NAMI Seattle Stories
Stories from NAMI Seattle’s participants, leaders, and community members.
Awakening
I got as close as I ever would to ending my life when I was 28 years old. My mental health had deteriorated to a point where I felt helpless to find a way out of the darkness of depression and self-loathing I existed in. Instead, I turned to alcohol and other destructive behaviors to cope with my pain and that led me deeper into the morass of hopelessness. I teetered on a precipice, barely clinging to life. And I realized that if things didn’t change, I wasn’t going to make it.
Baking a Difference: An interview with Yasuaki Saito, A Passionate Entrepreneur and Baker on a Mission to Promote Mental Health and Strengthen Community.
“It's really important to us to create an environment that reduces stress and that gives our staff the feeling of being valued.” By Drew Miller, Daniel Kulik, Malicte Tesfaye, Jacob Wittkamp, Sevda Samandari, and Calvin NguyenUniversity of Washington Bothell School...
“Nothing ever comes easy. The journey has not been easy. I’m not going to tell you it is.” – Howard Behar
Mr. Behar joined us for an interview with a cheerful and welcoming demeanor. His warm smile and rosy cheeks, with glasses that sat perfectly on the arch of his nose, immediately gave us a feeling of understanding and comfort.
An Interview with Rania Rampersad, King County Superior Court Judge
By Rhett Whiteman, Kalin Natzev, Faiza Khalif, Ramla Geilani, Ebrima Jammeh, Sophie Udell, University of Washington Bothell School of Business Content warning: The following post contains topics that may be unsettling or triggering, including rape, torture, war...
The Forest and The Trees
I lay my head back against the upholstered chair and take a deep breath. I don’t quite feel settled, so I wriggle around until I find just the right spot to rest. All the while, I’m listening to the facilitator, her voice soft and low, like a lullaby coaxing me to let go
![“If we can make transgender folks and non-binary folks feel welcome, that they’re coming into a place that’s not hostile [for them], then they’re going to experience less trauma.”](https://namiseattle.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Lack-website-400x250.png)
“If we can make transgender folks and non-binary folks feel welcome, that they’re coming into a place that’s not hostile [for them], then they’re going to experience less trauma.”
An interview with Commissioner Jonathan Lack on the 2022 update to the Washington CJC that mandates correct pronoun usage and its effects in the courtroom By Aron Reynolds, Billy Hinman, Haojie Chen, Bryan Hernandez, Wyatt Huang, and Demarco Acosta, University...
Work it Out: A Conversation
I’m sitting at a small table across from my personal trainer, Greg Novasky, in an office at the back of the Emerald City Gym in Seattle. I glance around at the coral walls and scribbles on a whiteboard and then I look over at Greg who appears eager to talk about his experience – poised for conversation. He’s leaning forward, with a smile in his blue eyes.
“It is important to take our place and say that we belong here.”- Justice Mary Yu
Reflections on LGBTQ identities in America, Arlene’s Flowers, and healthcare access with Justice Mary Yu of the Washington State Supreme Court By Estefany Aguillon, Liann Tran, Bezawit Mulugeta, Andranik Gabriyelyan, and Ronaldo Carrada, University of...
Navigating Through Compassion Fatigue
My Passion and Compassion Fatigue Becoming a nurse was a dream come true for me because I had always wanted to help people. But a few years into my career, I got burnout due to the increase in demand and workload. Things got worse during COVID. I got irritated easily....
Brother, Brother
The clang of the doors closing behind us made me shudder. I suddenly felt the gravity of the loss of one’s freedom. A prison guard, stern and unflinching, ushered us through massive steel doors to security where we relinquished our driver’s licenses through a steel cage barrier.
Empathy and Justice: King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion and Senior Deputy Prosecutor Pete DeSantos’ Vision for Handling Cases Involving Severe Mental Illnesses
An interview with King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion and Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Pete DeSanto (Part 2 of 2)
“Having an educated discussion with my family or friends is essential.”
An interview with King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion and Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Pete DeSanto (Part 1 of 2)
“I was raised to remember that I come from those who survived.” : A discussion with Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis
A discussion with Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis on the traumas of the Native American boarding school experience
Finding My Way Home
By: Sharon Nelson It was in my first year of recovery. That was over 30 years ago, but I still remember, oh too well. The moods and feelings I’d once medicated with alcohol, nicotine, and various distractions were there for me to contend with. Unfiltered. Raw. A true...
