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Text Box: The Initiative

Text Box: Inside This Issue Psychodynamic Therapy Passes a Test....………………….2 Local Voices……………………………….…………………....3 What if a Celebrity Went into Rehab—and Learned Something! …………………………………….…………………….3-4 Coping with PTSD in the Workplace………………..………..5 DBSA Conference & Other Upcoming Activities….……..….5 We Know You’re Out There!……………………….…...……..6 Wacky World News……………………………………...……..7 Sleep Tips.….…………………………………………………...8 Poems & Such…………………………………..…………..9-10

Text Box: First “Faces of Recovery” Event Makes a Big Splash! By Steve Bell On Saturday, May 26th, at Gaylord Hall on the campus of Colorado College, DBSA Colorado Springs presented a unique community event entitled Faces of Recovery. The event featured six speakers, all of them mental health consumers or family members of those suffering with a mood disorder. Five of the six speakers are active members and supporters of DBSA Colorado Springs. The speakers, a mixture of both men and women of all ages (including a teenage girl) shared their unique, personal stories of the onset and diagnosis of their illness, their present recovery activities, and their hopes and dreams for the future. With over 60 people in attendance, our guests enjoyed a catered buffet lunch, and spent time around each table talking about mental health issues with people who have first-hand experience with mood disorders. DBSA support group facilitators or Board members were available to answer questions on the impact of mental illness on consumers, their friends and family members, and also how DBSA is geared to provide education, hope, and support. On hand were ten Exhibitors representing various mental health organizations who set up information booths for our guests. Major supporters and sponsors of this event included Gazette Charities, Tri-City Drywall, Inc., Bonnie Fox Pletcher, and members of DBSA Colorado Springs. Fear, ignorance, and social stigma often make it difficult for our community to fully understand the nature of mood disorders and their complexity. It took great courage for those standing behind the microphone to share their intimate, emotional stories. Though the speeches and question-and-answer period lasted two hours, the audience was unusually focused and attentive. At the conclusion of the event several guests told some of the chapter leaders that they almost did not come to the event, but were very glad they did. One woman who had never been to a DBSA meeting before said, “Your presentation gave me hope. I feel so alone, but now I know it is possible to have a better life and do the things I want to do, in spite of my illness. Thank you for inviting me.”

Text Box: “Candle in the Dark” Workshop Shines Light on Mood Disorders By Karen Fallahi This June, DBSA Colorado Springs launched Candle in the Dark, an educational eight-hour workshop designed to shine a light of understanding into the often dark world those with mood disorders live in, and to help participants find ways to empower them to find appropriate treatment and discover their own unique pathways to recovery and wellness. Workshop sessions were held June 18th, 21st, 25th, and 28th at the Colorado Springs Police Dept., Community Room, Stetson Hills Division. Conducted by an extensively trained DBSA instructor and local educator, Candle in the Dark is the first of what will be a number of such workshops to be offered again to the public later this summer and in the fall. Candle in the Dark utilizes the format and materials of the LIVING SUCCESSFULLY with a MOOD DISORDER training modules designed by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), the nation’s leading patient-directed organization focusing on the most prevalent mental illnesses – depression and bipolar disorder. Continued on Page 4