NAMI Kern County's OutSpoken Young Minds

NAMI Kern County UpComing Events

2011-09-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

Thursday September 15
NAMI Basics 6 week course
Nick 661 343-3213

Monday September 19
NAMI Affiliate Meeting
Consumer Family Learning Center
5121 Stockdale Highway 6:00pm
Guest Speaker
Dr. Ravi Goklaney

Monday September 26,
The Power of Hope
Mental Health Conference
Bakersfield College 6:00pm
Nick 661343-3213

Saturday October 1st
"Community Resource Conference"
Focus PTSD
Good Samaritan Hospital
White Ln. 9:00am
Russ 661 303-1416

Saturday October 8
5th Annual NAMIWalk
The Park at Riverwalk
9:00-12:00pm

2011-07-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

NAMI WALKS
Save The Date
August 27, 2011

5th Annual
NAMIWalks
Kern County
Kickoff Luncheon

Hodel's Kern Room
Bakersfield
9:00am-12:00pm

The kickoff Luncheon is free
free for anyone who wants to
create a walk team or learn more
about the walk and the many
opportunities to participate
in this exciting event!

All sponsors are encouraged
to attend!

Registar your team
Rigistar to Walk
Sign up to Sponsor
NAMIWalks Kern County

Hodels Resturant
Olive Dr. & Knudsen Ave
Bakersfield
SEE YOU THERE!

NAMI Kern's Important upcoming events!

2011-04-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

Every Third Monday of the Month Join

NAMI Kern County

at our Affiliate Information Meeting

A.I.M.
6:00pm - 8:00pm

July 18, 2011

Commonwealth Building

Truxtun and Oak

NAMIWalks

2011-04-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

The time is drawing near for our.... 5th annual NAMIWalks Kern County
Saturday October 8, 2011
The Park at Riverwalk Bakersfield, CA.
9:00am -12:00pm.
http://www.nami.org/namiwalks/CA/Kern

Visit the Website to start YOUR TEAM!!

All donations received from our Annual NAMIWalks
stay in KERN COUNTY

or

Feel free to mail donations to:
P.O. Box 9144 Bakersfield,Ca. 93389
NAMI Kern County is an all volunteer 501(c)3 non profit organization

OSYM Speaks At National Convention In Washington DC!

2010-07-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

It was an exciting moment for the OSYM Team, Jennifer, Marley, Steven & Cathy as they presented NAMI Kern County's OutSpoken Young Minds Project. Many were interested in our support & education program. There were several states that wanted to start a support group of their own using our format. We had representative's from Virginia, Mississippi, South & North Carolina, & Oregon. We had an OSYM time!

Slide Show: Car Wash

2010-06-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

This digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

It Was An OSYM Car Wash

2010-06-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

It was a successful day, and even though we had a few mishaps with the water hose everyone had a good time!

OSYM Carwash Fundraiser

2010-06-15T20:13:00.001-07:00

Saturday, June 26, 2010 9:00am
6801 White Ln. 93309

2010-05-26T22:06:00.001-07:00

OSYM Graduate 2010

2010-05-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

Marley Robin Ramirez is our OSYM graduate for 2010. Marley is an outspoken advocate for Mental Health and is a walking example for her peers, as well as an inspiration to others. She has had many opportunities to share her story in the community. July 3, 2010 she will be traveling to Washington DC to NAMI National Convention, along with several other OSYM members to speak out on Mental Health. We are proud of you Marley, Congratulations!

NAMI KERN ACADEMY AWARDS 2010!

2010-05-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Slideshow generated with Smilebox

OSYM Takes Recovery and Well-Being Award Again This Year!

2010-05-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

April 15th 2010 marks the 2nd Anniversary of the "Defining Moment" where recovery began for Cathy Cornell. Thirty-two years of depression after a traumatic assault that robbed her of her innocence and her young adulthood would no longer hold her hostage! After listening to a young 16 year old NAMI OutSpoken Young Mind tell her own traumatic assault to a County Mental Health Meeting, Cathy was Inspired, "If she can do it, so can I" and she did!
Cathy received the Recovery and Well-Being Award May 4, 2010 for recognition of her extraordinary contributions and leadership to Mental-Health; and For exemplary public service and civic contributions to the community and Kern County.