“Demand the services that you need, and push back. You belong here.”
An interview with Mary Yu, Washington State’s first Asian American, Latina, and openly gay woman to serve on the state Supreme Court, on the intersection of the criminal justice system and mental health issues.
Bright-Eyed Entertainment on Sharing Joey Wilson’s Story
By: Dee Yeshitla, Evan Cho, Muhammad Abubakar, Moiz Qureshi, Brady Meador, and Isatou Ceesay, The University of Washington Bothell School of Business Photo Left: Felicia Thomas wearing a Black button-up shirt with the Bright-Eyed Entertainment logo in yellow writing....
“Just be honest, don’t hide it, and never give up.”- Joey Wilson
By: Dee Yeshitla, Evan Cho, Muhammad Abubakar, Moiz Qureshi, Brady Meador, and Isatou Ceesay, The University of Washington Bothell School of Business From the very first moment Joey’s face showed up on the computer projection screen, before he even murmured a word,...
“Es un grupo de pertenencia, un lugar al cual acudir.” -Lore Filgueira
Voy a empezar por presentarme , mi nombre es Lore Filgueira y soy de Buenos Aires, Argentina.Tengo trastorno bipolar 2 y me lo diagnosticaron hace ya 26 años, teniendo 20 años. He pasado por muchas situaciones muy difíciles, depresiones muy extensas y profundas,...
“Pain into purpose”: An Interview with Representative Lauren Davis
Photo courtesy of Shoreline Area News By: Marie Bao, Alec Cheff, Anastasiya Fritch, Siu Yau Lam, Juan Nunez, and Andrew Weiss; UW Bothell School of Business We entered the classroom with our clothing wet with rain. Our objective was to appear competent and assured. We...
An Interview with Judge Damon Shadid of Seattle Municipal Court’s Mental Health Court
Photo Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Court Judge Damon Shadid By: Ibrahim Dineh, Merey Diyar, Omid Kazemini, Brodie Knopf, Ahmed Mohamad, and Mikayla Servidad, UW Bothell School of Business On a cold Tuesday evening, students began filing into the classroom with their...
“Taking care of people is what’s most important, the sale is not as important…”
An Interview with Destiny Sund (Owner of The Confectional) on mental health, her journey as a businesswoman, and how she supports her community. By: Lexi Nguyen, Brian Christianson, Victor Valdes, Jessica Chhay, and James Anderson, University of Washington...
Puddles Barkery Owner, Kari Kalway, on How Dogs Impact Our Mental Health
Photo Credit: Timothy Buck By: Albana Adili, David Cannal, Ryan Huang, Brian Hsu, James Kim, and Abdul Zia UW Bothell School of Business The dull light from the fluorescent bulbs in our classroom contrasted the pleasant energy students brought in as they clamored in...
Camp United We Stand: An Interview with Board Members Judith Levenson and Bill Leon
“We're providing something to help them make it to the next day.” By: Ian Fink, Sean Murnane, Samuel Attisha, Hong Jiang, Mahmud Tunsi, and Milad Bughrara, UW Bothell School of Business On a dark Thursday night, our class trickled silently into our classroom on the...
Happiness
By: Naomi Stenberg My goal for Fall is to stay happy. The other day I sang on a friend’s answering machine. The Fred Roger’s theme song, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.” My friend said, “My God, who are you? Where did Naomi go? You are in such a good mood.” I am in such a...
Electroconvulsive Therapy: “I’m not completely alone.”
Did you know sometimes medication and therapy aren’t able to relieve symptoms of depression or other mental health conditions? In these situations, there is still hope and other options. Brain stimulation therapies, like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), might be...
“It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say Things”: An Interview with Toni Williams
(Photo credit: Toni Williams) By: Vy Le, Shafaa Abubakar, Kashish Dhawan, Courtney Wu, Haowen Geng, UW Bothell School of Business On a gloomy Wednesday, the door to our classroom slowly creaked open, and our awaited guest poked her head inside. The sound of people...
Peer Support on Campus: An Interview with Rafi Kakar
Photo Credit: Marc Studer By: Zack Nguyen, Joseph Yuen, Savina Sidhu, Zhiyao Song, University of Washington Bothell School of Business The sun was bright. The class was hot. Light beams from the sun crisscrossed through the sky and penetrated our classroom windows,...
