14:58  31 July 2020 California

Studying the performance by actress Marsha Mason (portraying Maggie Paul) in the movie CINDERELLA LIBERTY  (screenplay by Darryl Ponicsan) led me to watching (again) the movie THE GOODBYE GIRL (written by Neil Simon) where Ms. Mason portrays Paula McFadden.

By the way – the term “Cinderella Liberty” is used in the Navy -  a pass that expires at midnight.

In the movie The Goodbye Girl,  Richard Dreyfuss portrays Elliot Garfield (Mr. Dreyfuss’s performance brought him the Best Actor Oscar award.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-whraNgiWH0 )

In the movie version of the play LOST IN YONKERS (written by Neil Simon), Mr. Dreyfuss portrays Louie Kurnitz (Uncle Louie the gangster).

One video leads to another to another ….

Mindscape: Oscar-winning Actor Richard Dreyfuss on Living with Bipolar Disorder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsE6c4XkiAc

The Menninger Clinic Chief of Staff John M. Oldham, MD, MS interviews actor Richard Dreyfuss who talks about his experience living with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder also known as manic depressive disorder.

Mr. Dreyfuss said:

“I started calling myself manic-depressive when I was 14.”

“… when people say ‘I looked up at the stars, I realized how small I was.’  Well, when I looked up at the stars, I knew how big I was.”

Dr. Oldham asked Mr. Dreyfuss about stigmas.

Mr. Dreyfuss said:

“I did not fall into the trap of hating myself.”

“One of the reasons I said that my manic-depression worked for me was that I was able to turn every bad thing into a good thing … when I was not a good academic student, I became the best glib talker in class. They couldn’t fail me because I was too vivid….”

“Right protocol of medication. I am Richard inclusive of my drugs.”

“The darkness of depression”

Mr. Dreyfuss didn’t use one-word adjectives; he told us stories (his experiences), he painted pictures for us.

Thank you, Mr. Dreyfuss! You have helped me gain understanding of how my mother suffered, also how she thrived, living with mental illness.

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Stamp Out Stigma is a consumer driven advocacy and educational outreach program designed to make positive changes in the public perception of mental illness and inform the community about the personal, social, economic and political challenges faced by people living with mental illness. Founded by Carmen Lee. Ms. Lee has moved to eastern USA. Ms. Lee, wherever you go, you educate, inspire, and empower us. Thank you!

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To: Mr. Sam Huss, Community Outreach Specialist at RehabSpot.com

Thank you for your email of July 30, 2020 asking me to include your page  “Determining If You Need Rehab or Detox” https://www.rehabspot.com/treatment/before-begins/determining-need-rehab/

BOOKS:

The Brain’s Way of Healing: Stories of Remarkable Recoveries and Discoveries by Norman Doidge, M.D.

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge, M.D.

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http://californiaclubhouse.org/

California Clubhouse… Working to bring Clubhouse to San Mateo County in 2014  
     Our mission The mission of California Clubhouse is to give those whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness the opportunity to recover meaningful work and relationships as they reintegrate into the broader community.

Thank you, Diane W., for telling me about California Clubhouse’s  immediate goal to raise $350,000 to finance the 2014 launch.  June 2016 now – California Clubhouse’s home is in San Carlos!

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https://nami.org/

National Alliance on Mental Illness

From its inception in 1979, NAMI has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

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https://bringchange2mind.org/

 1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Yet, for many, the stigma associated with the illness, can be as great a challenge as the disease itself. This is where the misconceptions stop. This is where bias comes to an end. This is where we change lives. Because this is where we Bring Change 2 Mind.

BringChange2Mind.org is a not-for-profit organization created by Glenn Close, the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF), Fountain House, and Garen and Shari Staglin of IMHRO (International Mental Health Research Organization).

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How the movie The Goodbye Girl and the movie Lost In Yonkers led to Dr. John M. Oldham’s interviewing Oscar-winner Actor Richard Dreyfuss Living with Bipolar Disorder, Manic Depression… led to my gaining a better understanding of how my mother suffered and also thrived living with mental illness.