OutSpoken Young Minds Make Nationals!

2010-03-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Congratulations OSYM! After just a 1 1/2 years OSYM has been accepted to present NAMI Kern County's OutSpoken Young Minds Project at the NAMI National Convention in Washington DC on July 3rd. Six of our OSYM team members will represent NAMI in presenting their unique and successful NAMI "OSYM" project created right here in Bakersfield Ca. To help offset costs please mail your contributions to NAMI Kern County "OSYM", P.O. Box 9144 Bakersfield, CA. 93389. We are a non profit 501(c)(3) organization.

2010-02-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

OutSpoken Young Minds Speak Out At Early Childhood Council of Kern
February 3, 2010

Jennifer Ramirez speaks from the heart of a parent

Russ Sempell introduces OSYM to Early Childhood Council of Kern

Marley Ramirez shares her story an how OSYM has helped her. Now she's reaching out to others.
Steven is our youth facilitator, and shares his story from his early teens.
Cathy is a parent advisor and shares her story from her early teens.

Getting ready before we meet the Early Childhood Council of Kern.

SMILEBOX PHOTOS: NAMI KERN'S WALK 09

2009-10-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Great Day For An OSYM NAMI WALK

2009-10-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

OSYM walks at NAMI Kern's 3rd annual NAMI WALK. It was a beautiful day and fun was had by all. Marley's Peace Of Mind won the T-shirt contest...way to go team!!!

OSYM At NAMI's California State Conference:

2009-08-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

OSYM shares our outreach and educational program at the NAMI California State Conference in Torrance on August 22, 2009. It was a big success and very exciting for those who got to

participate!!

OSYM Speaks To Juvenile Hall:

2009-07-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

Russ, Cathy, and Steven presented OSYM at Juvenile Hall 7/17/09 to 30 plus educators. It was well accepted as many had never heard of NAMI. Our next goal is to present OSYM to the probation department. It was an OSYM experience!

OSYM Party:

2009-06-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

It Was An OSYM Day:

2009-06-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

OSYM Sky!!

What a Group!! Give a penny for your thoughts....
Too much fun and excitiment to be had... Model time....smile for the camera.Our Marley she's so OSYM! OSYM Friends helping each other.
The OSYM present....I feel all moossy goossy ;(
Eightteen I can gamble!
How lovely she is! Everyone had a nice time.
Hey Mickie hold that pose!
Good picture!
Nice Shot and good smiles!
Good picture looks all sparkly. Look at the little bubble.
Dayna is the champion bubble blower...OSYM!
Just hanging out.
This is a serious picture. Good picture Neil! Russ took this picture not too bad.
Jennifer an hubby. OSYM skies, food, friends, and good memories were had at Ashley's graduation party!!

OSYM Graduate:

2009-06-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

Ashley Nommensen OSYM's Poster Child graduated from Stockdale High School Class of 2009. Way to go Ashley you rock, Congratulations!

OSYM Makes News!

2009-06-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

OSYM is Awesome
By: Steven Johnson, NAMI youth mentor
Description: NAMI Kern County's OutSpoken Young MindsTopics: Posted by editor Tue May 26, 2009 16:46:52 PDTViewed 171 times 0 responses 0 comments