A Glimpse into the Life of a College Dog
Photo Caption: Marijke, Pearl (dog), Susie, Dublin (dog), Laurie, and CB (dog) in front of the W at UWB – Picture credit Jerry Liu Accompanied by a handler, the College Dogs stars met stressed UW students with a smile brighter than the summer sun. They told us...
For the Love of Therapy Dogs
Photo of Pearl, the Bernese Mountain dog, lying in the classroom waiting for someone to pet her. Photo credit: Shufen Deng By: Julie Bobko, Shu Fen Deng, Jason Mokan, and Erik Lars Knudsen, UW Bothell School of Business It was a Monday, but not your usual dreary...
Understanding Trauma: An Interview with Tarra Simmons Part 2
By Ala Iurco Contributors: Greg N Pinget, Evan Samuel Jackson, Anita Yang, Shewit Woldemichael, and Zongyuan Wang, University of Washington Bothell School of Business The cup of coffee I held was shaking while I looked at the interview questions in my hand. I was...
“Some of the Most Brilliant Minds are in Our Prisons” An Interview With Representative Tarra Simmons
Photo of Representative Tarra Simmons courtesy of Washington State House Democrats By: Kennis Chong, Julian Latta, Kari Tran, Brendan Turner, and Anita Yang, University of Washington Bothell School of Business The sun began to set as we all eagerly waited over Zoom...
“You’re precious to me. And whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.” : An Interview with Lara Lavi
Lara Lavi is a professional, Grammy award-winning, Americana singer-songwriter, media/tech/entertainment law attorney, entrepreneur, entertainment company executive, business development specialist, film and TV producer & writer. By: Jason Kalka, Khoa Tran, Ilya...
How Cameron Lavi-Jones is Using His Platform as Lead Singer of King Youngblood to Promote Mental Health Awareness
Cameron is the lead singer and guitarist for King Youngblood which is a local alternative rock band. Cameron also founded their Hold Your Crown nonprofit organization, whose mission supports youth mental health. By Cole Lance, Daniel Klimisch, Kent Tran, Jericho...
You Don’t Have to be Able to Make Something Extraordinary to Enjoy the Benefits of Art Therapy
By the students of the University of Washington Bothell: Shan Carpenter, Jeehay Kim, James Lewinski, Austin Pham, Nishadhi Wijeratne Despite the coolness of the twilight air and the natural coldness of Zoom, the soul was soothed from the deep warmth that...
Interview With NAMI Seattle Board Member Allegra Condiotty
By Joshua Berry, Ibrahim Mushtaq, Grace Leppert, Lewi Hagos, UW Bothell School of Business Unable to go to class due to the lingering effects of the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we gathered around our computer screens to attend class. As we sat there,...
“Mental Health is Nothing to be Ashamed of”: An Interview with Sean Maloney Part 2
Mental Health First Aid certified instructor and NAMI Seattle board member Sean Maloney on language use, conversations rich with informed knowledge, and improving community. By: Victoria Scharkov, Sarah Noyes, Martin Ruga, Sean Kalaw, and Saad Alhusseini After most of...
NAMI Seattle Board Member Sean Maloney, and the Experiences That Led Him to the Field of Mental Health
An interview with Sean Maloney, NAMI Seattle board member, Part 1 Sean Maloney graduated from Antioch University Seattle in 1987 with a master’s degree in Psychology. As a licensed mental health counselor, he provided in-home crisis intervention and therapy services...
Undergraduate UW Bothell Advisor Trang D. Nguyen and Her Experiences Living With PTSD
An interview with Trang D. Nguyen, undergraduate advisor at UW Bothell and UW Behavioral Health Learning Community member, on her experiences living with PTSD. By Vanny Nguyen, UW Bothell School of Business Contributors: Emily Dinh, Steven Bryant, Jiazhou (Cooper)...
“You’re Not Alone! Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable.”
An Interview with Jo Blue, Health and Wellness Resource Center Manager at the University of Washington Bothell. By Ahmed Ahmed Baba, Gabrielle Alverson, Dulce Barrera, Andrew Denny, and Chris Entrop, University of Washington Bothell School of Business As we were...
“The Conveyor Belt to Mass Incarceration”: An Interview With Christopher Poulos
An Interview with Christopher Poulos, Director of Person-Centered Services at the Washington State Department of Corrections, on his personal view of mass incarceration in the US, the disparity of opportunity in prison, and how one can succeed post-incarceration. By...