I wish you and everyone around you safety, kindness, excellent health, clear water, blue sky, delicious eats, and sweet laughter!

Sincerely,

author Teresa Jade LeYung, mask by Emily O, July 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Author and Theme Consultant Teresa Jade LeYung

“To help prevent spread of COVID-19, I wear face-covering AND keep at least 6-foot distance with people who don’t live with me.  No blaming No shaming; I protect myself and everyone else.”

Author & Playwright Teresa LeYung-Ryan Takes the BringChange2Mind Pledge to Stand Up Against the Stigma of Mental Illness

One in four families are affected by mental illness.

I pledge to follow the Bring Change 2 Mind principles.

http://bringchange2mind.org/get-involved/take-the-pledge/

If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please call the Crisis Hotline: 800.273.TALK (8255)

In San Mateo, California, Stamp Out Stigma Director Carmen Lee says:

“Welcome to Stamp Out Stigma, a community advocacy and educational outreach program dedicated to eradicating the stigma associated with mental illness. Stamp Out Stigma is unique in its anti-stigma approach, by creating a forum in which individuals with mental illness share their personal experiences with the community at large.”  http://www.stampoutstigma.net

I wish everyone a world of love made of heart.

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com

**

While I was feeling hopeful that my friend would meet a physician who would be her medical advocate and help her sort the heaps of notes from meetings with neurologists and lists of side effects from anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, and sleep-aids . . . she was descending to a living hell.

My mom had lived with depression all her life; I thought I understood the illness; I have so much to learn. To learn means to talk and listen, mostly listen.

Talking about depression and mental illness (without hiding behind my book Love Made of Heart) does not scare me anymore, thanks to Judy.  Thank you, dear Judy!

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation – new name for NARSAD  http://bbrfoundation.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness   www.nami.org

Stamp Out Stigma  http://www.stampoutstigma.net

www.bringchange2mind.org  is a not-for-profit organization created by Glenn Close, the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF), Fountain House, and Garen and Shari Staglin of IMHRO (International Mental Health Research Organization)

Books:

The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon examines depression in personal, cultural, and scientific terms. Drawing on his own struggles with the illness and interviews with fellow sufferers, doctors and scientists, policy makers and politicians, drug designers and philosophers, Andrew Solomon reveals the subtle complexities and sheer agony of the disease. He confronts the challenge of defining the illness and describes the vast range of available medications, the efficacy of alternative treatments, and the impact the malady has on various demographic populations — around the world and throughout history. He also explores the thorny patch of moral and ethical questions posed by emerging biological explanations for mental illness. With uncommon humanity, candor, wit, and erudition, award-winning author Solomon takes readers on a journey of incom-parable range and resonance into the most pervasive of family secrets. His contribution to our understanding not only of mental illness but also of the human condition is truly stunning.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  

Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron

In 1985 William Styron fell victim to a crippling and almost suicidal depression, the same illness that took the lives of Randall Jarrell, Primo Levi and Virginia Woolf. That Styron survived his descent into madness is something of a miracle. That he manages to convey its tortuous progression and his eventual recovery with such candor and precision makes Darkness Visible a rare feat of literature, a book that will arouse a shock of recognition even in those readers who have been spared the suffering it describes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison

In her bestselling classic, An Unquiet Mind, Kay Redfield Jamison changed the way we think about moods and madness.

Dr. Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness; she has also experienced it firsthand. For even while she was pursuing her career in academic medicine, Jamison found herself succumbing to the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic depressions that afflicted many of her patients, as her disorder launched her into ruinous spending sprees, episodes of violence, and an attempted suicide.

