January, 3rd Monday
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Civil Rights, Peace, Nonviolence. I have a page just for MLK.

February 26 – March 3, 2012
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Held annually during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, NEDA educates and screens for eating disorders and connects those at-risk with local resources. Many people struggle with the way they look or how they feel about their bodies, with one out of three normal dieters progressing to pathological dieting. In the United States, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder, which has one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness.http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/programs-events/nedawareness-week.php

National Eating Disorders Screening Program^® (NEDSP) online and in the community screening program: http://mentalhealthscreening.org/events/national-eating-disorder-screening-program.aspx

April 5, 2011
National Alcohol Screening Day
Online, in the community. Held annually on Thursday of the first full week of April, NASD is an outreach, education, and screening program that raises awareness about alcohol misuse and refers individuals with alcohol problemfor further evaluation. The program is provided by nearly a thousand colleges, community-based organizations, and military installations world-wide each year. Organized by Screening for Mental Healthhttp://mentalhealthscreening.org/events/national-alcohol-screening-day.aspx

April 1 – 30, 2012
Alcohol Awareness Month
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.
244 East 58th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(800) NCA-CALL (622-2255) (24-hour helpline)
(212) 269-7797
(212) 269-7510 Fax
national@ncadd.org
www.ncadd.org
Materials available

May 1 – May 7, 2012
National Children’s Mental Health Week
This week is dedicated to increasing public awareness about the triumphs and challenges in children’s mental health and emphasizing the importance of family and youth involvement in the children’s mental health movement! Organized by National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health http://www.ffcmh.org/

May 1 – May 31, 2012
Mental Health Month
Mental Health America is proud to continue its tradition of celebrating “May is Mental Health Month,” which began in 1949. Organized by Mental Health America http://www.nmha.org/

May 19 – May 25, 2012
Older Americans’ Mental Health Week
An annual opportunity to spread the message that mental illness is not a normal part of aging. Public awareness increases a community’s understanding of mental illness and reduces the stigma that keeps many older Americans from seeking help. Public awareness activities can range from an information display at a library to a speaker panel event. Together, during Older Americans’ Mental Health Week, we will continue to tell the American public and policy makers that: mental illness is not a normal part of aging; mental illnesses are real, common and treatable; the more people know, the more they can help themselves and others; and healthy adults continue to learn, enjoy life and contribute to society. Organized by The Older Women’s League (OWL) http://www.mentalhealthweek.org/Welcome.html

May 20 – May 26, 2012
Schizophrenia Awareness Week
One out of every one hundred people has schizophrenia. People with this illness not only face difficult and at times debilitating symptoms, but they also face a society that stigmatizes and often isolates them. Organized by Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America.http://www.sardaa.org

June 27, 2012
National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution authored by Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., designating June 27 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day. http://bit.ly/bSV5VGOrganized by United States Senate.

July 1 – July 31, 2012
National Minority Mental Health Month
In 2008 the US House of Representatives proclaimed July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This provides NAMI state and affiliates with a wonderful opportunity to reach out to diverse communities. Learn more about Bebe here.  Organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) http://bit.ly/gZN8iG

September 1 – September 30, 2012
National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month
Recovery Month aims to promote the societal benefits of alcohol and drug use disorder treatment, laud the contributions of treatment providers, and promote the message that recovery from alcohol and drug disorders in all its forms is possible. Organized by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)http://www.recoverymonth.gov/

September 4 – September 10, 2011
National Suicide Prevention Week
Suicide prevention is everyone’s business and anyone can participate in National Suicide Prevention Week.  Suicide and suicidal behavior affects individuals of all ages, genders, races and religions across the planet. Suicide affects more men than women in all countries but China. Risk factors remain essentially the same from country to country. Mental illness, substance abuse, previous suicide attempts, hopelessness, access to lethal means, recent loss of loved ones, unemployment and vulnerability to self-harm are just a few examples of risk factors. Protective factors are also the same in all corners of the world. High self-esteem, social connectedness, problem-solving skills, supportive family and friends are all examples of factors that buffer against suicide and suicidal behaviors. Organized by American Association of Suicidology.  http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/about-aas/nspw