Joey Wilson On Why He Supports Proposed Stanwood Psychiatric Facility
This is an open letter submitted for public commentary to Snohomish County on March 21, 2022. To Whom It May Concern: I am writing in support of the psychiatric treatment center getting built north of Stanwood. I hope my personal story will help people better...
NAMI Seattle Board Member Ginger Voorhees and Her Experiences Living With Bipolar
By Sahil Sanger, UW Bothell School of Business Contributors: Carson Clark, Bailey Fox-Bales, Yehyun (Kayla) Park, Margaret Ivan, and YaoYao Wang, UW Bothell School of Business I woke up to the blaring alarm sound of my iPhone, on the morning of the interview at 10:25...
NAMI Seattle Board Member Joey Wilson’s Journey With Schizophrenia
By Casey Reynolds, Ryan Parkes, Desmond Hong, Paul Oh, and Kansuke Suzuki, UW Bothell School of Business Though virtual learning and meeting others through a screen often feels less than personal for us, when we logged into Zoom to meet with NAMI Seattle board member...
Thriving With Bipolar Disorder: An Interview With NAMI Seattle Board Member Rachel Bravmann
(Rachel Bravmann – Photo credit: Rachel Bravmann) Sitting at my dining table, I was bundled in my fuzzy jacket; the smell of my apple cider filled the room. I logged in to the Zoom call and was surprised to find Rachel already logged in and waiting. Awkward greetings...
“We Don’t Want the Courts and Jails to Have to be the De Facto Mental Health Service Provider.”
King County Superior Court Judge David Keenan on mental health, incarceration, and early intervention to reduce recidivism By David Bui, Vanessa Pilat, TJ Singh, Samuel Haile, and Nguyen Nguyen, UW Bothell School of Business Just before 5:40 pm, a barrage of students...
Lessons from Samantha Wong in Self-Care to Avoid Caregiver Burnout
by Ethan Yamashita, Tatiana Astrahan, Jason Anderson, Jay Heo, and Carman Ho, University of Washington – Bothell School of Business Caregiver burnout is real, and especially relevant during the pandemic’s continual isolation for many. When we met Samantha Wong (Sam),...
“There’s an expiration date on the milk in my fridge, but there’s no expiration date for my conviction.”
An interview with Susan Mason, Founder and Executive Director of What’s Next Washington, on the intersections of mental health, poverty, and systemic discrimination based on incarceration history. By Henos Adhana, Izak Casterline, Maria De Los Angeles Briceno...
Small Drawings High Hopes is Back! Friday, December 10
The story of Small Drawings High Hopes is a tumultuous one. It’s a story full of highs and lows, and as its namesake suggests- hopes. It all began mid-2018. My dear friends were set to break ground on the construction of a new independent movie theatre in Indianapolis...
Living with Schizophrenia: An Interview with NAMI Seattle Board Member Elliott Neyme
Many people throughout the world live with schizophrenia, and NAMI Seattle board member Elliott Neyme is one of those people. Childhood depression helped mask Elliott’s early stages of schizophrenia. This led him to have his first psychotic break and diagnosis when he...
Celebrating Life: An Interview with James Donaldson, NAMI Seattle Board Member
By Fatima Al-Mahana, PrinseLena Pendergrass, Monica Bao, Sheldon Lin, Nicole Liew, Nick McMurray, Ibrahim Mushtaq, Martin Le Van, and Kevin Wang Photo courtesy of James Donaldson. “Around Thanksgiving, I was really having trouble sleeping through the night. I...
Trauma, Stress, and Covid-19: Mental Health of Frontline Healthcare Workers
By Leah Sheppard, BSN, RN Content warning: // Death, illness The U.S. is entering a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: vaccinations are readily available, and restrictions are lifting, but cases are rapidly increasing in some areas as the Delta variant takes hold....
My Experience With Anxiety as a Child
Written By Clara Ward Trigger Warning: panic attacks I am a person with anxiety; almost no one around me experiences the same thing. I can tell you, it’s hard. There is a lot of misinformation and many misconceptions out there about anxiety, a lot of which confused...
The Humanity in Schizophrenia
I was scared the first time I met Matthew. It was many years ago, before I knew much about mental health, and before I became a nurse. I was about to meet my boyfriend’s father for the first time, and he had schizophrenia. As for many people, mental health wasn’t...
