Alcohol Awareness Month: Destigmatizing Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
April is National Alcohol Awareness month – and today, April 7, marks the annual Alcohol Screening Day. Alcohol and substance use disorders (SUDs) are a category of mental illness and sometimes can even co-occur with other mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, […]
Allison Mitsui Shares Her Mental Health Story
Mental Health Month is a time to join together and raise awareness and acceptance for mental illness by sharing stories, informing and educating, and learning new strategies that can help on your journey to mental wellness. All month long, MHAOhio will be promoting Mental Health Month and we hope you will join us! Allison Mitsui […]
Bailey Fullwiler on the Value of Incorporating Animals into your Mental Health Journey
Humans are hardwired for connection, and that connection is not exclusive to other humans; it includes all living things. Spending time with animals can be a powerful exercise in self-care and can have a profound impact on recovery from mental illness, trauma, and substance use disorders. MHAOhio’s Statewide Mental Health First Aid Program Manager, Bailey […]
Black History Month: Defining Somatic Abolitionism with La Shanda Sugg, LPC
“Without inner change, there can be no outer change. Without collective change, no change matters.” ― Angel Kyodo Williams In recognition of Black History Month, we’re talking with La Shanda Sugg, LPC, founder of Labors of Love Counseling and Consulting, about dismantling oppressive ideologies through a body-based approach. Q. What do you think about Black History […]
Building a Peer Supporter Career
As more and more behavioral health providers recognize the value of peer support, the field continues to grow. On October 24, we welcomed more than 50 prospective Peer Recovery Supporters and partners to the Columbus Metropolitan Library for “Building a Peer Supporter Career,” an information session and resource fair to assist new PRS as […]
Celebrating Pride: Affirming LGBTQ+ Identities
June is Pride month – a time to celebrate and advocate for the lives and rights of those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Even though in some states legislation has come a long way to protect those who express their sexuality and gender in a multitude of ways, much work remains to […]
Checking in with Madeline Chilton
“What’s one thing you’d like others to remember about you during this meeting?” Every other week, Madeline Chilton opens up MHAOhio’s Anxiety Peer Support Group with a question like this as a way to allow participants to be vulnerable and establish that the group is a safe space to share. “We don’t really know what’s going on […]
Community Trauma and the Path to Resilience
“When trauma happens to one, it happens to all.” That’s the basis of community trauma, which Marian Stuckey, founder of the Columbus CARE Coalition and Section Chief of Neighborhood Social Services with Columbus Public Health, has spent the past five years working to address in Central Ohio. During these times of tragedy — with a violent attack […]
Compassion Without Judgment: Dispelling the Stigma of Addiction
During this National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, MHAOhio aims to dispel stigma around substance use disorders through our work with Peer Recovery Supporters (PRS) – including trainings, support groups, and workforce development. PRS are individuals who use their lived experience to help others on their path to recovery. Jessica Herwald has been a certified PRS for two years […]
Defining Yourself: Celebrating Men’s Mental Health Month Through Empowered Conversations
When Howard Fairley shows up to cohort meetings for All In Dads! he’s not showing up as the co-coordinator of the program but as a dad. The work often requires him to go deeper with the men in his community and provide a space where they feel comfortable opening up about their challenges. “A lot of […]