My name is Steven, I am in my early 20s and for several years I have been dealing with a mental illness, Bipolar Disorder. The onset occurred when I was about 13-years-old. For so many years my symptoms went untreated. My mother recognized it early on. But when she would approach me on the subject I would walk away, sometimes yelling at her that I was not crazy! It was not typical teenage behavior. Something was wrong in my brain and I was heading down a path of emotional and mental distress. I would often have feelings of self-doubt, worthlessness, lack of motivation and suicide. Other times I would feel on top of the world. My mind would race with ideas. So fast that I would not have a chance to write them down or express them before a new idea would enter my head. I would stay awake for days at a time. I hardly felt like I needed to eat to maintain a steady flow of energy. In fact, I would have so much energy that exercising rarely used enough of that excess energy to make me tired. I had no clue that I was exhibiting some of the typical signs of depression and mania. As I reached my early twenties, I was offered a job with the county. I dealt with so much new stress and the expectations that were placed upon me were higher than I could handle effectively. My cycling through the mania and depression became almost like clockwork. I was about a year and a half into my tenure with the county when I suffered a mental breakdown, or what I later found out to be a psychotic episode. This happened at work while I was on the clock and with another employee. At that point in time, I was diagnosed as bipolar disorder and I was put on medication. Disciplinary action was taken against me and my supervisors started getting their “ducks in a row” to terminate me with little hassle from the union. That action took them about a year and a half before I received my termination notice. After being terminated from the county, I went on State Disability Insurance and remained on the program for eight months. During that time I did absolutely nothing. I felt myself getting to a point where I could not sit at home anymore, so I got back out there and looked for a job. I found a job as a car salesman and got off disability. I felt like I was doing better and no longer needed medication. Try and imagine a bipolar individual working in a cut-throat industry without medication…talk about a recipe for disaster. For the next three and a half years I could not hold a job longer than six months. It would be around that time that anger outbursts and my temper would get me into arguments with management and would result in me being fired or quitting. At the age of 27 I’d had enough and I wanted to get back to a stable point in my life.At that point my mother saw an article in the newspaper singing praises about the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She thought it would be a good idea to get involved with NAMI to help me get back on track. At first I was scared to go. The thought of being around a bunch of people I thought were mentally unstable did not sit well with me. Reluctantly, I obliged my mother’s requests and went to my first meeting. I wasn’t there very long before I ran across a friend of mine whom I had known for about three years. To see a familiar face there and know that I wasn’t alone in my struggle put my mind at ease. I quickly took to the cause of NAMI and supported their actions to advocate for those with mental illnesses now referred to as brain disorders. I began attending weekly support group meetings and became more active with the 501(c)3 non-profit all volunteer organization. Then I was approached by the President of the Kern County Affiliate of NAMI, Russ Sempell, to act as a mentor for their OutSpoken Young Minds project — OSYM — pronounced “awesome.” This is a support group designed for teenagers and young adults up to 25 years of age suffering from a brain disorder. It’s a group that allows youth to express their feelings in a non-judgmental environment among their peers. This project was designed for this age group because 75 percent of the time, this is when serious mental health issues unfold. We aim to find better coping skills for problems that arise in day-to-day life. In sharing our stories with each other, we are able to find strength. We never judge anyone’s pain as less than our own. We often find that in sharing our experiences that we are able to find the humor in some situations and use that as a healthy coping skill. We know that we cannot resolve all of our problems and we expect a better future in a realistic way, and in so doing, we never give up hope.If you would like more information about OSYM or would like us to come and speak at your service organization, school campus or other organizations, please contact Russ Sempell, Founder of OSYM at (661) 303-1416 and check out our OSYM Web site: www.kernosym.blogspot.com

OSYM Birthday:

2009-06-01T16:25:00.001-07:00

Susan Vicuna had an OSYM birthday with OSYM friends. Check out the cheesy picture. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUSAN!! From all the OSYM gang.

COME JOIN THE FUN!!

2009-05-18T18:43:00.001-07:00

Robert Sempell Memorial

Celebration of Life

BBQ & Softball Game

Friday May 29th 10am to 2pm

Beardsley Park
One Block North of Olive
on Airport Drive

Celebrating
Mental Health Awareness
For more information contact
Russ @ 303-1416

Contributions to NAMI Kern
PO Box 9144 Bakersfield, CA 93389

2009-05-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

NEWSFLASH

OSYM PROJECT has been selected to be featured at
the 31st ANNUAL NAMI CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE
"DESTINATION: RECOVERY!'

Saturday August 22, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Torrance Marriott South Bay
3635 Fashion Way
Torrance, CA

For Registration go to:
www.namicalifornia.org

Academy Award Luncheon May 7, 2009

2009-05-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

NAMI Kern's OSYM members walk away with awards and smiles from the Mental Health Academy Awards Luncheon.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Last Item In Pandora's Box

2009-04-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

I cried last night. A good long, open-a-new-pack-of-tissues kind of cry. My world crashed onto my shoulders. I could feel myself slipping.

Despair.

I could feel it creep up behind me like a long shadow after sunset. I imagined myself falling back into the depths of rock bottom, where my personal demon paces, waiting for me. I tasted despair fresh on my lips. A familiar taste, like the taste in my mouth when I wake up in the morning.