The Intersection of the School-to-Prison Pipeline and Mental Health
By Austin Landas, Eshita Gupta, Alice Luo, Wei Zhang, and Michael Seong Introduction “Struggling in school and not having the resources to stay on track leads students to go on the wrong path. Students become prone to using drugs…. You get labeled a felon and you have...
Meet Emma Sanyal, NAMI Seattle Board Member
By Kyle Kawahara, Nomin Ulziisaikhan, Netanel Younker, Hanson Tran and Nik Gorbs, UW Bothell School of Business “I think it’s important to know that Bipolar Disorder is physical. It’s not a weakness and you can’t just pull yourself out of a depression. Patience is...
Mental Health and Generational Trauma: A Black Therapist’s Perspective
Photo courtesy of LaVonne Dorsey We had the opportunity to interview therapist LaVonne Dorsey over Zoom. She was comfortably sitting in her home, excited to talk with us as she sipped from a red mug. We asked about her perspective on coping with Covid-19. LaVonne...
Mental Health Talk with Steven González, Washington State’s First Latino and Jewish Supreme Court Chief Justice
“Our New Chief Justice.” Art by Laura Umetsu. Ink on paper. In November 2020, Justice Steven González was elected by his judicial colleagues to become Washington State’s first Latino and Jewish Supreme Court Chief Justice. Local attorney and NAMI Seattle board...
Introducing Sophie Taylor, NAMI Seattle Board Member
Sophie Taylor (Photo credit: Sophie Taylor) By Reagan Kim, Kyra Pennington, Matthew Kolden, Natalia Andrzejowiec, and Arundet Mee, UW Bothell School of Business “Be nice to yourself, if all you can manage to do is take a shower, take a shower, and be proud of...
Meet Penny Carothers, NAMI Seattle Board Member
Penny with her husband and children. Photo credit: Lisa Page By Samuel Burley, Yeraldin Enriquez, Nathan Markley, Roewyn Umayam, and Boyue Xi, UW Bothell School of Business “Anyone can be struck by mental health challenges at any time and they deserve medical...
A Better September: Focusing on Doing Good
Written By Kim Salada, NAMI Seattle volunteer and trained facilitator. Let’s face it. We are not being inundated with good news these days. Quite the opposite, in fact. Pandemic, injustice, unrest, now fires. The heaviness can be hard to avoid – and I don’t know about...
Two Immigration Attorneys’ Perspectives on Mental Health in Immigrant Communities
By Casey Towsley, Katherine Ellings, Stan Mykhaylenko, and Jack Nickerson “The ultimate goal is to make everyone feel like they belong. Nothing else is possible unless you feel like you belong,” Oksana Bilobran, an experienced Seattle immigration attorney and an...
How Support Groups Helped Me
How Support Groups Helped Me My depression and anxiety manifested itself before kindergarten. It was clear something was very wrong, so my mother took me to a child psychologist. My inability to make friends and fight depression was obvious. The psychologist...
Small Drawings / High Hopes by Kyle Krauskopf
Several times in my life I have utilized the “look before you leap tactic.” I take risks, they’re calculated risks, but they’re risks nonetheless. Right out of the gate I moved to a city I couldn’t afford with no job prospects and an art degree. I signed a lease for...
Small Drawings / High Hopes – Emotions 6 & 7 of 7
Elation and Kismet and The Finale great happiness and exhilaration | destiny; fate Ifind my greatest joys come from a job well done. When you can sit back at the end of the day and take pride in the work you accomplished. That being said, not too long ago I...
Small Drawings / High Hopes – Emotion 5 of 7 Love
Emotion 5 “Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow” Alyric written by the late River Phoenix as delivered by his brother Joaquin, when accepting his Academy Award for best actor. As it is one of the biggest and most challenging emotions humans are capable...
Small Drawings / High Hopes – Emotion 4 of 7 Sorrow
Emotion 4 A feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others. Love was meant to be the emotion I dove into after persistence, but this morning I woke to a call from my pre-pandemic employer asking if I could...
Why Nami Seattle
I had just finished several months of on-line charity auctions for the benefit of multiple endeavors, including NAMI. I was at a restaurant hanging up some artwork. The restaurant is called Conscious Eatery and for every meal purchased there, the owners/chefs...
