Collaborative Artwork by IC Artists
“When I draw it brings all my thoughts together and it is a release of energy onto the paper.” - Joann R.
Monday 10:30AM-11:00AM and 1:30PM-3:30PM Wednesday 10:30AM-11:00AM and 1:30PM-3:30PM Friday 10:30AM-11:00AM and 1:30PM-3:30PM
“I started drawing in school when I was small. Now I like to draw in Mending Art and I go to the WCMHN Art Group. I prefer to work with color pencils and like to draw nature and houses. I think my next drawing will be of a sail boat. I am a visual artist. When I draw it brings all my thoughts together and it is a release of energy onto the paper. Picasso is my favorite artist. I like Mattatuck Museum and might visit again with the Mending Art group. I have just framed a piece of my art that will be on display at the Avon Public Library, it is my first art show!”
This spring, Mental Health Connecticut’s Mending Art program worked with the Keystone Club members at Waterbury Boys and Girls Club to create “Emotional Wellness Posters”. Several IC Artists shared their drawings about emotional wellness to start the conversation. The Keystone Club members will use their posters to share ideas with others about ways to work on their emotional wellness such as: cook, play sports, color, draw, listen to music, sing, spend time with animals,
Food Bank is not available during parties and meetings.
Please stop by the studio and see what your Art Pal has sent you. They will be excited to receive your responses!
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Mental Health Connecticut’s Independence Center (IC) proudly presents Mending Art at the Avon Free Public Library. This exhibit spotlights the art of the IC Artists. These artists work with a variety of themes and mediums; their common thread is their use of the arts for their wellbeing. Exhibit runs June 3-27th, 2019. Please join us Friday, June 7th from 10:30AM until noon for an art discussion! This exhibit is made possible by the support of the Connecticut Community Foundation. Artwork by: Ghost, Untitled 2019, Color Pencil
For people who hear voices: www.facebook.com/ctheari ngvoicesnetwork or http://www.hearingvoicesu sa.org/
Alternatives to Suicide Support Group 399 Franklin Avenue Hartford Wednesdays 4-5pm http://toivocenter.org/ OCD support group http://psychiatry.yale.edu/o cd/patients/support.aspx Alcoholics Anonymous http://www.aa.org/ Narcotics Anonymous http://www.na.org/ June 21st not only marks the first day of summer, it is Make Music Day! All across the world music will be shared including Waterbury. Join Mending Art and bring Music to the IC and community. We will have instruments available and you are welcome to bring your instruments with you. If you are new to musical instruments, now is your opportunity to experiment. The music will begin at 10:30 AM at the IC. Make Music Day will have events throughout Waterbury so you can make a day of it! Sing, play, dance!. Everyone is invited!.
Overeaters Anonymous https://oa.org/ Gamblers Anonymous http://www.gamblersanony mous.org/ga/ For additional information on Support Groups in Connecticut, visit http://www.mhconn.org/ed ucation/information or call: 1-800-842-1510
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Infoline CT 211 VEYO 1-855-478-7350 Guiding Path Warmline: 1-860-482-1783 or 1-800-314-2680 5pm-10pm 7 days per week National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255 Sexual Assault Crisis Hotline 1-888-999-5545 En Español 1-888-999-8332 Crisis 1-866-794-0021
Dentists in Waterbury Who take Husky Health Staywell Health Center 203-597-9044 South Main Street 203-756-8021 Phoenix Avenue Community Health Center 203-574-4000
Columbia Dental 1-866-645-0111 Statewide # for Opioid (Opiate) Dependence 1-800-563-4086 You will be linked with walk-in assessment centers
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Sue has been a proud member of the IC for 32 years. She states that the center supports her in her recovery and someone is always there when she needs a helping hand. Sue is ambitious and hopes to find a job through the CHOICES program as a either a personal care assistant or in a maintenance position. She likes giving back to the center and works with the administrative coordinator doing attendance check-offs. When Sue isn’t participating in IC activities she likes to keep busy by visiting with friends and coloring. She recently started collecting DVDs and is enjoying watching old movies. Sue’s vibrant personality and positive attitude are two of the keys to her successful recovery.
A argument was brought up recently about the Mental Health sign that is in front of the Independence Center. Some felt the sign tells everyone who passes by that this is a building for people with mental illnesses and they feel that it is stigmatizing. During a workshop last month, we discussed the definition of Mental Health and agreed that most people don’t understand the meaning. According to the World Health Organization, Mental Health is, “A state of wellbeing in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. The word Mental Health can, and does, include everyone. It does not single anyone out. Mental Health CT is all about making sure everyone’s wellbeing is taken care of. So, the sign is positive, reassuring all that enter any MHC program that they will receive the best that can be provided for their wellbeing and mental health.
People across the United States celebrate Flag Day on June 14 each year to honor the United States flag and to commemorate the flag's adoption. On the same day, the United States Army celebrates its birthday.
