We’ve Been Too Patient Updates: LD and I spent the summer and fall talking about the book across various venues like Upfront with Cat Brooks on KPFA, CSPAN 2,  and Letters and Politics on KPFA with Mitch Jeserich. Our amazing contributors read at Books Inc. in Berkeley, the Bindery in San Francisco, and at Oakland Public Library. Our publisher shared that Boston University is using WBTP in their curriculum, and we are heading to the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) to present in San Antonio, Texas in March of 2020.  [Come see us!] Overwhelmed and inspired by the movement that continues…

Peer Certification Updates: Sadly, California did not pass Peer Certification due to budget concerns and questions from the Governor. Advocates continue to work and hope we can move forward. However, it appears that California will be revamping mental health service funding, which means we should all pay attention. Funding for mental health services provided by California’s Prop63, requires that counties include people with mental health issues also called consumers are involved in the planning, design, and evaluation. More work to do that ensures that we are in the conversation and design.

Redefining Crazy Conference:

This month, MHA-SF held their Redefining Crazy Conference in San Francisco. I was one of the keynote speakers- and spoke about:

• Trauma and experiences with hospitalization and the need for alternatives
• Being more inclusive of communities of color (not in a tokenizing way) but as decision makers in the process
• Life doesn’t get better, but people do

Mental Health for the Holidays 

LD and I join Cassandra Dallett’s Badass Bookworm Podcast which will be released on 12/17/2019 on Mental Health for the Holidays. We talk about how family dynamics over the holidays can be challenging and that self-care (e.g. boundaries, saying no, and removing yourself) can be beneficial for your mental health for the holidays.

Some highlights to consider.

1. Do you need to go home for the holidays? Can you visit your family when there isn’t so much intensity and expectations?
2. Do you have to stay in the family home if you do go home? Hotel/Air BnBs are great.
3. What unhealthy dynamics are you engaging in that you can interrupt?
4. Can you have a shorter trip or make sure you infuse the trip with other visits with good friends?

Hope you all have great holidays with boundaries