Voices of Hope
On July 22, I had the opportunity to attend the Haven House Mental Health Conference hosted by The House of Hope in Decatur, GA. Anchor Hospital was the premier sponsor along with several conference partners.
Mental Illness is not a punishment from God.-Rev. Dr. Percy Johnson
Rev. Johnson posited that theology and mental health should be integrated.
Silence The Shame
One of the conference partners was Silence The Shame. Silence The Shame is an initiative started in 2016 by music industry veteran Shanti Das. Shanti has experienced the real lived experiences of mental illness from the suicide of her father as an infant to her struggles with depression. With the Silence The Shame platform, Shanti hopes to peel back the layers of shame and stigma as it relates to mental health.
There are millions of people suffering and they are afraid to speak on it. – Silence The Shame
During a workshop entitled “Power: Removing the Stigma Around Mental Health”, Shanti facilitated a panel with expert panelists along with ambassadors with lived experiences. Two of the panelist shared their powerful personal testimonies of shame and stigma following the suicide and attempted suicide respectively of their loved one.
7 Tools To Silence The Shame
We must be honest and transparent- Shanti Das
- Celebrate the positives of your loved one experiencing mental illness as well as those whom have lost their lives.
- Forgive yourself.
- Keep It Real. “We must be honest and transparent”. –Shanti Das
- Make the decision to be happy.
- Engage in self-care.
- Engage in physical activity.
- Turn your pain into purpose.
Resources
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| Haven House Counseling Center
4650 Flat Shoals Parkway Decatur, GA 30034 (404) 243- 9336 EXT 2250 |
Anchor Hospital (24/7 Walk-In Assistance)
5454 Yorktowne Drive Atlanta, GA 30349 (770) 991-6044 |
| Georgia Crisis & Access Line (24/7)
Mygcal.com 1-800-715-4225 |
Silence The Shame
Instagram: @silencetheshame |
| Potter’s House
2300 West Park Place Stone Mountain, GA 30087 |
Mental Health America
100 Edgewood Ave Ne, Suite 502 Atlanta, GA 30303 |
| Tabitha’s House
1400 Buford Hyw, Suite R4 Sugar Hill, GA 30518 |
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Inc.
246 Sycamore St, Ste 260 Decatur, GA 30030 |
| Potter’s House
200 West Park Place Blvd, Suite 135 Stone Mountain, GA 30087 |
Parent to Parent of Georgia |
| NAMI DeKalb
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For services outside of the Greater Atlanta area, contact the NAMI Helpline.
(800) 950-6264 |
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