Where to Share Your Story

Mental Health America. People with Mental Illness Share Their Stories. This one-of-a-kind project invites people with mental illnesses to break the silence and share their stories. We all know how empowering human connections are to those seeking wellness and recovery. By speaking out about personal experiences, individuals may help give a voice to the 57.7 million American adults-and as many as one in 10 children-who have a mental health diagnosis. Through real stories, others may find help and can open the door to the truth about mental illness: that it 's real, common and treatable. For the full story or to submit a story, go to: www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives  or Contact them at reallives@mentalhealthamerica.net (703) 684-7722
 

Open Minds Quarterly is a psychosocial literary magazine that publishes the writing of consumer/survivors of mental illness. Often, people with mental illness are stigmatized, or overlooked. Once you read an issue of Open Minds Quarterly, you'll see what we see: strong, creative, intelligent, human writers, people who have stories to share. Our magazine opens minds, and opens hearts. Poetry, fiction, essays, first-person accounts, and more. (705) 675-9193, ext. 8286 http://nisa.on.ca/  (click on the link for Open Minds Quarterly)

National Empowerment Center Recovery Stories. We believe one of the most helpful resources is to hear the stories of those who have an actual experience of recovery. For that reason we are excited to begin a new page on our website dedicated to the stories of some folks who have had an experience of severe emotional anguish some call “mental illness” and who have had the experience of recovery. Their words can tell you most authentically about the real experience of recovery. As you read several stories, perhaps you will notice certain themes that may help you in your own recovery. May you receive hope and inspiration from their stories. If you would like to have your story considered for the website please send it to recoverystories@power2u.org. http://www.power2u.org/articles/recovery/recovery_stories/stories.html

 
Stories of Self Determination. This blog is a place for people with disabilities to write stories about their lives. It is a place where they can write about what they did to get the life they wanted. It is about self-determination. It can also be about what kind of life you are trying to get, but don’t have yet. You can write a story about what isn’t working for you. Maybe somebody will read it who can help you have the life you want. These are your stories and you can write them the way you want to write them. You can ask someone to help you write your story. It is your story and you can tell it any way you want to tell it. http://selfdetermination.wordpress.com/  

VOCAL Network – Welcomes poems, stories and personal writing by consumers in Virginia for consideration for publication on our website and newsletter. Send your writing to network@vocalvirginia.org. Please include a note indicating that you are giving permission to publish this piece. www.vocalnetwork.org  (877) 862-5638

The MindFreedom Personal Story Project collects histories from psychiatric survivors and mental health consumers about their experiences of survival, resistance, recovery and self-determination in the mental health system. Many participants in the project have struggled through difficult emotional times, and all have suffered through psychiatric labeling and an often abusive and patronizing mental health system, yet they survived, and even thrive. http://www.mindfreedom.org/personal-stories  (Note: we are not sure if mindfreedom is still accepting stories for this project. Please contact them to find out more.) 1-877-MAD-PRID

StoryCorps. Our mission is to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening. Since 2003, almost 30,000 everyday people have shared life stories with family and friends in our StoryBooths. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the Library of Congress. Millions listen to our broadcasts on public radio and the web. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind. http://www.storycorps.net

In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is a unique public education program developed by NAMI, in which two trained consumer speakers share compelling personal stories about living with mental illness and achieving recovery. IOOV is an opportunity for those who have struggled with mental illness to gain confidence and to share their individual experiences of recovery and transformation. Throughout the IOOV presentation, audience members are encouraged to offer feedback and ask questions. Audience participation is an important aspect of IOOV because the more audience members become involved, the closer they come to understanding what it is like to live with a mental illness and stay in recovery. (703) 524-7600 http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=In_Our_Own_Voice 

SAMHSA My Story Page. The personal accounts found here are true stories of real people and their experiences with mental illnesses. These people have confronted stigma and discrimination, but with help and hope are in recovery or know someone who has experienced recovery. They have chosen to share their stories to inspire others and help people understand that mental illnesses are real, common, and treatable—and that recovery is possible. To share your experiences with mental illnesses: E-mail: ebiinfo@samhsa.gov. http://www.allmentalhealth.samhsa.gov/mystory.html  ____________________________________________________________