[In Conversation with Series] Mental Illness Awareness Week
Did you know that one-third of people experience some type of dissociation? Additionally, 2.3% of people will develop Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. There has been a significant increase in mental health awareness over the years. Yet, advocacy conversations continue to exclude lesser-known mental health conditions including:
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
- Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
- Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders.
- Paranoia and Delusional Disorders.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
- And many others.
Mental Health America (MHA) recognizes that our advocacy efforts must include various experiences. It is crucial to raise awareness about these under-discussed conditions. In our next "In Conversation With Peers" series, we will:
- Hear from those with lived experience of OCD, ADHD, SAD, dissociation, and psychosis.
- Learn about why we need to shine a spotlight on these experiences.
- And discuss what we can do to support someone living with these diagnoses.
Mental Health America’s (MHA) “In Conversation With Peers” series is a dialogue by peers, for peers. A peer is someone we identify with based on their lived experience. This lived experience can be having a mental health condition. But it also includes gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, language, or even disability. Peer support allows a person to share this lived experience and support another. This mutual support is important to help someone move toward long-term recovery.
We do NOT offer CEUs, but you can receive a certificate of attendance from the link emailed with the recording. For individuals with the National Certified Peer Specialist (NCPS) certification, certificates of attendance can be used toward your continuing education requirements.
Moderator
Kat McIntosh (they/them) - Kat is a proud Black Caribbean femme from Trinidad and Tobago and works as the Manager of Global Peer Support at Mental Health America. They promote the I Am Not Alone platform and Peer Partners program. They are a lived experience advocate for historically excluded communities including the Black diaspora and LGBTQ+ folks. Kat works as a facilitator of a Black LGBTQ+ peer support group with Peer Support Space. They identify as living invisibly disabled - having multiple physical and mental health conditions including psychosis, social anxiety, and chronic pain. Kat is a multi-published author with their work appearing in Lancet Psychiatry, Our Bible App, and Amazon Publishing. Kat lives with their fur baby Panther.
Panel Speakers
Angelica Mkorongo (she/her) - Angelica is the Founder and CEO of Zimbabwe OCD Trust, an organization that aims to raise awareness of the existence of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anxiety Disorders (AD), among Zimbabwean communities and provide support. She has lived with OCD since the age of 17. She also represents Zimbabwe at the Global Mental Health Peer Network, the Stability Network, and the Pan African Network of People with Psychosocial Disabilities.
Caren Howard (she/her) - Caren Howard currently serves as Director of Policy and Advocacy for Mental Health America and has 13 years of experience in legislative and political affairs and advocacy. Howard advises and carries out the policy and advocacy strategy for a national organization whose mission is to put the voices of people with lived experience at the helm of decision-making. She educates and persuades federal and state policymakers to act on a wide range of issues that impact individuals with mental health conditions including health care, education, criminal justice, and housing. She also facilitates relationships between state and local MHA affiliates and their federal and state officials.
Sachin Doshi (he/him) - Sachin coordinates day-to-day financial operations and supports the implementation of various digital initiatives across MHA. He has been involved with MHA since 2015, after foregoing a career in medicine to help address more systemic issues. Sachin holds a B.S. in Neuroscience from Duke University, where his research focused on brain-machine interfaces and cortically-controlled neuroprosthetic devices. He lives in Arlington, VA and is passionate about space exploration, archery, and emerging technologies.