NAMIWalks Kern County Where: The Park at Riverwalk Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93309 When: Saturday October 13, 2012 from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM PDT Add to my calendar Look not with your eyes, but with your soul ! We are all the SAME ! We, as a TEAM and strong COMMUNITY will continue to ADVOCATE, SUPPORT AND EDUCATE Kern County as WE spread the word, collect sponsorships, build teams and RAISE AWARENESS and to reduce STIGMA of Mental Illness!! Register Now! I can't make it We have 16 days to reach our goal Kern County!! Goal: $50,000 Raised: $13,690 Donors: 83 27% of goal achieved click the link below to take you straight to the Walk Page 2012 NAMIWalk Kern County Sincerely, NAMI Kern County kerncountynami@gmail.com 661-333-5484

A New Season Is Beginning, Be Glad!

PTSD Community Resource And Educational Conference

NAMI Kern County's FRONT LINE in partnership with Rotary Clubs of Kern County PTSD COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE Veterans, First Responders (Law Enforcement, Firefighters, EMT's), Families & the Community TUESDAY, October 2, 2012 6:00pm - 8:00pm There is NO CHARGE to attend the conference Open to ALL ~~Join us on a Journey through recovery~~ Debbie Johnson ~ Kern County Stand Down Chris Allen & Patrice Maniaci ~ In Our Own Voice Jeremy Staat & Wesley Barrientos ~ Journey across the United States There is no SHAME in receiving help Good Samaritan Hospital, Southwest Gymnasium 5201 White Lane Bakersfield, CA 93309 RSVP by email strongly encouraged! namikernpatrice@gmail.com russmft@aol.com www.frontlinenami.org

Through My Eyes

Depression can alter and eminently change the life of an individual. It can literally instill fear, frustration and anxiety in your life. It can creep upon you as a thief in the night, without any warning and turn your life upside down until you don't recognize yourself. It can mutate your family and relationships with others. Making it where you don't understand the feelings that take control of your life. Making it difficult to react in an operative way, instead we act upon those feelings before we give rational thought behind our reactions. Only realizing afterwards, that the feelings weren't a true representation of our individual being, but it was the depression clouding our thoughts and altering our feelings into something out of our control.

The harder we try to control this "depression" the harder it gets and all you end up doing is chasing it around and around in your mind. Your mental controls are always on the same channel which can literally rob you of joy and happiness. As humans we are happiest when we are striving for something worthwhile, but depression disminishes that sense of happiness and worthiness. You could say that depression causes the passion for life to dissipate and generate a lack of purpose. I often remind myself of Jerimiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you". This at times is hard to hold onto, but beneath all the fog that clouds my mind I know in my heart and not my head that this is true.

I was told This To Shall Pass...How? Through honesty with myself and being open with a great friend and willingness to accept my flaws and feelings that are so distorted and confused with this ugly thing called depression.

By: Cathy Cornell

If you can relate to this feel free to leave a comment on the blog.

NAMI Kern CountyAugust 10, 2012
Please see below for information on the annual NAMI California Conference to be held in Irvine CA August 17 and 18.

Today is the last day to register online for the NAMI California State Conference. It is a quick, easy and convenient way to register.

Register for the conference today!


August 17-18, 2012
Irvine, California

This year's Annual Conference is at the Irvine Marriott hotel in Irvine, California.
Keynote and workshop speakers from around the country converge to bring some of the best subject matter expertise to the conference.

Workshop topics include:
Accessing Decent, Safe and Affordable Housing Opportunities for Consumers
and Families
CET: Physical Therapy for the Brain and Real Life Application from Pomona
Valley Advocates
Enhancing Recovery by including Recovery International's Self-Help Method
Family focused Prevention, Early Intervention, and Innovation programs
How to Guarantee That You Would Not Get Well From Your Bipolar Disorder
Mental Health Resources in Schools: NAMI CA's 2012 Parent & Caregiver Survey
How to increase Affiliate presence in your community
Prevention and Early Intervention in Psychosis: the PREP model
Separate and NOT Equal - the Case for Updating California's Treatment Laws"
Stigma Busting: Together Advocating and Empowering TAY Youth
Supporting Survivors of Suicide Attempts
Understanding Evidence-based Practices for Children and Youth
Understanding the Consumer Movement
and more.
Register for the conference today!
Don't miss out on Thursday night forums