September 8, 2012
World Suicide Prevention Day
We believe that through a combined effort at an international and local level, a difference to the lives of many will be made. Suicide Can be Prevented. * The WHO has noted that not all suicides can be prevented, but a majority can. * Developing and implementing national strategies as well as specific local interventions can lower rates of suicide in diverse populations. * Successful approaches to suicide prevention have includes: restricting access to means; establishing community prevention programs; establishing guidelines for media reporting; and engaging with frontline professionals through gate keeper training programs Organized by International Association for Suicide Prevention.http://www.iasp.info/wspd/index.php

October
Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

October 7 – October 13, 2012
Mental Illness Awareness Week
In 1990, the U.S. Congress established the first week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) in recognition of NAMI’s efforts to raise mental illness awareness. Since 1990, mental health advocates across the country have joined together during the first full week of October to celebrate. MIAW has become a NAMI tradition. It presents an opportunity to all NAMI state organizations and affiliates across the country to work together in communities to achieve the NAMI mission through outreach, education and advocacy. The National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding is Tuesday. Organized by NAMI.  http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=mental_illness_awareness_week

October 4, 2012
National Bipolar Awareness Day
In recognition of National Bipolar Awareness Day, the IBPF is introducing our own version of Pay it Forward: Say it Forward! Take the time today to educate one person about bipolar disorder. If that person does the same, and so on, think of how much change we can create.  Organized by International Bipolar Foundation.http://www.internationalbipolarfoundation.org/

October 4, 2012
National Depression Screening Day
Held annually during Mental Illness Awareness Week in October, NDSD raises awareness and screens people for depression and related mood and anxiety disorders. NDSD is the nation’s oldest voluntary, community-based screening program that provides referral information for treatment. More than half a million people each year have been screened for depression since 1991. Spread the Word about National Depression Screening Day – select a news brief to post to your website or email to your community. Organized by Screening for Mental Health:http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/national-depression-screening-day.aspx

October 10, 2012
Worldwide Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day raises public awareness about mental health issues. The Day promotes more open discussion of mental disorders, and investments in prevention and treatment services. The treatment gap for mental, neurological and substance use disorders is formidable especially in poor resource countries. Physical and mental health are intertwined. There is a real need to deal with mental health problems of people with chronic physical illnesses and physical care of mental health consumers through a continued and integrated care. Organized by the World Health Organization. See World Federation for Mental Health for annual themes: http://www.wfmh.com/00WorldMentalHealthDay.htm

November 17, 2011
International Survivors of Suicide Day
International Survivors of Suicide Day is a day of healing for those who have lost someone to suicide. The third Saturday in November was designated as National Survivors of Suicide Day by United States Senate resolution in 1999 through the efforts of Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, who lost his father to suicide. Every year, AFSP sponsors an event to provide an opportunity for the survivor community to come together for support, healing, information and empowerment. In recognition of the fact that the problem of suicide know no geographic or national boundaries, AFSP’s event is now titled International Survivors of Suicide Day. For more information see: http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?page_id=fee7d778-cf08-cb44-da1285b6bbcf366e

Add others into this … and then have them auto post from ifttt.com to link on this page on my FB/twitter. Add an anchor to each item below so can have the ifttt.com link directly to each item.

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My children’s mother is magnificent. My own mother was phenomenal. Neither is nor was perfect nor did they have to be. With pride and gratitude I can echo Abraham Lincoln’s sentiment, “Everything I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” My mother and step-father taught me to respect women, girls, mothers and wives. My children are learning the same from my wife and me. My boys will honor the women in their lives and my girls will expect to be honored by the men in their lives.