But for the first time, I tasted something else. It was subtle, just a hint, a glimmer. Had I blinked I probably would have missed it. It was the last item Pandora had in her box that she nearly forgot to let out.

Hope.

So there I was, on the hardwood floor of my room with these two paths laid out before me. It was like finally seeing a new button in the elevator. One that doesn't lead to the basement. For the first time, I actually had the means to fight that demon so longing to suffocate me. As my tongue sampled hope and my throat was clogged with despair, my mind was hit with one thought and one thought only: I'll be damned if I let this get me. This demon has trapped me many times before, without my consent and I could never do anything about it. But I'll be damned if I just sit here and let it take me when for the first time, I can stop it.

I thought of my life the past two years. I thought of everything that this demon has taken from me; my school, my happiness, my life. I thought of the girl on the bathroom floor, crying, with a shaving razor pressed to her skin, just burning for a release. I thought of each time the demon grabbed ahold of me. Each time when I was helpless. Each time when I was hopeless.

I sampled this new hope on my tongue and savored it's sweet flavor. A flavor much like the change in the air when you spot land on the horizon after being endlessly lost at sea. I have been helpless for so long, and frankly, I'm tired of it. Why continue to fight fire with your bare hands when there's a bucket of water lying at your feet?

By
Susan Vicuna

OutSpoken Young Minds Conf. April 2, 2009

2009-04-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

OSYM Youth Speaks to CSUB

2009-04-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

On April 16th Susan Vicuna along with Russ and the OSYM team spoke to an Abnormal Psych class at CSUB. Susan spoke from her heart about her struggle with mental illness. She was recently diagnosed with anxiety disorder.

The approximately 50 students in attendance were positive and encouraging as Susan told her story. This was Susan's second speaking presentation for OSYM and by the response from the students and the professor this will not be her last.

By sharing her story Susan is helping others in our community and working to break the stigma of mental illness. It was an OSYM success!

OutSpoken Young Minds - Testimonial

2009-04-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

By
Marley

Imagine being on a roller coaster...Now imagine being on a roller coaster you never wanted to be on in the first place...Now imagine you don't get to choose when the ride...is...over.

My name is Marley and I am 16 years old. I was diagnosed bipolar in September of 2008. That is kind of what my life had been like. Jr. High seemed to be when I first stumbled into a black hole. I was teased a lot, pushed around and spit on. People just didn't get me. That's when I started to turn to self destructive behaviors. I was just plain not happy with my life...and I was only 12. When I was finally diagnosed, that had to be the most relieving moments of my life. I finally felt like I wasn't a freak for feeling the way I was feeling, I finally had a reason.

Accepting my diagnosis and moving into treatment was easier than I thought it would be. I was not reluctant at all accepting that there was something wrong, and understanding that it was not my fault. It is no body's fault. It just is what it is.

Understanding this life is a gift from God...that is how I cope. Knowing that god will never give me more than I can handle is a comfort for me. He must be preparing me for something really big, huge...maybe enormous.

I continue dealing with the ups and downs, I once thought I was the only one who felt this way, now I know I am not alone, none of us are alone. We have each other, we have our friends and family. I have learned how to include them, communicating how I feel, how to deal with whatever comes my way...our way.

I know I lost a few friends to this illness, through misunderstanding and ignorance relationships fell apart, unanswered phone calls, messages ignored, feelings hurt through just not getting what was going on with me. It was no body's fault; it just was what is was...I was just so mad at myself, I did my best to not get too close...to anyone. I just didn't want to get hurt anymore.

Today I better understand that it is OK to feel the way I feel, that it is not the end of the world, or my world, there is help out there for everyone who needs it. We found this group, this bunch of "OutSpoken Young Minds" who, like me, understand how to care about themselves like they should, how to care about other people, each other. The friends I've made are the kind that don't judge each other, the ones that last a life time or longer.

I believe in my heart, this OSYM group is an answered prayer, the days continue to get brighter, I can't wait for Tuesday nights to come. I love seeing my friends and meeting new OSYM young people who find us; we can talk about anything at anytime. I am excited to see new people find help, find that we are not alone, find peace, find courage to speak about how we feel. The courage to say, "I may have bipolar disorder but that is not who I am."

