June 2022 News!
Hello all,
This month, we’re thinking and talking about being proud. In the wake of grief and loss, feeling prideful can be difficult to do; a conflicted emotion that tugs us in separate directions. But pride too is about identity and self-acceptance. Many people who endure mental health or addiction challenges struggle against the notion of recognizing the incredible people they are and instead, surrender to feeling shame, feeling remorseful, feeling anything other than proud.
So much of the work we do is about fostering a sense of pride—for Jackson’s life and artwork, for the professional network we’ve built and help to connect, and for the collective effort we are all making to increase awareness, advocacy, and alliances.
Thank you for sharing in the journey with us.
Reyne & Scott Roeder
Run With the Herd
The Run With the Herd 5K Run/Walk is set to take place next week on Thursday, June 23rd at Phalen Regional Park in St. Paul. The race begins at 6:15pm.
The annual event was created out of love to honor the memory of Tim Poferl who after battling depression, died by suicide in 2014. He was 26 years old. Tim was many things in life including an avid runner. He embraced the Bison as his spirit animal, the symbol and mascot of the group. When bison come together (and people!) to join the herd, they help make an incredible difference.
Run With the Herd proceeds benefit SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, a Bloomington-based organization. SAVE was one of the nation’s first organizations dedicated to the prevention of suicide.
Its mission and work is based on the foundation and belief that suicide is preventable and everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide. Increasing public awareness, educating the community, and empowering every individual with the right tools, all help to protect and SAVE lives.
Jackson’s ‘Bridge 2.0’
Jackson’s mural (‘Bridge 2.0’) wall is located in the center of the general common space of the St. Cloud Hospital Acute Inpatient Mental Health Unit. This mural is the second we’ve donated to the St. Cloud Hospital. ‘Bridge 2.0’ is located within a common space where patients and care teams spend time in collaboration. The care teams have provided kind feedback about Jackson’s mural, indicating how its warmth and peace offers a calming addition to the space.
St. Cloud Hospital has Acute Inpatient Mental Health Units that support Adults (20 bed capacity) and Adolescents (8 bed capacity) who are experiencing a mental health crisis. The units provide an opportunity for in depth assessment, intervention, and stabilization. Typical lengths of stay are 3-7 days in this unit. The treatment teams initiate transition to the next level of care in the community when patients leave the hospital.
June is PRIDE Month
June is Pride Month in the United States. It’s a time when many LGBTQ+ community members gather to celebrate their experiences, support one another, and advocate for equal rights and opportunities.
Over the past two decades, much progress has been made in promoting LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance. However, LGBTQ+ people continue to cope with stigma and discrimination.
An article from Healthline discussed the importance of acknowledging social and mental health challenges facing LGBTQ+ people and the opportunities for connection and support that celebrating Pride provides.
Experiencing stigma, discrimination, and other sources of sexual and gender minority stress can take a toll on LGBTQ+ community members’ mental health and well-being.
“Members of the LGBTQ+ communities are at increased risk for a number of mental health issues, including but not limited to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, misuse of substances, hopelessness, and suicide,” Eddy Fagundo, PhD, CRC, CVE, told Healthline.
Fagundo is a certified rehabilitation counselor and the Senior Manager of Education Content at the American Counseling Association.
“Many of the mental health challenges LGBTQ+ people face is a result of the discrimination and lack of acceptance they experience on a daily basis,” he said.
Resources & Can't-Miss:
Prolonged Grief
MPR piece from University of Minnesota professor Dr. Fiyyaz Karim on the new diagnosis of prolonged grief—and what it means to those enduring grief and heartbreak for what feels like forever.
CMMHC Inaugural 5k Race Sponsors
Central Minnesota Mental Health Center is hosting its first 5k on October 8th at Whitney Park in St. Cloud. The organization, based in Waite Park, has several sponsorship levels available for the race.
Books for Children to Help with Mental Health
List of books appropriate for kids on increasing awareness on the topic of mental health through story, characterization, and personalization of a tough topic to handle for young emotions.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255 or text “MN” to 741-741