This year we will be offering a Signature Programs (Peer/SDR) Forum. The Signature Programs Forum will begin with a brief overview of the NAMI California CalMHSA Stigma & Discrimination Reduction (SDR) Grant. Multicultural Inclusion ForumWe are enthusiastic about the content of this year's Multicultural Inclusion Forum!
* Meet the National Director of NAMI's Multicultural Action Center

* Dialogue with the NAMI California Board Expert on outreach

* Exchange information with fellow affiliates

* Collaborate with statewide experts in reducing disparities
MaJose Carrasco, MPA, Director of NAMI Multicultural Action Center, will join us to highlightNAMI national goals and strategies, linking and assisting our statewide efforts.Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, MD, Ph.D., NAMI California Board member and Director of the UCDavis Center for Reducing Health Disparities, will be sharing strong community based evidence for effective outreach, while highlighting our opportunity to lead.Dixie Galapon, Ph.D., of the Union of Pan Asian Communities and Manager of CulturalCompetence for NAMI California's Stigma and Discrimination Reduction programs, will
lead an interactive break out session where affiliate representatives and members will have

the opportunity to discuss outreach efforts and collaborate with members of our Cultural
Competence Steering Committee, many of whom lead the California Reducing Disparities
Project.

Learn More...
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Dr. Goklaney Speaking At Affiliate Meeting

Please join NAMI Kern County on Monday, July 16, at 6:00pm for our monthly Affiliate Information Meeting.
WHERE: Consumer Family Learning Center, 5121 Stockdale Highway, (behind Rabobank off Village Lane).
SPEAKER:
Dr. Ravi Goklaney
TOPIC:
Factors Important to Recovery; to include the Importance of Family Support and Education during Recovery.
TIME:
6:00pm - 8:00pmJoin us in welcoming Dr. Goklaney by attending our meeting. As always, they are open to the public, ALL ARE WELCOME!!

Have A Most Beautiful Summer!

VETERANS DAY

On Memorial Day we honor those who gave their lives to protect our country.
While many of these brave service men and women did not return from the field of battle, millions of veterans have come back with invisible wounds that may never heal. These invisible wounds often resulted in tragedy—every 80 minutes a veteran dies by suicide.
On this day, when we remember loved ones and heroes lost, please consider donating to support programs that help veterans living with mental illness and their families.
Visit NAMI’s Veterans Wall to see past tributes to our intrepid men and women in uniform, past and present, who have served their country. To honor a loved one who has served, please consider donating to support our veterans who are still living and struggling with the effects of war.

CELEBRATE LIFE!

NAMI Kern County is proud to present
11th Annual CELEBRATION OF LIFE
Friday May 25, 2012 10:00am - 2:00pm
Beardsley Park
One block north of Olive Drive On Airport Drive

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Lets continue to "Leap Into Recovery" as NAMI Kern County presents "A Journey through Recovery"along with a special presentation by Good Samaritan Hospital Monday Evening May 21, 2012 Consumer Family Learning Center. 5121 Stockdale Highway (off Village Lane between Rabobank & Outback)
6:00 pm with light refreshments
Come Help Celebrate Recovery

Dying For Help, A Stark Look At Teen Mental Illnes

Scrool down to bottom of this page to turn down music to hear this video presentation.

Thirteenth Annual Academy Awards

This is the thirteenth Annual observance designed to increase awareness about Mental Health, Mental Illness and recovery. The Academy Awards was created to be one of Kern County Mental Health's and NAMI's premier events. It's designed to to celebrate the growth and accomplishments in the field of Mental Health. It is also to spotlight individuals who have been instrumental in promoting recovery principles among peers, clients and the public in general.

Thursday May 10th 2012
11:30am-1:00pm
Hodels Restaurant
5917 Knudsen Drive - Bakersfield