OutSpoken Young Minds - Testimonial

2009-04-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

By
Steven

My name is Steven and for several years now I have been dealing with a mental illness. The onset of which occurred when I was about 13 years old but I did not realize it until I was in my early twenties. I am diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder.

For so many years this went untreated. My mother recognized it early on, however, when she would approach me on the subject I would walk away, sometimes yelling at her that I was not crazy! It was not typical teenage behavior. Something was wrong in my brain and I was heading down a path of emotional and mental distress. I would often have feelings of self-doubt, worthlessness, lack of motivation and suicide. Other times, I would feel on top of the world, my mind would race with ideas, so fast in fact that I would not have a chance to write them down or express them in any way before a new idea would enter my head. I would stay awake for days at a time and hardly felt like I needed to eat to maintain a steady flow of energy. In fact, I would have so much energy that exercising rarely used enough of that excess energy to make me tired. I had no clue that I was exhibiting some of the typical signs of depression and mania.

As I got into my early twenties, I was offered a job with the county. I dealt with so much new stress and the expectations that were placed upon me were higher than I could handle effectively. My cycling through the mania and depression was down to a schedule, almost like clockwork. I was about a year and a half into my tenure with the county when I suffered a mental breakdown or what I later found out to be a psychotic episode. This happened at work while on the clock and with another employee. At that point in time, I was diagnosed as Bi-Polar Disorder and was put on medication. Disciplinary action was taken against me and my supervisors started getting their “ducks in a row” to terminate me with little hassle from the union. That action took them about another year and a half when I received my termination notice.

After being terminated from the county, I went on SDI and was on the program for 8 months. During that time I did absolutely nothing! I felt myself getting to a point where I could not sit at home anymore so I got back out there and looked for a job. I found a job as a car salesman and got off disability and felt like I was doing better and no longer needed medication. Try and imagine a bi-polar individual working in a cut-throat industry without medication…talk about a recipe for disaster! For the next three and a half years I could not hold a job longer than six months. It would be around that time that anger outbursts and my temper would get me into arguments with management and would result in me being fired or quitting. At the age of 27 I’d had enough and wanted to get back to a stable point in my life.

It was at that point in time when my mother saw an article in the newspaper singing praises about the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and thought it would be a good idea to get involved with that organization to help me get back on track. At first I was scared to go and the thought of being around a bunch of people I thought were mentally unstable did not sit well with me. Reluctantly, I obliged my mother’s requests and went to my first meeting. I wasn’t there very long before I ran across a friend of mine whom I had known for about three years. To see a familiar face there and know that I wasn’t alone in my struggle put my mind at ease. I quickly took to the cause of NAMI and supported their actions to advocate for those with mental illnesses now referred to as brain disorders. I began attending weekly support group meetings and became more active with the 501(c)3 non-profit all volunteer organization.

At that time, I was approached by the President of the Kern County Affiliate of NAMI, Russ Sempell, to act as a mentor for their OutSpoken Young Minds project (OSYM – pronounced “awesome”). This is a support group designed for teenagers and young adults (up to 25 years of age) suffering from a brain disorder. It’s a group that allows the youth to express their feelings in a non-judgmental environment among their peers. This project was designed for this age group because 75% of the time, this is when serious mental health issues unfold. It is in that group that we aim to find better coping skills for problems that arise in day to day life. In sharing our stories with each other, we are able to find strength. We never judge anyone’s pain as less than our own. We often find that in sharing our experiences that we are able to find the humor in some situations and use that as a healthy coping skill. We know that we cannot resolve all of our problems and we expect a better future in a realistic way, and in so doing, we never give up hope!

It is the mission of NAMI and OSYM to reject the stigma associated with brain disorders. We advocate for those who are unable to advocate for themselves. We offer a positive outlet for one’s pain and suffering in our structured support groups so that each of us can take something away from that group to help us cope with daily living. We educate ourselves, our families and loved ones on the illnesses that we have.

Suicide prevention is a vital key in our education. Did you know that suicide is the 2^nd leading cause of death in the U.S. for the ages of 15 through 19? You might be surprised to know that one in ten high school students attempt suicide while one in five has had suicidal thoughts within the past year? NAMI Kern County and our State & National organizations are striving to lower those statistics through prevention, education & support such as what we provide through our OSYM project.

