We've had a busy and exiting year at CMHRC and the last few months have been filled with wonderful things to share. So, we have a quick 'Year End Round-Up' below of some awards, additions, events, and thanks. 

This fall CMHRC's Clinical Coordinator Jennifer Sevick was honored with an award for her advocacy on behalf on children and families. 

Given by the Mental Health America chapter in her state, this award for "Clinical Mental Health Advocate of the Year 2023" was given to acknowledge her efforts to promote awareness of pediatric bipolar 

disorder and the difference we make at CMHRC. We couldn't be prouder of Jenn, her work, and the passion and commitment she brings to everything she does. Her boundless energy to support, educate, and advocate for others makes her a favorite among the families in our community.

Congratulations Jenn!

We're all so thrilled that this fall My-Linh Thai joined the CMHRC board of directors.  My-Linh is a passionate education advocate who is committed to ensuring equity and access for all. This commitment springs from the early support she herself received as a student. She has served as a PTSA parent volunteer and received the "Washington State PTA Outstanding Advocate Award in 2013." 

She was elected as the School Board Director for the Bellevue School District, and

later was elected by her fellow board directors to serve as Vice President of the Washington State School Board Directors Association (WSSDA) in 2017.

At the age of 15, My-Linh immigrated to the United States as a Vietnamese refugee with her family. She is proud to be the first refugee elected to serve in the Washington State House of Representatives.

In August of 2023 My-Linh received the "2023 Legislative Award" from Mental Health America. 

Welcome Ms. Thai!

This October CMHRC had incredible success with our webinar series on metabolic and ketogenic therapies to treat mental illness. 

We started with a webinar on October 18th, with guests Jan Ellison Baszucki and her son, Matt Baszucki. Jan and her husband, 

David, co-founded Metabolic Mind, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry, and to understanding the impact of new metabolic approaches in the treatment of bipolar and other mood disorders. Her son Matt, is a speaker and an advocate. Together they shared their story of his experience with bipolar disorder, ketogenic therapy, and recovery. 

The response from our community was tremendous. One mother told us that she watched with her 16 year old son who has bipolar disorder. "I loved Matt’s realness. I was so grateful he could share his lived experience as a young man about mental illness and recovery. Hearing from a parent is boring to my teen. Hearing it from someone young, cool, and who's actually has lived it - there is just no way to say how much he appreciated that!"  

Then on October 25th, CMHRC Executive Director, Elizabeth Errico, was joined by Dr. Bret Scher, Director of Metabolic Mind for a deep dive into the science behind metabolic and ketogenic therapy. Elizabeth tells us, "Our community is so smart and curious that their questions took an already fascinating topic straight to the next level. Dr. Scher was an incredible guest, and I know these events are going to be watched over and over again, they are so full of such empowering and inspiring information." 

Thank you Matt, Jan, and Bret!

We know how challenging it can be to parent a child or teen with a mental illness. CMHRC's unique approach, called Palliative Parenting^TM, was developed by CMHRC mental health professionals, parents, and adult patients who know first hand the lived experience of surviving and thriving with mental illness. 

During our custom designed 8 week Palliative Parenting^TM class families work directly with CMHRC mental health professionals. Each week instructors provide educational material, facilitate discussion, and review strategies and techniques that can be applied immediately. each group meeting focuses on different elements of Palliative Parenting^TM including acceptance, respect, and community. 

Participants learn through interactions with both experts and classmates. Everyone can ask questions, share experiences, learn from one another, and feel the support of a community of parents and caregivers facing the same challenges. 

In just a few short weeks you'll be equipped to ease symptoms, reduce outbursts, and improve quality of life for you and your children. 

Thanks to a generous grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the price for this 8-week course is now only $80*! That's only $10 for each of the eight 90-minute sessions! For more information or to sign up for the course, please use the button below.

*For a limited time! Sign up today!

Thank you so much to everyone who has participated in our Giving Thanks fundraiser so far. The dedication and commitment from our community continues to make me feel such immense gratitude. 

Your gifts directly translate into success for the children, families, and providers we serve everyday. 

It's not too late to make your 2023 Giving Thanks contribution! Gifts can be made through our safe and secure online giving platform, on our website, by clicking the link below, or by mailing a contribution to:

WEDNESDAY WEBINARS

Mood Disorders and Seasonal Change

December 13th, 7:30pm Eastern Time

The changing of season from fall to winter brings more hours of darkness, temperature fluctuations, changes in the clocks, and behavioral challenges. At this webinar you’ll learn about simple at home techniques you can use to make these seasonal transitions easier on the whole family.

CLINICAL SEMINARS for PROFESSIONALS

Fight, Flight, Freeze Part 2:

The Limbic System, Behavior Dysregulation, and De-escalation

December 20th, 5:00-6:30pm Eastern Time

Traditional behavior modification techniques often don’t work for children and teens with mood disorders, bipolar disorder, and Fear of Harm. This causes frustration for kids, parents, teachers, and their providers. Join us for a free two part series to learn about the role the limbic system plays in common symptoms and behaviors associated with mood disorders and bipolar in children and teens.

In Part 2 we'll focus on how the limbic system contributes to dysregulation and how it can be the key to de-escalation in times of crisis.

If you missed Part 1, email learning@cmhrc.org for details on how to view the recording. 

FREE RESOURCES

Check out the Free Resources tab on our website for a list of all of the many free resource offerings. Just a few include:

• Book Club selections and registration.
• Family Stories of living with childhood mood disorders, bipolar, and Fear of Harm. 
• 'Your Questions Answered' series of FAQ's about mood disorders, bipolar, and FOH.

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