCH STREET
(DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE)
 
Understand the complexities and the possibilities
Learn about resources that support recovery
 
Presenter: TJ Amos
TJ is a community activist focusing on issues related to city council, county commission, and state legislative matters. She is a reporter for the News Hour team on Asheville FM (103.3), an all-volunteer radio station. TJ has worked in the mental health field since 1979 and holds a Master's degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy. TJ is diagnosed with complex PTSD originating from an abusive childhood and further aggravated by the violent death of a loved one. She participates in traditional psychotherapy, Equine Therapy, and Tae Kwon Do.
 
   


EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
 
"BRIDGES OF HOPE" 
Saturday, January 30
1:30pm-3:00pm

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
FELLOWSHIP HALL
1735 FIFTH AVE. WEST
HENDERSONVILLE, NC 28739
 
This approximately 90-minute workshop helps educate church staff and members about mental illness so that they can create stronger safety nets and a welcoming community of faith for people living with serious mental illness. The program will be co-conducted by NAMI Four Seasons lead presenter, Valerie Holcombe and a member of FCUCC workgroup on Bridges of Hope.

There are five sections to the Bridges of Hope Power Point presentation:

Introduction - Why do we need Bridges of Hope? Bridges for whom? To what?
Section 1 - What is mental illness? How does it impact individuals, families, and    communities?
Section 2 - What is the role of the faith community in helping people and families touched by serious mental illness?
Section 3 - Who is NAMI and what does it offer to individuals, families, and faith communities?
Closing - Building your Bridges of Hope in your faith community
Representatives of other congregations that might be interesting in learning more about Bridges of Hope, call 888-955-6264 for information and reservation.


 
NAMI NORTH CAROLINA TRAINING SCHEDULE
March 11-13, 2016

NAMI Smarts for Advocacy is a hands-on advocacy training program that helps people living with mental illness, friends and family transform their passion and lived experience into skillful grassroots advocacy.

Information for the following trainings: Connection, Parents and Teachers as Allies, Peer-to-Peer and Family Support Group
 will be determined 3-4 weeks before date held depending on where the majority of applications come from.
Family-to-Family and Basics, will be after June 2016.

If anybody is interested in any trainings, please call now 888-955-6264, for applications and information.


NAMI Four Seasons Support Groups


Polk County:
 
Polk County Health Department (enter by rear door)
161 Walker Street
Columbus, NC 28722
 
First Thursday of every month at 5:30pm
Call: Annie Ewing (864) 457-7278 for more information.
 
Henderson County:
 
Grace Lutheran Church
1245 Sixth Avenue West
Hendersonville, NC 28791
 
Fourth Saturday of every month at 10:00am
 
For more information on support groups in our local area call: 1-888-955-6264.
Or visit our website: www.namifourseasons.org
 

NAMI Four Seasons is a grassroots affiliate of NAMI National and NAMI North Carolina serving
Henderson and Polk Counties. Our mission is to provide support, education and advocacy for families affected by mental illness in our local communities, and to advocate for quality of life without stigma or discrimination. For more information visit our website:
www.namifourseasons.org

Nami Four Seasons | PO Box 2108 | Hendersonville | NC | 28793-2108