Causes I am passionate about

CASA

CASA = Court Appointed Special Advocates, or GAL = Guardian ad Litem.

CASA/GAL, is the only volunteer organization that empowers everyday citizens as officers of the court. In an overburdened social welfare system, abused and neglected children often slip through the cracks among hundreds of current cases.

CASA volunteers change that.

Appointed by judges, CASA volunteers typically handle just one case at a time—and commit to staying on that case until the child is placed in a safe, permanent home. While others may come and go, CASA volunteers provide that one constant that children need in order to thrive.

To learn more and watch Dr. Phil McGraw’s program about “Children Caught in The System,” go to Dr.Phil.com.  Visit the National CASA Website to find a program near you http://www.casaforchildren.org.

Books:

• I Speak For This Child: True Stories of a Child Advocate
• Someone There for Me: Everyday Heroes Through the Eyes of Teens in Foster Care
• Lighting the Way: Volunteer Child Advocates Speak Out
• The Lost Boy: A Foster Child’s Search for the Love of a Family
• The Advocate

NAMI

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Autism, ADD/ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),  Borderline Personality Disorder, Eating Disorders, Obcessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Schizophrenia, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome,   … does any of this sound familiar to you?  There are many faces and voices of mental illness.

One of the deepest needs we have in life is the need to be understood. We all desperately need to feel that somebody can feel what we’re feeling and understand what we’re thinking. We all need people who connect with us.

A study by the California Department of Health Mental found that if you’re disconnected from other people:

• You’re two-to-three times more likely to die an early death;
• You’re four times more likely to suffer from emotional burnout;
• You’re five times more likely to suffer clinical depression, and;
• You’re ten times more likely to be hospitalized for an emotional or mental disorder.

We need human connections for physical, emotional, spiritual health. We need people who understand us, who relate to us and who can connect to us. This passage is a quote from Rick Warren’s Blog.

What is mental illness? Centuries of ignorance have built up a deep reservoir of confusion about what mental illness is, what causes it, and how to treat it.

The consequences of that confusion have been stigma for people suffering with mental illness, shame for their loved ones, questionable treatments, and public policies often based on stereotypes and fear.  (There’s that word “fear” – fear keeps you in darkness)

I highly suggest watching the PBS show “Minds on the Edge” online, or check your local listings.

Books:

• The Edge Effect: Achieve Total Health and Longevity with the Balanced Brain Advantage
• The Brain Chemistry Diet : The Personalized Prescription for Balancing Mood, Relieving Stress, and Conquering Depression, Based on Your Personality Profile

Websites:

• http://BringChange2Mind.org for more information on how you can help combat the stigma around mental health.
• http://www.nkm2.org/ “We are mad as hell, and we’re not going to take this anymore!! Please join us as we educate souls everywhere to “STOMP THE STIGMA!”  — Joe Pantoliano,  Founder & President
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance: Improving the Lives of People Living with Mood Disorders
• Narsad The Brain and Behavior Research Fund

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