2009-04-11T19:58:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

OSYM POSTER YOUTH!

2009-04-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

Ashley is our OSYM poster youth. With her first Bi-polar psychotic episode at 13 years old, she found her premiere medical treatment at UCLA of which she continues to parcitipate in their research study. After participating in NAMI Kern County's Consumers Support Groups since age 16, Ashley learned from her older adult peers to take her medications as perscribed and not drink alcohol. She has always wanted to be a group facilitator and today assists Steven and Chelsea while she is the inspiration to our younger teen students. Recovery is possible as evidenced by her plans to graduate from Stockdale High School this June 2009. Ashley is a speaker/advocate for OSYM coast to coast on TV in Charleston, SC's Channel 2 News and in print as featured in the Bakersfield Californian. Ashley is looking forward to being trained in NAMI's Connection Peer Support Program.

Child Guidance Welcomes OSYM

2009-04-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

OSYM was honored to present to Henrietta Weill Memorial Child Guidance Clinic's all Staff meeting on March 12th 2009. Our OSYM youth speakers Jessica and Susan spoke from their hearts and experience describing their struggle with mental illness and how OSYM has helped them realize "We are not alone." The staff's standing ovation was evidence of their inspirational success in their first OSYM speaking presentation.
Thank you Child Guidance!

OSYM PEER GROUP FACILITATORS

2009-04-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

Chelsea, a 2006 BHS graduate, assists Steven in facilitating our OSYM Peer Support Groups. She is a trained NAMI "In Our Own Voice" speaker and she came up with the projects title "OutSpoken Young Minds."

Ashley is finishing her senior year at Stockdale High School. Stable now since her first Bi-polar symptoms at age 13. She is the youngest OSYM Peer facilitator. Steven our senior OSYM mentor Peer facilitator is dedicated to lead this OSYM Youth Group as he never had such a group when he was unstable with Bi-polar and needing support. Steven commutes 45 miles every Tuesday from Tehachapi, CA to make this program a success.

PEER TO PEER CLASS

2009-03-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Next class beginning Tuesday April 14th
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Consumer Family Learning Center
Peer to Peer is a nine week course
There is no charge to attend
You do not have to be a NAMI member
NAMI's Recovery Curriculum is taught

PEER TO PEER IS OFFERED ONLY
TO THOSE WHO ARE AFFLICTED WITH A BRAIN DISORDER.
NOT THE FAMILY MEMBERS

What is NAMI's Peer to Peer Program?
Peer-to-Peer consists of nine two-hour classes and is taught by a team of three trained "Mentors' who are personally experienced at living well with a brain disorder.

Mentors are trained in weekend long training sessions, supplied with teaching manuals, and are paid a stipend for each course they teach.

Participants come away from the course with a binder of hand-out materials, as well as many other tangible resources: an advance directive; a "relapse prevention plan" to help identify tell-tale feelings, thoughts, behavior, or events that may warn of impending relapse and to organize for intervention; mindfulness exercises to help focus and calm thinking; and survival skills for working with providers and the general public.

For more information or to register please contact
NAMI Kern County @ (661) 868-5061
or e-mail to: patricemaniaci@gmail.com

Golden Self

2009-03-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

I'm really scared

It just hit me last night
I need to change my ways
I need to put up a fight
People walk all over me
And I accept this as okay
I need to stand up for myself
And I need to pave my own way
To somewhere great
A beautiful place
Where love overpowers
And I can look myself in the face
Where the best treasure is myself
And no one can take that away
Where I respect and love myself, every piece
And I know I'm golden through every night and every day

by
Chelsea Sempell

OSYM SPEAKS OUT VIDEO CLIP:

2009-03-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

This was taken at our Hart Flat Retreat 2008, when OSYM was just getting organized and in the planning stages. Our dreams are coming true and OSYM is growing and reaching out to our community just as we have anticipated.