Small Drawings / High Hopes – Emotion 3 of 7 Persistence
Emotion 3 Firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. In my previous post, I discussed frustration. The words for that came pretty easy, likely because most of us are experiencing some form of it at the moment. ...
Small Drawings / High Hopes – Emotion 2 of 7 Frustration
Emotion 2 The feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of the inability to change or achieve something. Here’s something we can all connect on right now. Of all the emotions capable in human existence I may have experienced this one the most. But I...
Small Drawings / High Hopes – Emotion 1 of 7 Wanderlust
Emotion 1 A strong desire to travel. But a desire to travel where? I suppose the best place to start explaining this project and therefore me is to start in the place I did. I was born in Peru Indiana, an unassuming midwestern town like many others aside from the...
Artist Kyle Krauskopf Talks Candidly
All my life I have felt out of place. It started with being a chubby little kid with glasses and a bowl-cut who was into superheroes and star wars- consequently being made fun of for all of these. Saying I sought to “fit in” would be an overstep, I think what I...
Heart on My Sleeve: The Race Porter Story
By Race PorterEdited by Jenna Alaskar I have struggled with mental health for as long as I can remember, and like so many other people who deal with mental health issues, my first inclination has always been to hide it. I always figured no one cared, or even worse,...
Life is a Garden
Kenyon J. Eshenbaugh, 15, has begun writing short stories to further articulate his experience of his depression. This is one of his stories. By Kenyon J. EshenbaughEdited by Maddy Noonan Life is a garden. An orderly plot of greens, reds, purples, and blues. At least...
Going Public: Talking About Mental Illness
Photo Credit: Cameron Thomsen. Yeesh. That’s what I think to myself every time I try to start this blog post, because mental illness is hard to write about. You would think that, after years of living with it, documenting it would be as easy as breathing. I wear my...
A Side Worth Fighting For
By Rachel Spurlock, NAMI Seattle Intern Summer 2019Edited by Maddy Noonan It is not a choice for attention, it is not a cause of hormone overloads. It is not just a normal teenage feeling. It’s called living with depression, and with that comes every possible negative...
Introducing Eli Lieberman, NAMI Board Member
By Brandt Nickel, William McGinnis, Dominic Bui, Han Lunchou, and Nathan LeasUW Bothell School of BusinessEdited by Maddy Noonan “Embrace the uncomfortable” is a favorite mantra of Eli Lieberman, first year board member at NAMI Seattle. Eli, a cheerful professional...
Sunny’s Mission
Dr. Sunny Chieh Cheng, Board Member By Marc Anthony CisnerosEdited by Cameron Safai, Mychael Hodges, Sarah Jensen, and Nicolle Osborn, UW Bothell School of Business Edited by Maddy Noonan While some struggle to find motivation to pull through each day, Sunny finds her...
I Did a Thing: Why Art Matters
Art by Jenny Vidovic Maddy Noonan opens up about performance and its role in her mental health. Here is her story. A long time ago, or so the story goes, an aristocratic family in Cheshire had a lion on their crest. This family commissioned a painting of their crest,...
How We Heal: Faarah’s Journey in Muslim Mental Health
Faarah Misbah attended the 11th Annual Muslim Mental Health Conference in Tempe, Arizona. Here is her story. I’m someone who is very involved in the Muslim community because of my volunteering history. I’ve volunteered a lot in planning social events and in helping...
UW Bothell Students Attend a Special Night at a NAMI Seattle Support Group
Third in a series of three blogposts, a UW Bothell business student reflects on the experience of attending a NAMI support group dinner for the first time. By Bryan Shaw Edited by Tyler Mackie, Ashley Dillenbeck, Kimnea Tang and Xiaowei Zhang “Oh, so it’s just...
How this NAMI Seattle Support Group is Helping People Find Acceptance
Second in a series of three blogposts, two UW Bothell business students reflect on the experience of attending a NAMI support group dinner for the first time. By Heather Agun and Divij Vispute Just before 5:30 PM, we pulled into the parking lot at The Broadview...
A Dinner with NAMI Seattle: A community gathering that hosts those who live with mental illness
In the first in a series of three blogposts, a UW Bothell business student reflects on the experience of attending a NAMI support group dinner for the first time. Most young adults spend a Friday evening with friends and a night on the town. However, a small group of...
