Imagine if...

I'm not on tumblr so couldn't reblog directly, but I found this via Geeky Therapist
From the original post:

This is the greatest thing I have ever seen. People do not understand that mental illnesses, such as depression, are actual chemical imbalances in your body. They are not brought on by choice. My dad was diagnosed with depression. He was so ashamed of it that he hid it from me and my brothers. A month later, he killed himself. The stigma that comes with mental illness made my Dad embarrassed to talk to his own kids about this problem because he felt like less of a man.

Erase the stigma. The more we talk about mental illness, the less likely it will end in suicide.

Pass it on.

Unlikely Sources

I like to follow a lot of blogs.  Over the past couple years, this has become my favourite way to keep up with the world.  While some are fellow social work and mental health types, I also cover a lot of my other interests - feminism, crafts, food, stuff.

Lately I've noticed an interesting trend - proof that mental health affects us ALL.  A number of my favourite bloggers have been posting about anxiety, developmental disorders, depression and the like.  I love reading these posts and commend those who have decided to share their struggles with the blogosphere - it's a big world out there and breaking the culture of silence around mental illness can be scary.

Here are some examples:
Jen over at Epbot blogs about her experience with anxiety disorder
Gail VazOxlade, usually in the business of giving financial advice is sharing chapters of her book A Mind of My Own about raising her son who has autism
Alycia at the Curious Pug posts about using crochet to help keep depression at bay
Caitlin of Fit and Feminist discusses (in this post and others) her experiences with drug addiction, disordered eating, and being an abuse survivor.

Have you  found insightful or inspirational posts such as these in unexpected places?  Do share!

So, it's November...

and I have to apologize for being a little neglectful of the blog lately.  Some changes at work have made my schedule and stress level a little bit more intense that usual, which tends to take away from blog time.  I have some ideas that I am formulating for posts, so I'm trying to make note of them until I can actually write!

I'm looking to update my blogroll, so if you have a blog of your own or one you really like, leave a note in the comments and I'd love to check them out.

Also, can I just say how much I'm enjoying this show Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Any opportunity to poke fun  at psychiatrists...

TTFN

Tony, We Never Knew You

I would like to take this opportunity to say ‘good-bye’ to Tony. I never knew him personally, but I’d kind of hoped I might run into him someday if I was in his neighbourhood. I’ve profiled his blog here before, Homeless Man Speaks.


Tony died on Tuesday. Pictures of memorials to him are on his blog, and there was an article in the Toronto Star today about him.

Tony added a great perspective to all the social issue and Toronto blogs out there. He sent humour and reflection straight from the street. I hope he’s rockin’ some new pants out there in the universe.

Happy Summer Solstice!

One of my favourite days of the year! We Canadians tend to get particularly excited about the arrival of summer.  I try to convince as many clients as possible to meet me outside and sell them on the fact that the light exposure is good for their mental health.  Not to mention we should soak up some vitamin D when we get the chance!

Admittedly, the nice weather around here has kept me away from the computer and my dear little blog of late, but I haven't forgotten completely.  New posts on the horizon...
Hope you all get out today and enjoy some sunshine! 

Comment Update

I am once again able to stay signed in to Blogger to comment on my own and other blogs.  If anyone else is having the same problem as I was, the solution was simply to clear my browser's cache and allow third party cookies for my blog and blogger.com

Keep the comments coming!

Comment Probs

I would just like to say "hi" to some recent followers and commenters!  For some reason, Blogger is not keeping me signed in to comment, so I haven't been able to reply to anyone.  Is anybody else having this problem?  Here's hoping it's temporary!

Quick Update

Check out my updated blog roll. New! Improved! Shiny!

Return

Hello blogosphere, did you miss me? Uh, what's that you say? You didn't eeven realize I was gone? Well after one weeks holiday from work and thus from this little blog as well, I certainly missed you.

One week apart was enough (it'll have to do anyway), so now things are back to normal. (what's normal? -that's a question for another day)

I've returned to 111 unread emails, only 4 new voicemails, and 1 new client assigned to my workload. Not bad, I guess.

And yes, I totally look this neat and sparkly when sitting at my desk on a Monday morning.

