[Azalysa]

Hi everyone!

Did anyone see the program "Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness" that was aired on ABC yesterday afternoon? I turned on the TV for another program and caught the last 15 minutes of this and was sorry I missed it...looked EXCELLENT. (I have since called their number and ordered the DVD!)

It was sponsored by the National Council of Churches but seemed to have a lot of NAMI spokespeople. The little bit I saw of it resonated with me especially in the area of many churches not understanding/being educated on mental illness.

I have encountered that, depending on the denomination. One church I went to for a long time fell into the category from best - "You can ~choose~ to be happy or sad" all the way to the extreme of - "You must be in sin" or needing exorcism!!

*sigh* I was getting my Masters in Mental Health Counseling at the time and was very educated on my illness - but trying to "educate" someone or a group that doesn't want to be educated is discouraging.

Many of us have had the experience of loved ones not understanding our illness, but to those of us who are in a community of faith - not being understood there can really do some damage, imho.

Anyway, I'm eagerly awaiting being able to see the ENTIRE program. They also have a website I'm going to check out: www.shadowvoices.com.

[jbug]

I just came from their website. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place but I didn't see anything about Mental Illness. Can you point me in the right direction?

Jbug

[Azalysa]

Ok, that was odd...I went to the link and it wasn't AT ALL the one I had seen previously!!

Let's try this one: http://www.shadowvoices.com/

(Sorry about that!)

sadly enough, there are religious groups that think we can "heal" ourselves. wish i could. i'd heal me and then i'd heal you!