A December Dream
This December your family and friends gather together to celebrate and give thanks for each other, for good health and for well-being.
However, the reality is that one in five Americans live with depression and bipolar disease. They may be members of your family, your friends, or coworkers, as well as, the people walking past you on the street, sitting next to you on the train, or serving you a cup of coffee. They are all living their best possible lives while managing mental health diseases.
For the past 15 years, Rebecca’s Dream has been a leading advocate in fighting the stigma of mental health disorders. The Foundation develops educational programming unique to those individuals living with depression and bipolar disease along with their families, friends, and colleagues. With understanding comes compassion. With compassion comes support. With support comes the ability for Rebecca’s Dream to continue reducing the toxic stigma of mental illness.
Your donation and desire to be part of Rebecca’s Dream is greatly appreciated. We thank you for your care, commitment and support. This year we mark 15 years of accomplishments made possible with your financial support. RD continues to educate with the following:
Our dream becomes reality with the help of your donation. Together we are making a difference. Your gift changes lives.
Thank you for caring about the one in five Americans along with their families living with mental illness.
We are grateful.
From our families to yours, happy and healthy holidays.
Stan Slovin, President, and the Rebecca’s Dream Family
Slipping into the Future!
What a difference time has made while Rebecca’s Dream has been servicing the mental health community these past 15 years.
Fifteen years ago not many wanted to talk about depression and bipolar disorder as real diseases. Fewer wanted to listen and learn about mental illness. Now, in 2019 ~ soon to be 2020 ~ EDUCATION is the most notable change regarding mental health.
When the rich and famous die by suicide, such as Robin Williams, Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain, the world sits up and asks, “why?” If they “who have it all” take their lives due to depression ~ what can I do to help myself and my loved ones? EDUCATION = THE ANSWER.
Today, public and private schools, hospitals, health organizations and non-profits, religious groups, health workers for all age patients, public safety and so on ~ run programs internally and externally on how to look for signs of depression and mental illness and …most of all…how to help. EDUCATION = THE ANSWER
We, at Rebecca’s Dream, are most proud of the young adults who are on the front lines of mental health education. Haley Epstein, Junior Board Member of Rebecca’s Dream, is a prime example of our youth speaking out and taking a stand to educate society in an attempt to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Thank you, Haley!
As The Steve Miller Band in FLY LIKE AN EAGLE sang in1976: “Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future.”
Thank you for joining Rebecca’s Dream as we slipped into the future 15 years ago. Our Phoenix will continue slipping into the future with your generous support of our goals and dreams to EDUCATE stigma right out of mental illness.
We are forever grateful,
The Board of Directors of Rebecca’s Dream
“Your Life is an Occasion – Rise to it.”
-Anonymous
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Rebecca’s Dream’s Junior Board members carry forward RD’s mission to promote awareness and compassionate understanding of depression and bipolar disorder as real diseases.
Alexa Warady and Alexa Abramovitch, both Junior Board members and seniors at Deerfield High School, recently participated in a Youth Mental Health First Aid course, and are now certified to help adolescents who are experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or crisis. The course was designed for adults who regularly interact with young people and introduced common mental health challenges for youth; reviewed adolescent development and taught a five-step action plan for how to help people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.
Warady and Abramovitch have both been involved with the Junior Board since 2018. Warady said that she was “surprised to learn how many people don’t seek help and how many people don’t know the signs to recognize when people need help.” Abramovitch noted that her biggest take-away was the importance of knowing the difference between offering advice and giving information. “Trying to help by offering advice can actually hurt the person,” she noted, as opposed to providing information instead. Both Warady and Abramovitch stressed that more people need to take this class in order to help those in need. Abramovitch also noted educational programming like Youth Mental Health First Aid will help reduce stigma surrounding mental illness.
The Youth Mental Health Aid course was jointly sponsored by Rebecca’s Dream, No Shame On U and JCFS Chicago. The program was designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Topics covered included anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including ADHD) and eating disorders.
Stay informed about upcoming programs at www.rebeccasdream.org.
Upcoming Events
“IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD”
‘’IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD” contains information about: ADHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, stigma, symptoms and ways to cope.
Author and illustrator Marlee F. Is a teen living successfully with depression. As Marlee struggled to understand her thoughts, feelings and moods she created “IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD.” Marlee’s passion became helping teens easily understand they are not alone during difficult mental health challenges ~ help she wishes she had during her early years of confusion and shame.
Mental disorders don’t discriminate.
One in five teens are affected by some form of disorder severe enough to impact their daily lives.
However, with professional help and self-care most teens feel better within 4-6 weeks.
Tips & Tools
Avoiding the Holiday Blues
Source: blackpressUSA
Featured Book
