Mental Health America has, as usual, loads of information for someone who may be in a stuck place, where to seek help, quizzes to gauge severity or presence of things like depression or anxiety.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) also has a very valuable website full of resources and information for the public as well as professionals.

Regular readers will recognize the next link. PBS’s “This Emotional Life” has created a unique and useful resource full of information regarding tough topics like PTSD, autism, adolescence and parenting to name a few. MFT3 is proud to be listed among the providers in the Resources section of the site.

But on a lighter note, I have discovered some atypical mental health related days or remembrances for the month of May.

For some fun yet obvious ideas, there is Hug week (May 2-8), Meditation week (May 2-8), Teen self-esteem week is also the same week. May 16-22 is Celebrate New and Old Friends week.

There is a theme of literacy in May, it is “Get Caught Reading” month as well as Read for Fun week (May 9-15) and Childrens’ Book week (May 10-16). You could read about mental health.

I found a bunch of food related themes, too. It is National Barbecue month, as well as designating specific days dedicated to celebrating hamburgers, salad, salsa, eggs, sweet vidalia onions and bread pudding recipe exchange week. Yum. To this we can add in May 6 as No Diet Day and May 11 as Eat What You Want day, followed closely by the fun-filled May 15: The Day of Families, Pizza parties and Chocolate Chips. I sense a theme here…

Oooh, speaking of chocolate chips, that leads me to my favorite day so far: May 25, Cookie Monster’s Birthday (voice Frank Oz).

Cookie Monster should also make an appearance on May 5 for the Great American Grump Out day festivities, to help out Oscar the Grouch a bit?

And to end the month on a full yet thoughtful note, May 31 reminds us that “What You Think Upon Grows” day. I use this philosophy often with clients; that if our thoughts are centered on what’s missing, then what’s missing, by definition, will have to expand.

I wish you all a month of good mental health, however you choose to create it!

MFT3 is kicking off Domestic Violence Awareness Month with education, information and conversation!

As promised, Katherine Allen made a return appearance on Nina Sutton‘s radio show, One Smart Mother, heard Tuesdays at 9a on WGCH-AM 1490 of Greenwich, CT (read about our first appearance here).  You can listen to the 30 minute interview in its entirety below (also available through this direct link to the MP3):

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Today’s topic was DV among the affluent and teen dating abuse, to launch DV Awareness Month. There is far too much information to squeeze into a half-hour radio show or this blog, so please look at the resources listed below and contact DVCC’s state-wide hotline at 1-888-774-2900 to ask about events and information in your hometown.

Domestic Violence can be stopped with conversations, education and collaboration.

As mentioned on the show, here is a link to the “Love Is Not Abuse” website, and some excerpts from the “Love Is Not Abuse” teen dating curriculum (LINA sample pages). The therapists of MFT3 are all able to present this program to your school, congregation or community; please contact us if you would like to learn more.

The book, “Not to People Like Us” by Susan Weitzman, PhD is a great resource regarding upscale abuse. One thing to mention is the payoff principle hidden in upscale abuse. A woman (typically) will continue to put up with abuse on the “slot machine” principle; I have taken so much, my payday is surely to come soon. She sees his assets and gains, often projecting them onto her children’s futures, so continues to take the abuse, hoping for the elusive payday in the end.

Some local events:

• Weston DV Task Force Meeting: Friday, October 2, 9am, Weston Town Hall, open to any and all interested people.
• Weston Awareness Day: Saturday, October 3, 9am-12 noon. Town Center. There will be an official Town Proclamation by Woody Bliss, Teen Task Force bake sale, Information table and Purple Ribbon display.
• Westport Train Station Awareness Event: Thursday, October 8, 5:30am. Saugatuck train station will be where adult men and male teens will be handing out awareness materials during the morning commute, spearheaded by Westport Police Sargeant John Pitoniak.
• Metanoia-Prevent Violence Against Women: UCONN, week of October 5-9.
• On October 1 at 11:00 a.m., First Selectwoman Evonne Klein will give a Proclamation at the Darien Library declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
• Ninety-one purple ribbons are tied on the trees lining the downtown area and Noroton Heights.  The purple ribbons are a symbol of remembrance for the victims of domestic violence. During the fiscal year 2008/2009, there were 91 domestic disturbance calls to the Darien Police Department.
• Posters highlighting the power and control tactics used by perpetrators of domestic abuse to control their victims will be displayed by local merchants in their storefront windows or within their store. Domestic violence is not about anger but power and control.
• Ringing of church bells on October 1 at 12:00 p.m. The bells will ring 91 times for each call made to the Darien Police Department.
• The classic film “Gaslight” will be featured at the Darien Library’s Friday Film Night on October 9.
• “The Legal System’s Response to Domestic Violence” – Presentation by Nancy Dolinsky, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney and Ken Edwards, Jr., an Inspector in the CT Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, Specialized Domestic Violence Unit – October 14, 10:00 a.m. Darien Town Hall, Room 206.
• Fairfield University: Saturday October 24, members of MFT3 will be panelists for a discussion regarding Domestic Violence.
• “Hit Me On Your Cell”: Thursday, December 3, 9-7pm, Saxe Middle School, New Canaan, CT. Several town DV task forces join with the DVCC to present a program focusing on teen digital abuse. John Seigenthaler of Weston will be the moderator. In addition, teens are working on a short video illustrating what the students have seen, heard, or experienced concerning this issue.

And the list goes on. Please feel free to contact MFT3 by e-mail or by phone at 203-416-6008 as our clinicians are trained to respond in a sensitive and confidential way to any of your questions.

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Today’s topic was one near and dear to my heart and my profession as a therapist – domestic violence. I embrace every opportunity to speak about the real face of domestic violence, to break the myths and help end the generational cycle of abuse.

As I promised on the show, here are some of the best resources (National and local) if you suspect that you or someone you love is in an abusive relationship. Remember, you don’t need a black eye or a hospital stay for a relationship to be abusive or illegal, some of the deepest and longest lasting wounds happen on the inside.

Help is ready and available. Join me in talking about this problem.

• 24-hour, toll-free National Domestic Violence Hotline  1-800-799-SAFE http://www.ndvh.org
• 24-hour, toll-free Connecticut statewide hotline  1-888-774-2900
• The first of its kind, NTDAH will operate via telephone and Web 24 hours a day and will be staffed by both teen and adult advocates. Teens (and parents) anywhere in the country can call toll free, 1-866-331-9474 or log on to the interactive Web site, loveisrespect.org
• Loveisnotabuse.com Tips and tools to start the conversation with your teen, in your school, in your community.
• CWF  (The Center for Women and Families of Eastern Fairfield County, Inc.)
  753 Fairfield Avenue,
Bridgeport, CT
 (203) 384-9559 www.cwfefc.org
• DVCC  (Domestic Violence Crisis Center)  1-888-774-2900 www.dvccct.org
  Norwalk, CT (203) 852-1980 and Stamford, CT (203) 357-8162
• CCADV  (Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence) (860) 282-7899 http://www.ctcadv.org
• 2-1-1 Infoline in Connecticut
• Worldwide  hotpeachpages.net

Check back in October for another radio guest spot and further resources for specific populations, namely affluent victims and resources for teens regarding dating choices.

As always, MFT3 is ready and able to help if you are experiencing abuse or violence in your relationship. We can be reached at (203) 416-6008 or at . All calls and emails are completely confidential.