How Families Can Help Loved Ones with a Mental Illness with Dr. Lloyd Sederer

On Saturday, March 19 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Russell Library will present Dr. Lloyd Sederer as the last event of the Mental Health Matters series. Sederer, the author of The Family Guild to Mental Health Care, will speak about how families may help their loved one with a mental illness.

'Mental illness is painful and difficult for families to face and endure...' so writes Dr. Lloyd Sederer in his book. As a professor and Chief Medical Officer for the New York State Office of Mental Health, Dr. Sederer is an accomplished speaker and advocate for de-stigmatizing mental illness and improving services. He is the Medical Editor for Mental Health The Huffington Post  and a prolific writer, reviewing books, movies and professional articles which deal with mental illness.

Mental Health Matters! Series begins tonight at Russell Library

Illustration by G.Brian Karas used with permission.

"Accessing Mental Health and Addiction Services" is the topic for the first in a series of workshops produced by River Valley Services and Russell Library, at 7:00 p.m. this evening, October 14th, in the Hubbard Room of the library at 123 Broad Street in Middletown.

Whether depression while grieving over a loved one, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or another malady concerning our emotional and psychic wellbeing, we all are apt to suffer from some sort of mental illness at one time or another in our lives.

A big part of getting well is understanding where to find help.

The first of the series, "Mental Health Matters", will offer guidance from professionals in the field of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Megan Goodfield, LCSW, Associate Director of River Valley Services, and Margaret O'Hagan Lynch, M.S., LPC, Division Director from Addiction Services will be presenting.

Other workshops in the series this fall include:

-- "Stories of Recovery", a panel discussion from people who have been through treatment programs and have lived to realize their hopes and dreams.  

-- "Self-care for Caregivers" offers tools to help those closest to people suffering from mental illness.

The workshops this fall are drop-in, no registration is necessary.