Firewalkers

Firewalkers is a new project at VOCAL. Firewalkers will be a “living anthology” including a book of interviews and articles, a photo series, and outreach events where people can share their stories of transformation through mental illness. Our goal is to change the way people feel about mental illness, to offer a new paradigm for understanding the journey of mental illness, and to help change the climate and culture of our state after the tragedy at Virginia Tech and the subsequent changes in mental health legislation.

We hope to reach out across our state with a message of a different way of viewing mental illness, and create a deeper understanding of what it means, and what is possible. Together we are embarking on this journey to heal and create wholeness in people’s minds and hearts.

Finding Seven Firewalkers: A Sacred Quest
Learn more about the seven people who will appear in our book, and how we found them.

Firewalkers: Stories from the Crucible
Reflections on Firewalkers from the Peer Editorial Team

Firewalkers Proposal
A grant proposal that explains all the details of the firewalkers project – who is doing what and what we are doing.

Firewalkers Expansion Proposal
A short follow-up grant proposal to increase the strategy, design, creative direction and outreach for Firewalkers

How to Become a Firewalker
The deadline to apply for Firewalkers has now passed. This is the outreach application we used to find Firewalkers.

Where to Share Your Story
Places to share your story of mental illness and recovery. 

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Firewalkers is brought to you by. . .

This project is designed, created, and led by people in mental health recovery.

Firewalkers Peer Editorial Team: Cassandra Nudel, Ann Benner, Bev Ball, Debra Knighton, Ken Moore, Brian Parrish, Cynthia Power, Mitzi Ware, Heather Peck, Yolande Long Hairfield, Carol McLaughlin.

Firewalkers Storytellers: Myra Anderson, Carla Beck, Debra Knighton, Joni Raskin, Michelle Sese-Khalid, Lauren Spiro, Tracy D. Stuart

Firewalkers is a project of the VOCAL Network, a statewide network of mental health consumers. 

This project was made possible thanks funding from:

The Campaign for Mental Health Reform, part of the SAMHSA's Resource Center to Promote Acceptance, Dignity and Social Inclusion Associated with Mental Health (ADS Center)

National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center, a program of Mental Health America.

Virginia DMHMRSAS, Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Substance Abuse Services