ALLYSHIP—THE KEY TO UNLOCKING THE POWER OF DIVERSITY What is an ally? An ally is any person that actively promotes and aspires to advance the culture of inclusion through intentional, positive and conscious efforts that benefit people as a whole. Everyone has the ability to be an ally as privilege is intersectional - white women can be actionable allies to people of color, men can be allies to women, cis people can be allies to members of the LGBTQI+ community, able-bodied people can be allies to those with different abilities, economically privileged people can be allies to those who are not and so on. What is allyship? Allyship is:
a lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized individuals and/or groups of people. not self-defined—work and effort must be recognized by those you are seeking to ally with. an opportunity to grow and learn about ourselves, whilst building confidence in others. Becoming actionable allies To be a true ally, you should:
Lift others up by advocating, Share growth opportunities with others, Not view venting as a personal attack Recognize systematic inequalities and realize impact of micro-aggressions, Believe underrepresented people’s experiences, and Most importantly – listen, support, self-reflect & change. Small actions, big impact- Allyship is a continual investment of time in supporting others, holding ourselves accountable when mistakes are made, apologizing and being prepared to rework the approach towards allyship as needs change. Through personal actions, a more inclusive environment can be fostered by: Becoming a sponsor – champion someone from an underrepresented community to support career growth and increase company retention. Being a sponsor is different to being a mentor – sponsoring is being actively involved in aid in someone’s career progression, mentoring is providing advice.
Using inclusive language – Be aware of gendered terms, and use language which embraces all walks of people. For example, using “partner” instead of gendered terms such as “girl/boyfriend” or “husband/wife” to be more inclusive of those in the LGBTQI+ community. Recognize privilege and use it to amplify underrepresented voices – Understanding and recognizing privilege can be a daunting and uncomfortable task. Having uncomfortable conversations with yourself, understanding the systematic and societal issues which may have played in your favor is eye opening and allows you to use this privilege to amplify those who do not have it. It can be a unique and challenging journey becoming and remaining an ally, but certainly one worth taking.
5 Health Facts Men Need to Know ACTIVITY—Men who climb 50 stairs or walk 5 city blocks a day may lower their risk of heart attack by 25%. DRINKING—Those who consume 4 to 10 drinks a week, at most, have a lower risk of developing type 2 Diabetes. Drinking more than 10 drinks a week almost doubles your risk of type 2 Diabetes. MENTAL WELLNESS— Inactive men are 60% more likely to suffer from depression than those who are active. SLEEP—Men who sleep 7-8 hours a night have a 60% less risk of fatal heart attack than those who sleep 5 hours or less. NUTRITION—How easy is this? Getting 5-7 servings of fruit and veggies is as simple as a glass of orange juice, one potato, one big carrot, 1/2 an avocado and a pear.
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Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start. Jason Collins If all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free. Barack Obama
The only queer people are those who don’t love anybody. Rita Mae Brow This world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another. Ellen Page
I’m living by example by continuing on with my career and having a full, rich life, and I am incidentally gay. Portia DeRossi The beauty of standing up for your rights is others see you standing and stand up as well. Cassandra Duffy I’ve been embraced by a new community. That’s what happens when you’re finally honest about who you are; you find others like you. Chaz Bono
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If you have noticed more rainbow flags and people wearing colorful clothes than usual this month, you’re not imagining things. June is Pride Month, when the world’s LGBTQIA communities come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. But Pride gatherings are more than bright colors and good times. They are rooted in the arduous history of minority groups who have struggled for decades to overcome prejudice and be accepted for who they are. The original organizers chose this month to pay homage to the Stonewall uprising in June 1969, in New York City, which helped spark the modern gay rights movement. Harassed by local police simply for congregating, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer patrons decided to take a stand and fight back against the brutal intimidation they regularly faced. By refusing to resign themselves to the shadows of that bar or American society, the beginning of a social movement dedicated to the eradication of discrimination against all LGBTQ IA Americans was born. A year after the Stonewall riots, the nation’s first Gay Pride marches were held. LGBTQIA is an acronym meaning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual groups. Queer is an umbrella term for non-straight people; intersex refers to those whose sex is not clearly defined because of genetic, hormonal or biological differences; and asexual describes those who don’t experience sexual attraction. As a result, more than 45 years later, pride events are held nationwide in cities big and small – from San Francisco to Omaha and New York to Sioux Falls, members of the LGBTQIA community and their allies gather at festivals and parades to celebrate the progress we’ve made, but also to recognize the distance we still have to go to achieve full equality. All through June, Connecticut is celebrating LGBTQIA culture with a variety of events, some intended to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which occurred on June 28, 1969. Check local listings for an event near you.
Congratulations to all of the artists who shared their work in the Keep the Promise 20th Anniversary Art Exhibit at the Legislative Office Building!
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health workshop will be held the last Tuesday of every month. This month, on Tuesday, June 25th, at 10 am, the IC will be holding a Narcan training that is FREE for both members and staff to attend. Jennifer L. DeWitt, Behavioral Health Director for Housatonic Valley Coalition against Substance Abuse, will be facilitating the training. There are flyers, free to take at the front desk, and there is a sign-up sheet located on the bulletin board in the dining room for anyone interested in attending the training. More information about the training or general questions about the Narcan training or the Substance Abuse Mental Health Workshop series, please see Jessica. Hope to see you all there! Thank you!
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Join us for Birthday Bash on June 26th at 3PM.
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Disclaimer: Articles which show “submitted by” are not written by an IC member. They are articles that our members came across, were inspired by, and brought in to the Center to inspire and encourage other members. Often the authors of these articles are unknown. The opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Independence Center’s members, the staff, or the Editor.
Come join us on Friday, June 21st for our FREE summer outreach luncheon and Make Music Day Hot Dogs BBQ Chicken Veggie Pasta Salad Watermelon