Chesterfield Recovery Solutions

The Annual Rally and Lobby Day will take place Monday January 16, 2012.

Join the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Virginia (NAMI) and the Coalition for Virginians with Mental Disabilities for a rally that will be taking place at 10:00 am at the Bell Tower at Capital Square (intersection of Franklin and 9th Street; adjacent to the General Assembly building).

On Friday January 6, 2012 the General Assembly will be holding a hearing at the Medical College of Virginia. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments on the Govenor’s proposed 2012-2014 budget. Those wishing to speak register the morning of the hearing.

The location of the hearing is the Medical College of Virginia, Larrick Student Center. 900 Turpin Street, Richmond, VA 23219. For more information visit http://www.vacsb.org/.

Chester House is one of the many Mental Health resources available in Chesterfield County.  This is a place that offers its members everything from a safe place to go to helping promote a return to the work force if so desired.
 When I started attending Chester House my mental Illness had control of me, my thoughts were not too clear. It wasn’t until I started helping in the different units and receiving encouragement from staff that I could feel my life moving forward again.
I’ve been attending Chester House for four years and I’m glad I was given this opportunity.  I just want to say, do not give up on yourself, take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, and remember you are not alone. We are right here with you.
Cindy Fowler

Mental Health Recovery works. But it only works if those of us who are further along in our recovery show up to help those who are just starting theirs. When I first began my journey, the last thing on my mind was recovery, I thought my illness was just going to be a new way of life for me. It wasn’t until I meet providers, who cared and believed in recovery and peers, who showed me that recovery was possible, that I began to see a ray of hope. These were the people that I looked up to. I now feel that it’s my responsibility to give back this gift. This is a call to action and a reminder that we are now becoming the role models to those who are just starting out. So come help us bring up the next generation by attending Recovery meetings. Another good thing about helping others is that we strengthen our own recovery in the process.

In my opinion,  ”Recovery” is not meant in the classic sense of the word–meaning “cured”–but is meant in the sense that people with mental illness are able to live meaningful, fulfilling lives out in the community, able to function without their mental illness impairing them on a daily basis. This is a state that is not easy to achieve, but one that is well worth striving for.

This blog is open to anyone who would like some support for any type of mental health condition. Please feel free to comment, reply, and use this space to support one another in your journey towards recovery. Share your current state of being that you might need help with, as well as your hopes, your dreams, and your vision for recovery.

Because recovery is possible