We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Unbounded hope and reasonable optimism is great advice. To me, they don’t sound like false promises, they are wonderful possibilities in a universe full of them. I agree this should be a moral imperative for all of us – and the belief that no matter what our state of mind, we are OK. Not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be discovered.
Thank you for sharing your experience. It gave me more hope!
If anyone ever doubts the importance of one person holding hope for another, they should hear your story. We have all heard that “life can turn on a dime.” Clearly, it can turn on hope too!
Congratulations to you and Tish on 34 years of marriage and wellbeing. What a blessing you both are to each other. And your friend. A lot to be grateful for.
Thank you all the years you have dedicated to giving us all hope through the National Empowerment Center, your policy work, emotional-CPR and more.
I know from my own experience supporting my children, I can always learn more about hope and being helpful! There have been many times over the last 20 years when I needed help finding my own hope. And many times when my daughter gave me hope, rather than the other way around.
It’s so much easier when we can we look for it together with our friends and families.
We’re looking forward to having you join us in the next pilot group!
We recently had the great fortune to attend a weeklong workshop at Esalen on creating alternatives to support those experiencing extreme states. We were a small but diverse bunch of providers, peers, survivors and family members. Love was at the top of all of our lists!
Thank you for reminding us all that we need more LOVE in every paradigm of care—especially mental health!
We couldn’t do it without your support Michael! We are grateful to have so many (com)passionate families in our Den. We are excited to begin expanding our pilot Family Dens so that we can share that “hope fueled, real time, mutual family member support” you describe. Rumor has it there may be one in the Bay Area in 2013!!
Thank you for your hope-fueled support for Mother Bears and all families and individuals in distress!
Mary, thank you for sharing this important aspect. Being able to embrace ourselves wholly and seeing ourselves as intact, whole, complete is very healing… Both evidence healing has taken place and a practice for achieving it.
Thank you, Stanley. Thank you also for bringing grace into this dialogue. Grace is another powerful healing concept. Also the importance of living a meaningful life.
Thank you for sharing your evolving understanding of “recovery” here and with our Mother Bear families in our online recovery education pilot program that you are facilitating with us and Family Outreach and Response Program.
The wisdom and compassion you share from your lived experience are deeply appreciated and are an inspiration for those of us for whom recovery is a familiar concept and for those for whom it is an brand new possibility.
Thank you for bringing mind-body practices like yoga into this discussion. These are empowering, safe and accessible self-care and healing practices we can all benefit from.
You also raise an important point that our relationship to and comfort with the concept of recovery does not have to be an either/or or “set in stone” experience.
Perhaps we should reframe the question we posted at the end of this post…
“What does recovery mean for you *in this moment*? What is your truth today?
Honor it.
And honor your right to redefine, evolve or abandon this concept in support of your unique journey of healing and growth…”
Duane, thank you for all YOU are doing to build hope and community. In fact, your blog, Discover and Recover has been an inspiration for our community! Discovery is a powerful addition to recovery and opens up a world of possibilities. Bless you for your vision and tireless sharing of healing resources!
mjk, Kate Bush’s angelic voice has been known to inspire recovery, that is for sure. What if the next song is yours to sing? If you have lost yourself again or are ready for a new incarnation, perhaps there is a song in there trying to well up. Good luck as your listen for it! Please keep share it with us as it emerges…
Dear Stanley,
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Unbounded hope and reasonable optimism is great advice. To me, they don’t sound like false promises, they are wonderful possibilities in a universe full of them. I agree this should be a moral imperative for all of us – and the belief that no matter what our state of mind, we are OK. Not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be discovered.
Thank you for sharing your insights!
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Dear Dan,
Thank you for sharing your experience. It gave me more hope!
If anyone ever doubts the importance of one person holding hope for another, they should hear your story. We have all heard that “life can turn on a dime.” Clearly, it can turn on hope too!
Congratulations to you and Tish on 34 years of marriage and wellbeing. What a blessing you both are to each other. And your friend. A lot to be grateful for.
Thank you all the years you have dedicated to giving us all hope through the National Empowerment Center, your policy work, emotional-CPR and more.
Happy holidays to you, Tish and the girls,
Lisbeth
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Dear Rossa,
I know from my own experience supporting my children, I can always learn more about hope and being helpful! There have been many times over the last 20 years when I needed help finding my own hope. And many times when my daughter gave me hope, rather than the other way around.
It’s so much easier when we can we look for it together with our friends and families.
We’re looking forward to having you join us in the next pilot group!
Warm wishes to you and your family,
Lisbeth
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Dear Duane,
I hope you have a lovely holiday season too!
Lisbeth
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Dear Duane,
*Love* is one of my favorite 4 letter words!
We recently had the great fortune to attend a weeklong workshop at Esalen on creating alternatives to support those experiencing extreme states. We were a small but diverse bunch of providers, peers, survivors and family members. Love was at the top of all of our lists!
Thank you for reminding us all that we need more LOVE in every paradigm of care—especially mental health!
With gratitude,
Lisbeth
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Dear Alice,
Thank you for your kind words.
It is encouraging to hear you practice “hope beyond reason” on a daily basis. We support hope of all kinds!
Do you bring your hope practice into your psychiatry work? This would bode very well for your clients’ recovery.
Warmest regards,
Lisbeth
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We couldn’t do it without your support Michael! We are grateful to have so many (com)passionate families in our Den. We are excited to begin expanding our pilot Family Dens so that we can share that “hope fueled, real time, mutual family member support” you describe. Rumor has it there may be one in the Bay Area in 2013!!
Thank you for your hope-fueled support for Mother Bears and all families and individuals in distress!
Report comment
Mary, thank you for sharing this important aspect. Being able to embrace ourselves wholly and seeing ourselves as intact, whole, complete is very healing… Both evidence healing has taken place and a practice for achieving it.
Report comment
Thank you, Stanley. Thank you also for bringing grace into this dialogue. Grace is another powerful healing concept. Also the importance of living a meaningful life.
Report comment
Krista,
Thank you for sharing your evolving understanding of “recovery” here and with our Mother Bear families in our online recovery education pilot program that you are facilitating with us and Family Outreach and Response Program.
The wisdom and compassion you share from your lived experience are deeply appreciated and are an inspiration for those of us for whom recovery is a familiar concept and for those for whom it is an brand new possibility.
Thank you for bringing mind-body practices like yoga into this discussion. These are empowering, safe and accessible self-care and healing practices we can all benefit from.
You also raise an important point that our relationship to and comfort with the concept of recovery does not have to be an either/or or “set in stone” experience.
Perhaps we should reframe the question we posted at the end of this post…
“What does recovery mean for you *in this moment*? What is your truth today?
Honor it.
And honor your right to redefine, evolve or abandon this concept in support of your unique journey of healing and growth…”
Report comment
Duane, thank you for all YOU are doing to build hope and community. In fact, your blog, Discover and Recover has been an inspiration for our community! Discovery is a powerful addition to recovery and opens up a world of possibilities. Bless you for your vision and tireless sharing of healing resources!
Report comment
mjk, Kate Bush’s angelic voice has been known to inspire recovery, that is for sure. What if the next song is yours to sing? If you have lost yourself again or are ready for a new incarnation, perhaps there is a song in there trying to well up. Good luck as your listen for it! Please keep share it with us as it emerges…
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We like the idea of better than ever!
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Thank you again for sharing Donna, you have inspired us all!
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Wonderful Sandy!
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Hi Vanessa,
A Mother Bear named Donna is the author and mother in this inspiring story.
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Thank you. I am inspired by all courageous individuals who have experienced suffering and worked hard to recover themselves and to help others.
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