***UPDATE*** Apparently one week is also long enough to forget how to connect to a printer and syncroize your blackberry. *grumble*grumble*

P-R-O

After noticing mentions of it by Tanya at Trench Warfare Too and cb at Fighting Monsters, I had to check out this “Top 50 Blogs by Social Work Professional.” Lo and behold, there I was! #30 Going Mental (you’re there too, Social Worker Mom) Hurrah! Allow me this moment of self-indulgence.

I still have a hard time thinking of myself as a "professional." The word seems to imply someone who is an expert in a field with years of experience...I guess when I think about it, I'm getting there. It’s also funny to see written there “a mental health worker with sympathy for her clients.” It’s very rare that I get any idea of how others perceive my blog. I mostly write it for my own enjoyment, venting and self-soothing, and I tend to think that the biggest strength of my blog is simply that I haven’t given up posting. Absolutely no one that I know if real life has been made aware that I write it (although if someone from my workplace were to stumble here, I’m sure I’d out myself pretty quickly) and all of my lovely followers have gotten here thanks to the good ol’internet.

So thanks, Social Work Blog. It’s nice to feel appreciated noticed.

Update: I realize that including a picture featuring men only is not very representative of social workers, but it was the best pic that came up when I searched "hurrah" - I like it.

Shout Outs

Someone recently pointed me in the direction of Homeless Man Speaks. I’ve been reading the archives, it’s great.

Also, thanks to cb for the mention in your “Weekend Links.” I’m working my way through some of the other bloggers mentioned.

Updates to the blogroll to follow!

Happy Belated New Years!

Well, New Year’s day has come and gone and so far 2011 has been a blur! I realized that I hadn’t christened the year with a post yet, and thought I’d better reassure you all that I survived the holidays.

A quiet couple of days in the office at the end of December let me catch up on a lot of backlogged notes and assessments, so I was able to start this year with a clean slate. Let’s see how long I can keep up, hmm?

There are some changes that I know will be happening this year, and some that I am hoping for. Let’s start with some things I can count on:
In 2011…

 I will be transitioning away from doing Intakes, and back to full time case management. We’ve already started gradually increasing my case load which has been at about half for the past year.
 Our new office will open (likely Feb or March) and although I am staying put at the old location, this will certainly bring a lot of change!
 I will have a new niece or nephew…we’re expecting to meet them any day now!
 Two close friends are also expecting, so there will be babies abounding.
 AM and I will figure out our next plans for the house and keep fixin’er up.
 My best friend and I will mark 20 years since we first played on the teeter-totters together. We plan to celebrate by getting matching tattoos!

Things I’m hoping for in 2011…

 Getting our financial ducks in a row. I need to book a meeting with our advisor!
 I WILL learn to crochet! As soon as I get some of my current embroidery projects out of the way.
 The job search shall continue. *sigh*
 I want to find a volunteer opportunity that we can do as a family – AM, the kiddo and I.

When I’m making these resolutions, I try to think of them the way I work with my clients to develop goals – they need a plan, and timelines. I’m getting there.

Here’s to a grand 2011!

I can't believe I made it to...

Seriously.  I really didn't know if I would stick to it with this blog long enough, but I'm glad I have.  I still find it cathartic and enjoyable to post into the great nether-world of the web my daily notions and mutterings to an audience of whomever happens to stumble across it.  That's good enough for me! 

I thought that to mark this special occasion, some good news was in order.  Edmond Place in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto will be having an open house this week.  This remarkable housing project was completed in only three years due to community collaboration and support from the municipal government.  The project is named for Edmond Yu, a man with paranoid schizophrenia who lived in the building when it was a derelict rooming house in the 1990's.  He was evicted, and was later shot and killed by police when he caused a disturbance on a city bus.  The building suffered a fire in 1998 leaving many more homeless. 

I sincerly believe that supporting people with mental illness to stay safely housed can help to avoid such tragedies.  Of course there are other benefits as well - Saving money to the health care system, safer neighbourhoods, community and dignity for the people living there.

I look forward to seeing more projects like this.

Also...

I updated the blogroll, which was loooong overdue. If anyone knows of some stellar mental health/social work-y themed blogs to suggest, I'm looking to add more.