Head & HeART: Creating our Recovery Art Walk Review
By Samuel Moradbakhti and Siyi Cao Edited by Ty Chapman, Divij Vispute, and Heather Agun UW Bothell School of Business In the second of a two blogpost series, two UW Bothell students who have friends and relatives living with mental illness (one of whom is candid with...
The Day You Own Your Mental Health at Work: Beth Anne Katz
I was standing in a phone room in an unfamiliar building, the bare walls and cramped space barely a glorified storage closet. On the phone with my parents, I finally spoke the truth I was avoiding: “I’ve fallen behind again.” I was behind on my work, my delays were...
“I never thought I would suffer from a mental illness” : Interview with Jenny Vandenbelt, a Successful Seattle Attorney Living with a Mental Illness
JENNY VANDENBELTPHOTO CREDIT: PETER VANDENBELT By Ty Chapman and Samuel MoradbakhtiEdited by Heather Agun, Siyi Cao, and Div Vispute JV: “For the most part, I was happy throughout my whole childhood.” SM: We met Jenny over coffee at the 5th Avenue Starbucks...
Michele’s Journey into NAMI Seattle
By Mychael Hodges Edited By, Cameron Safai, Marc Cisneros, Sarah Jensen, Nicolle Osborn UW Bothell School of Business “Supporting NAMI Seattle on the board with my time and talents makes me feel like I’m helping others on their own journeys through mental illness and...
Becca Yang, NAMI Seattle Board Member: How This Mental Health Advocate at NAMI Is Shaking Things Up
Two UW Bothell students who struggle with the negative effects of mental health stigma discover how an aspiring executive is paving the way for the next generation by bringing awareness to mental health issues. A local aspiring executive is helping change...
Gypsy Temple King Youngblood NAMI Benefit Concert Review
By Tyler Mackie, NAMI Seattle guest writer It’s a beautiful early May evening, the sun is setting, and a rock concert is happening on the Seattle pier. Last week, I had the opportunity of seeing a band perform that believes in bringing awareness to mental illness. The...
2019 Head and Heart Walk
EXAMPLES OF ARTWORK THAT ADORNED THE WALLS OF COPIOUS FOR THE EVENING. CREATED BY AN ANONYMOUS ARTIST LIVING AN EATING DISORDER. PHOTO CREDIT: LAMAR HENDRIKSE By Tyler Hearing and Lamar Hendrikse Edited by Aaron Carchia, Mariam Said, Aidan Emmons, and Harpreet Singh...
The Power of NAMI People
What Did Our Volunteers Do in 2018? Maybe you know that all of our community programs are led by volunteers, but what did our volunteers actually DO this year? I’m so glad you asked! With the start of a new year, I’ve been looking back over everything our amazing...
Let’s Spread the Realness
Hey NAMI Family. It’s Ashley. I’m ready to talk. For real. It’s time. Every year around this time, we tell stories of recovery to inspire you and connect you to NAMI’s mission. This year, as I conclude my time as Executive Director, I’m ready to tell a little bit of...
Are You Lonely? Emotional & Social Isolation
By Gideon C. Elliott As a society, we are on the brink of an epidemic. The number of people in the U.S. who admit to being lonely is at 40% – double the reported numbers from the 1980s. There is a growing body of literature on loneliness and mental health, but...
De-escalate Washington: Supporting I-940
In my previous role at NAMI Chicago, I worked with the Chicago Police Department and their Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) unit to supervise and support people with lived experience who volunteered to engage in the role play portion of their CIT class. These were...
Purest Intentions
About four years ago, I stumbled upon an article that changed my entire experience of life. I cannot recall the precise moment and origin of my stunned discovery. It may have been a result of another exasperated search-engine attempt to comprehend my mind’s madness....
Mental Health Conditions Know No Party Lines
August 2018 We are living in a time of increasing polarization in our communities, and I know that we are all feeling it. I feel it. There’s an anger buzzing underneath everything as people face more and more uncertainty in their lives and persecution based on their...
A Long Wail of Pain
Written by Joanne Conger, June 8th, 2018 I am heartbroken. So, this is long wail of pain. Not everyone could see how Anthony Bourdain was doing, whether or not he seemed to be fine. That is a hard thing to “see” when someone has a show. You see what is filmed. You...
Supporting Students When a Classmate Dies From Suicide
Throughout my four years as a high school student, the subject of mental health was something that was rarely discussed in school. While we had many different educational assemblies about cultural awareness and being kind to others, we never once had a discussion...