what we do

No Shame On U works tirelessly to bring mental health programming to the community. Our innovative programs are original and evidence-based, and we tailor our presentations and content to meet the needs and requests of those with whom we work. We provide programs and workshops for children, adolescents, and adults of all backgrounds. We have a comprehensive view of mental health, so our programming touches on all mental health struggles.

In 2022, in addition to the independent programs run by No Shame On U, such as our weekly yoga classes and our annual art challenge, we worked with schools, summer camps, houses of worship, community centers, professional associations, and more. Further, through our online presence, we engaged with a diverse audience, to whom we provided daily tools and resources, including our mental health podcast and regular blog.

2022 highlights:

ON THE MENU: FEED YOUR MIND

No Shame On U’s Feed Your Mind series is a monthly virtual lunch-and-learn program that brings mental health experts to you - virtually, wherever you are, no matter what you’re doing (hopefully, eating a nutritious lunch!), and to anyone who is curious and wants to learn something interesting and multifaceted about mental health. To get a taste of what we offered in 2022, here are the titles of some of our talks:

Suicide Prevention Video

In collaboration with the Medication-Induced Suicide Prevention and Education Foundation in Memory of Stewart Dolin (MISSD) and with generous funding from Upstart, No Shame On U produced a new public health video aimed at reducing suicide by informing the public of warning signs, with an emphasis on lesser-known risks, including working in stressful professions such as the military and law enforcement and holding views that differ from one’s religious upbringing. Want to check out the video? Click HERE and be sure to share with anyone you know.

• Demystifying and Destigmatizing Mental Illness

• Managing Anxiety in Today’s Uncertain World

• Teens and Social Media

• Learning to Grow from Challenges: A Caregiver’s Dialogue

• Building Resilience Through Art: How Engaging Creativity Fosters Mental Health

• Planning for a Successful Transition to College when Mental Health is a Concern

This curated series is highly engaging and a loyal following has developed. For more information about No Shame on U events, please click HERE

Annual Event

More than 400 friends and supporters gathered together Sunday, November 13, 2022 for the No Shame On U Annual Event - No Shame | No Stigma: Conversations about Mental Health. It was wonderful to be in person and show support for eliminating the shame and stigma of living with mental health conditions. Michelle Cohen, our very own No Shame On U blogger, spoke movingly to the crowd about her experience living with Obsessive Compulsive Order and her decision to speak out about it, in the hopes that she could inspire even one person to “come out of hiding after years of struggles - or better yet, will not feel the need to hide in the first place.” The event speaker, Peter Sagal - the host of NPR’s Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me!, shared his personal mental health journey and spoke about the coping skills he uses, including humor. He also communicated a very powerful message to all in attendance, to “be your own self and to extend that same forgiveness to others.”

We are grateful to all of our Annual Event sponsors who are listed on page 6.

Film Screening And Discussion Any Given Day

In May, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, No Shame On U partnered with the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (Illinois Chapter) to present the film, ANY GIVEN DAY. The film documents the lives of three participants in a mental health court probation program, whose mental illness, family relationships, struggles, and triumphs force the Emmy nominated filmmaker, Margaret Bryne, to confront her own story of mental illness. The screening was followed by a dynamic post-film discussion with Ms. Byrne, during which she emphasized the film’s subtext that the inevitable consequence of the country-wide defunding of community mental health care programs is that U.S. jails and prisons, designed for punishment, have become the default treatment centers for people living with mental illness. The screening was a must-see program; attendees deepened their understanding of the impact of stigma and learned about the intersection between mental illness, poverty, and addiction.