Mothers Day is obviously a great day to show appreciation for our mothers. However, one day is not sufficient. Appreciation, to be effective, must be expressed frequently, regularly and consistently. Appreciation is a relationship non-optional. While appreciation does not need to be over-the-top I think we can easily go beyond one card once a year. Here, then, are seven ways for honoring mothers throughout the year: http://marriageenvy.com/products/7-ways-to-honor-mothers/

honoring mothers, honouring mothers, mom, mother's day, mother's day quotes, motherhood, Mothers, quotes

COMPLIMENTARY E-TICKETS

for ALL Utah Parents and Families to the

 “First Lady’s Parenting Conference and Expo”

on May 4^th and 5^th at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City

Because of the strong and generous support of our community supporters and partners; we are able to extend complimentary tickets to the “First Lady’s Parenting Conference and Expo” to ALL parents and families who are interested in attending.  Please forward this to all your contacts and make the tickets available to as many as possible.

Remember the event will be held at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City on May 4th and 5th. Here is the First Lady’s Conference Packet with detailed information along with a Complimentary e-ticket for each person attending.

All complimentary electronic tickets and printed tickets will be honored for admission and must be shown at the door.  Tickets shown on iPhones or electronically are acceptable for individuals, couples and families.  Please note that there will still be a charge of $10.00 at the door for those who do not get their tickets in advance, so please make sure everyone entering has a copy of the ticket.

We encourage you to post the Conference Packet on your school and organization website.  It is the desire and goal of the First Lady of Utah, Jeanette Herbert and her “Uplift Utah Families” Board and Task Force, that this conference reach as many Utah families as possible.

Please note that the Conference portion is for parents and adults only, while the Expo and Car Exhibit are open to the entire family.

Thank you,

 

Steve James
Executive Director
Uplift Utah Families
Initiative of the First Lady of Utah
801.243.4004
steve@somethinggoodinc.com

Author: Unknown. Source: Emailed by my buddy’s wife.

(1) Fine : This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes : If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing : This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead : This is a dare, not permission. Don’t Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh : This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That’s Okay : This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That’s okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks : A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you’re welcome. (I want to add in a clause here – This is true, unless she says “Thanks a lot” – that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say “you’re welcome.” That will bring on a “whatever”).

(8) Whatever : Is a woman’s way of saying…drop dead.

(9) Don’t worry about it, I got it : Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking “What’s wrong?” For the woman’s response refer to # 3.

“Train hard, fight easy. Train easy, fight hard.”
—Military saying.

This military saying is also true in relationship work: Do the hard work of getting trained in relationship skills and then practice, practice, practice. Conflicts then become much easier to manage and resolve, and the results are easy to live with. Don’t learn the skills and don’t practice then the conflicts are not only hard they are hard to live with the aftermath.

RELATED POST: “Easier Said Than Done.” Well, No Duh!

“Blessed is he who stops being a marriage moron.”
—The Book of Jonathan

“Yea, verily, and the relationship dip wad shall partake of the vine of bitterness.”
—The Book of Jonathan

“For he who dies upon the ‘Altar of Right’ shall find that being right offers scant warmth in an empty bed.”
—The Book of Jonathan

Friends, I am still astounded (even though I should know better) when I hear some men use the “argument”, “Because I’m the man” to get their way and to exert control over their partners. That this still continues in this day and age is really amazing… and pathetic. Yet it does still and it takes all my professional training to keep from… Well, I won’t say.

Fortunately, there are many men who have long ago rejected that worn-out oppressive model. I am grateful that my best friends treat their wives with all the respect they deserve, defer to them, adore and respect them. I am also surrounded by many good men in my neighborhood and church who feel the same way. The thought of using the “because I’m the man” to them would equal what we abhorrently call in our church “unrighteous dominion.” So thankfully, most of the men I know are good, kind, caring men.

Personally, I first learned what it meant to really be a man from my step-father in a way that has made me proud to the kind of man that my dear wife and children love, admire and respect. Instead of learning a sense of entitlement “because I’m the man” I learned a sense of duty as follows:

Thanks to my step-father’s example in my house growing up “Because I’m the man…” meant: 

