Recently I had the privilege of speaking to university nursing students during their Psych rotation. I delivered a presentation entitled, “Putting the Face of HOPE on Mental Health Awareness.”
My objective in this program is to provide a consumer’s perspective to incoming healthcare professionals. And also, to instill how they can be the difference. The difference between recovery and giving up in the lives of the patients they treat.
The acronym HOPE stands for:
Help increase consumers’ awareness and acceptance of their diagnosis.
Offer ideas your patients may not be aware of.
Partner with your consumers to increase their ability to recover.
Erase the stigma that deters recovery and prevents many from seeking help.
During my presentations, there were two young women with tears streaming down their faces. Both women came up to me following the presentation to tell me how much my program meant to them. Each shared that their mother struggled daily with depression and anxiety. One of the women actually said that she needed to apologize to her mother. She never really understood what her mother was going through until she heard my presentation. Now she related what I said to some of the same things her own mother mentioned. My heart ached for both of those young women and for their mothers.
Therefore, those of us fortunate enough to sustain recovery have a personal mission. We must help others understand the reality of what it feels like to be consumed with depression and anxiety.
It’s human nature to overlook the complaints of people close to us. But when a stranger describes the same symptoms and feelings our eyes are opened wider and with more understanding. Let’s do our best to spread the message of HOPE and recovery!
Reflection Question
What can you do to spread the message of hope and recovery?
About the Author
Carol A. Kivler is a nationally recognized mental health speaker, international executive coach/trainer, and author. Most importantly, she is a passionate consumer advocate for mental health. Carol is available for speaking engagements in the U.S and internationally. Email or call Carol at (609) 882-8988.
