Blog

by Deborah Geesling I shared a photo on one of our social media pages recently and it was by far the most popular post last year. Here’s what I wrote, “This was the sweetest moment over Thanksgiving. My son who struggles against schizophrenia and bipolar disorder was...

I will never forget the morning after my son experienced his first psychotic break and was transferred to a psychiatric evaluation center in downtown Phoenix to be assessed for court ordered treatment. I did not understand the first thing about psychosis and psych...

Here is our compilation of significant legislation pertaining to people affected by serious mental illness in Arizona that has been signed into law by Governor Doug Ducey to date. To learn more about each law, click on the bill number and you will be redirected to the...

I was talking on the phone with my husband Matthew a few weeks ago when I read these words to him, “I’m pleased to tell you that you have been selected to receive the Arizona Psychiatric Society’s Mental Health Public Service Award for 2022.” Gazing on this message...

I was putting on makeup one morning and the chorus to this song from a playlist caught my attention as it streamed from a speaker in the next room. The artist, Chris Renzema, was asking God to “tear my house down.” In fact, that’s the title of the song. Why would he...

Do not assume irrational behavior to be spiritual. Pray for and with them, not as in a exorcism, but as you would pray for any injured or grieving friend. And seek professional medical assistance. 

A Caregiver’s Perspective Most discussions of caregiving related to a crisis involving serious mental illness (SMI) start with a highly visible event or series of events. That is how it should be. That we should jump to rally around and support families who suffer...

Last week in our Caregiver Support meeting, I recalled a difficult time for our family when we were living in the throes of chaos and crisis. Due to my husband’s job loss in 2008, we had to let our dream home go to foreclosure. The following is from a blog-journal I...

Have you ever missed a standing meeting, and someone later asked if you were there? You realized they didn’t even notice you were gone in the first place. It seems worse than if you had been present. I mean, you really weren’t there, and they didn’t even notice that....