In Our Own Voice Training:
Date: TBD June
Time: TBD
Location: Zoom
What is NAMI In Our Own Voice?
What are the goals of the NAMI In Our Own Voice presentations?
What are people saying about NAMI In Our Own Voice?
What is the community scope and reach of NAMI In Our Own Voice?
- A 60-90 minute presentation designed to shatter negative stereotypes against people with metal illness.
- Available free of charge to the audience.
- Presenters who have experienced mental health challenges share their personal stories, from the dark days of a mental health crisis to the successes, hopes and dreams they are now experiencing in recovery.
- Features a DVD with eight other individuals from diverse backgrounds sharing the impact of and recovery from mental health challenges.
- Personal experiences with Depressive Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder and other brain disorders are discussed.
- Interactive audience who are encouraged to ask questions and share their own experiences.
- Presenters are often viewed as role models for audience members who are also learning to live with mental health challenges.
- NAMI In Our Own Voice presenters do not recommend or endorse any medications or other medical therapies.
- NAMI In Our Own Voice is copyrighted.
What are the goals of the NAMI In Our Own Voice presentations?
- Demonstrate that recovery is possible.
- Provide the audience with personal perspectives of individuals of diverse backgrounds sharing their journey of recovery with mental health challenges.
- Allow audience members to connect on a personal level with the presenters.
- Provide an opportunity for audience members to gain insight into the lived experience of life with mental illness.
What are people saying about NAMI In Our Own Voice?
- Telling my story in the format given helped me realize how far I have come in my recovery, and that I still have hopes and dreams.”
- “I learned more about mental health conditions from these generous people than any book I have read.”
- “Having a student write back to me after a training to say, ‘hey, I just did my first presentation, and it was great!’ is one of the most exciting feelings I can imagine. I know now that I have a purpose in breaking the stigma of mental illness.”
- “As a former firefighter/paramedic and a business owner that first experienced symptoms of mental illness at age 38, I bring home the reality that it could happen to anyone.”
What is the community scope and reach of NAMI In Our Own Voice?
- Launched in 1997.
- Available in 44 states.*
- More than 9,500 individuals living with mental illness have been trained as presenters.*
- Over 830,000 audience members have seen a presentation.*
- A Spanish translation is available: En Nuestra Propia Voz de NAMI.
- NAMI In Our Own Voice presentations are seen by a wide range of audiences:
- Civic groups.
- Educators.
- Students (elementary to graduate schools).
- Family members of people with mental health challenges.
- Law enforcement personnel.
- Others with mental illness.
- Politicians.
- Social services staff.
- Veterans/Active military personnel.
