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April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month! Let’s support survivors by creating safer spaces and advocating for greater protections. Assault creates a lasting impact on mental health. Keep doing what you can to provide compassionate, trauma-informed care and ensure it is accessible to all who need it. It’s up to all of us to foster cultures of consent by discussing boundaries and building healthy relationships with the people around us. Let’s challenge the culture of silence, empower people who have experienced assault, and build a culture of consent and respect for everybody.#SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth

Let's talk about Gaslighting. Gaslighting is a term that has become common in many day to day conversations. More often, I have noticed the misuse of the term, which can cause issues in labeling a person's behavior/behaviors that are not associated with the term. So today, I will provide an explanation and define what gaslighting can look like for a victim. Gaslighting is intentional and a specific form of abuse. It makes a victim question their reality or sanity by distorting the truth, in order to confuse them. The effects that gaslighting may have on a victim are; ●They may often question their memory. ●Question reality. ●They may question their perception. ●Victims may also question their mental health and wellness. If you believe that a loved one, friend or yourself is experiencing this type of abuse please reach out for help from a trusted source. Kids Help Phone -Adults Adults can text 741741 to connect with a trained, volunteer crisis responder. Better Help Online Therapy https://www.betterhelp.com Assaulted Women's Helpline. Tel: 416-863-0511; TTY 416-364-8762.

St. Patrick's Day can be one of the most challenging days for individuals with substance use disorders. Here are some tips for having a fun and safe St. Patrick's Day. 🍀 Identify a sober or supportive friend or family member who can be in attendance. 🍀 Bring your own non-alcoholic refreshments and keep one in hand to avoid being offered other options. 🍀 Make a mental note of some coping skills and techniques you've learned. 🍀 Prepare an exit plan in case things become too difficult. 🍀 It's also okay to avoid environments with alcohol or other substances altogether if you're not ready yet. So, wear your green and know we've got your back on your road to recovery.

All too often, adolescents who experiment with substance use get immediately written off by the adults who are supposed to support them. At Sustain Recovery, we know that drug and alcohol use don’t make your child a bad person or lost cause – and that treating them like criminals is the least likely way to improve their future. Every level of adolescent treatment here – from residential to outpatient programs – is based on a dual-diagnosis approach that gets to the root of the emotional and mental distress that led a child to substance use and gives them the tools to make healthier choices. Learn more about Sustain’s mental health and substance use continuum of care to start your family’s journey to beyond better today: https://lnkd.in/eF3A7GsZ

Telling your story includes understanding all the parts of it.

For this #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, the OHRC is shining awareness on how the Code protects people with mental health and substance use disorder challenges from discrimination and harassment in areas including employment, housing, and services. Read more: bit.ly/3v4BovI

ASAM's newly released "Public Policy Statement on Prevention" is a critical addition to the field's promotion of research-based policies that take an earlier, broader, and more comprehensive approach to substance use prevention and healthy child development. The recommendations are fully consistent with those presented in Partnership to End Addiction's recent report, Rethinking Substance Use Prevention: An Earlier and Broader Approach: https://lnkd.in/eq_p7hC3

Addiction and mental health issues can start an individual on a path to poor financial responsibility and money handling troubles that keep going well into their recovery. At Momentum Recovery, we’re making sure that every young person in treatment gets the knowledge and experience to break that cycle. Every client who’s far enough along in our unique four phase continuum of care receives budgeting lessons, financial planning expertise, and the opportunity to practice their new life skills in the community. It’s all part of equipping every young person with a successful life in recovery. Learn more about the features of our treatment phases: https://lnkd.in/eqVXmdfg

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness, but for some families, it can also be a challenging time, especially when dealing with issues like addiction. It’s essential to recognize that children, too, have a voice, and one powerful tool they can use to navigate difficult situations is the simple yet impactful word “no.” In the spirit of empowerment and self-care, let’s explore the art of saying “no” and how kids can harness its strength to set boundaries with alcoholic family members during the holidays. https://lnkd.in/gGUzMbiy

July marks National Fragile X Awareness Month, and today is the 23rd National Fragile X Awareness Day. Did you know that Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is one of the most common causes of inherited intellectual disability? Individuals with FXS are #Xtraordinary! They can benefit significantly from person-centered planning, care management, and access to comprehensive services and support. At Care Design NY, we believe each of our members has the potential to live a quality life through the careful planning and delivery of physical, mental health, and support from natural supports and community resources. Learn more about Fragile X syndrome here: bit.ly/43yZ49K #FragileXAwareness