• Being responsible to provide for his family;
• Believing that being a man of God = bowing in humble service to his wife;
• Serving my mom/his wife in countless ways: loving us kids, washing the dishes, cooking meals, etc. I loved my mom so incredibly dearly and to have a man enter our lives who also loved her, admired her and respected her just as much made me love him all the more;
• Doing many fun, romantic, silly things for her, making up elaborate and often suggestive nicknames for her that made her giggle and exclaim, “Oh, George!”
• Praying and fasting for my sick mother night after night, year after year with great faith and earnestness, and ”mourning with her as she mourned”;
• Being willing to humble your stubbornness and admit when you’re wrong;
• Being willing to seek help and counsel;
• Being attracted to a strong woman (such as my dad to my mother, and me to my wife) and allowing them to help you become a stronger man;
• Being a true partner, a true helpmeet;
• That true strength didn’t come from pride and ego but from humility and compassion;
• Keeping his faith even in spite of trial after trial after trial after trial after trial…
• Affair- and divorcing-proofing your marriage—most female clients I’ve had have stated time and time again that these are exactly the traits they’ve always wanted in their partner. Further, if they had left their partner it was often because of the absence of these traits;
• Showing his son how to fix things both around the house, under the car and in the heart;
• Being patient, compassionate and understanding when his 16-year-old son (me) crashes the car two-weeks after getting his license. And then regaling his son and his friends (who were scared I was “going to get it!”) with all the funny, crazy and idiotic things he did with vehicles as a youth.

That’s what it meant to be the man in my home growing up. And I’m trying to make sure that’s what it means to my kids in their home now.

PS: Years ago a friend shared, “I’m the Man” from the Bob and Tom show with me. It’s a fun play on the juxtaposition from the old school to the new school relationship between men and women. I play this at some of my workshops as an ice-breaker. Great stuff:

chauvinism, chivalry, I'm the man bob and tom, men and women, respecting women, service, unrighteous dominion

THE SONG: Magnolia Wind, by Guy Clark

I’d rather sleep in a box like a bum on the street
Than a fine feather bed without your little ol’ cold feet
And I’d rather be deaf, dumb and stone blind
Than to know that your mornings will never be mine

And I’d rather die young than to live without you
And I’d rather go hungry than to eat lonesome stew
You know it’s once in a lifetime and it won’t come again
It’s here and it’s gone on a magnolia wind

I’d rather not walk through the garden again
If I can’t catch your scent on a magnolia wind

So if it ever comes time that it comes time to go
Sis pack up your fiddle Sis pack up your bow
And if I can’t dance with you then I won’t dance at all
I’ll just sit this one out with my back to the wall

I’d rather not hear pretty music again
If I can’t catch your fiddle on a magnolia wind
If I can’t catch your scent on a magnolia wind

THE NOTE

Hey Cold Feet,

I think this is one of the most lovely songs I’ve ever heard. Nothing would make up for not having your “little ol’ cold feet” on me in the night. It’s one of the single most sublime pleasures of my life.

Love,

Foot Warmer.

THE GR PRINCIPLE

Appreciate that it is the small and the seemingly mundane things that cleverly hide the sublime and the sacred. Appreciation is more than nice, it is the soul of wisdom.

LISTEN TO ALL THE SONGS IN THE 52 LOVE SONGS PROJECT HERE

My colleague, dear friend and hands down one of THE single best therapists I’ve ever known, Jason Williams, LMFT (www.associatedpsych.com) gives some great advice on how to teach your children how to handle bullies. Watch the interview here. Jason and I struggled through grad school together, commuted to and worked at Valley Mental Health together, presented many workshops together and began our dreams of private practice together. He’s a fine man and a gifted therapist. Enjoy.

Hey, I’m having a great day today, but somedays I just really have crap days… In case you’re having a crap day, take a moment to listen to “Proud of You” by witty, soulful and profound musician Chris Conway (chrisconway.org). It’s the 8th song on this playlist:

As you struggle remember what my dear colleague Julie Blanton always says, that “This too shall pass.” And also remember “T.T.T.”:

 T. T. T.
—Piet  Hein

Put up in a place
where it's easy to see
the cryptic admonishment
     T. T. T.

When you feel how depressingly
slowly you climb,
it's well to remember that
     Things Take Time.

Just hang in there, friend. You’re not done yet. Today doesn’t decide your tomorrow. I’m proud of you for just trying. Keep trying. You’ll get it. Really. Trust me.

Peace,

Jonathan