NAMI KERN's OSYM Fund Raiser At Fishlips:

2009-03-09T22:32:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

NAMI KERN's OSYM APRIL CONFERENCE

2009-03-09T18:38:00.000-07:00

NAMI Kern County’s Outspoken Young Minds
“A project of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Kern County”

Community Resource and Educational Conference
A panel of experts including our own

OutSpoken Young Minds and Family Members,

Mental Health Professionals & Community Leaders

discussing mental health issues

dealing with teens and their families.

Why
Information & Community Resources

for our youth, their Families and our Community.

What
Youth suicide prevention
Substance Abuse – Addiction and Self Medication
Communication & Sensitivity Needs – Family Communication
Resource in our community & a free OutSpoken Young Minds Collaborative Handbook

When
April 2, 2009
6:00PM-8:00PM
No cost to attend – Light Refreshment provided

Where
Good Samaritan Hospital, Southwest
5201 White Lane Bakersfield, CA 93309
RSVP by E-mail strongly encouraged!

Contact
NAMI Kern, P.O. Box 9144
Bakersfield CA 93389
(661) 868-5061

http://www.namicalifornia.org/
http://www.nami.org/
http://www.namikerncounty.com/

Russ Sempell (661) 303-1416 RUSSMFCC@aol.com
Cathy Cornell (661) 378-7372 americanswimmer1976@yahoo.com
Mickie Nommensen (661) 203-6933 micn111@aol.com

NAMI KERN's OSYM SUPPORT GROUPS:

2009-03-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

OutSpoken Young Minds

Youth & Family Suppport Groups

would like to welcome those living with mental health issues

(both youth ages 15 through 25 and their family)

to come share, listen and learn!

EVERY TUESDAY

6:00 TO 7:30 PM

Good Samaritan Hospital Southwest

Outpatient Services Office

5201 White Lane (at Grissom)

Bakersfield, Ca 93309

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE - YOU ARE NOT ALONE

For any questions or more info please feel free to contact:

Russ Sempell, MFT (661) 303-1416 RUSSMFCC@aol.com

Cathy Cornell (661) 378-7372 americanswimmer1976@yahoo.com

Mickie Nommensen, Parent Advisor, (661) 203-6933 micn111@aol.com

NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, focusing on Youth helping Youth with support and understanding on living with Bipolar, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or Anxiety

2009-03-06T20:36:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Reaching Out To The Community:

2009-03-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

The parent advisors and youth of OSYM have gone to various High Schools in our community to present their stories and the OSYM outreach program to the counselors and administrators. Besides reaching out to the High Schools in the community OSYM has presented our outreach program to the faith community as well, and has taken our OSYM program into the youth groups at the churches of our local faith community. WE MUST MOVE FROM BEHIND STAINED GLASS TO TOUCH STAINED LIVES TO REMOVE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS!

GETTING THE BLOG UP AND RUNNING:

2009-03-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt

Who We Are:

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NAMI Kern County's OutSpoken Young Minds

Established 2008

OSYM is a three (3) tiered, comprehensive Early Intervention & Prevention, Outreach, Education and Support Project of NAMI Kern County for Youth (13-25) and their families with mental health issues.

1) OSYM facilitates the only community wide (Bakersfield currently) mental health collaborative of schools (high schools and jr. highs), public and private mental health agencies & resources, the faith community, probation and law enforcement to name a few. We partner to better serve the families with loved ones coping with mental health issues.

2) NAMI holds quarterly OSYM Educational and Resource Conferences to educate the general community of mental health issues and needs of our youth and their families. Vendors in the collaborative offer information to those participating.

3) NAMI's OSYM also provides adult supervised and trained peer led support groups to youth screened and deemed stable and motivated enough to benefit. Others not yet ready are referred to appropriate OSYM collaborative partners for stabilization. Participants and their loved ones are offered NAMI's Signature Educational Peer to Peer and Family to Family classes. Parents and Families are encouraged to participate in NAMI Kern's established weekly Family Support Groups.

OSYM serves youth and their families in our community at OSYM Collaborative partners' sites. The long term projected impact of OSYM we expect will be a reduction of : preventable youth suicides, high school & college dropout rates, (due to mental illness) arrests and incarcerations.

For more information contact:

Russ Sempell at (661) 303-1416 or russmft@aol.com

Founder of OutSpoken Young Minds Est. 2008

NAMI Kern County Affiliate President 2007-2008