Here Jamison examines bipolar illness from the dual perspectives of the healer and the healed, revealing both its terrors and the cruel allure that at times prompted her to resist taking medication. An Unquiet Mind is a memoir of enormous candor, vividness, and wisdom—a deeply powerful book that has both transformed and saved lives.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

http://www.onbeing.org/program/soul-depression/224

On Being with Krista Tippett

THE SOUL IN DEPRESSION  the podcast: http://www.onbeing.org/program/soul-depression/224/audio?embed=1

Krista Tippett in conversations with Andrew Soloman, Parker Palmer, and Anita Barrows.

One in ten Americans, and even more dramatically, about one in four women, will experience clinical depression at some point in their lives. We take an intimate look at the spiritual dimensions of this illness and its aftermath.

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Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Love Made of Heart inspires adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their loved ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*****

Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan here, looking forward to four related events/projects.

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Thanks to Bardi Rosman Koodrin’s encouragement, I’m sponsoring a writing contest through the San Mateo County Fair Literary Arts Dept.

DIVISION 342 – THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE: NOVEL, MEMOIR, OR SHORT STORY Writing Contest
Sponsored by Teresa LeYung Ryan, author of  Love Made of Heart (the story that inspires daughters and mothers to speak from their hearts)

Contest entries must be received by 7:00 pm, Friday, April 29, 2011 or postmarked by April 25^th, 2011

http://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/competitive-exhibits/departments/literary-arts

After you go to above link, look at left side of the webpage and click on [ Entry Book Pages ] for general rules.

http://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/pdf/guide_book/creative_arts.pdf

Scroll down to page 66 for details of  THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE: NOVEL, MEMOIR, OR SHORT STORY writing contest.

http://lovemadeofheart.com

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Wisdom Has a Voice: Every Daughter’s Memories of Mother

This groundbreaking anthology, to be released October 2011, will include 25 true and compelling stories about mothers (or mother figures) that express the wisdom shared or learned from a particular experience with each woman.   http://wisdomhasavoice.com

Editor-in-Chief Kate Farrell has asked me, Teresa LeYung Ryan, to write advance praise; the other two members of the editorial team are JC Miller and Ana Manwaring; they are only weeks away from completing final edits. I so look forward to reading stories written by women representing each continent. Kate, I’m honored.

I’m a fan of Kate Farrell’s literary works. Take a look at her young-adult novel Girl In the Mirror

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Saturday, May 21, 2011 Asian Heritage Street Celebration (AHSC), organized by the AsianWeek Foundation

Two years ago author Margie Yee Webb helped me reconnect with the Asian-American community by inviting me to exhibit my book Love Made of Heart at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration (AHSC). Thank you, Margie!

This year, Margie Yee Webb (author of Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings), Lloyd Lofthouse (author of My Splendid Concubine), Patricia Tsang, M.D. (author of Optimal Healing: A Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine) and yours truly Teresa LeYung Ryan (author of Love Made of Heart and Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days) will share a booth.  Please stop by the California Writers Club booth and say hello if you’re going to the Asian Heritage Street Celebration

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May is National Mental Health Month in the United States of America.

Thank you to mental health professionals and advocates and organizations including National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI, Stamp Out Stigma (founded by Carmen Lee), and BringChange2Mind (created by Glenn Close, the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation CABF, Fountain House, and Garen and Shari Staglin of International Mental Health Research Organization IMHRO.

BringChange2Mind Walks with NAMI BringChange2Mind is forming NAMIWalks teams across the country, and a portion of the funds they raise will benefit their mission to combat the stigma associated with mental illness via a national communications campaign.

Twelve million children and adolescents suffer from diagnosable mental health disorders.

1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Yet, for many, the stigma associated with the illness, can be as great a challenge as the disease itself. This is where the misconceptions stop. This is where bias comes to an end. This is where we change lives. Because this is where we Bring Change 2 Mind.   The video  BC2M Nami Walks 2010 is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it2S0ja2GlU

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“My beautiful mom suffered mental illness and its stigmas all her life. I celebrate National Mental Health Month, Mother’s Day, and all mental health advocates.  Mom, I celebrate you!”

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

]]> http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/writing-contest-immigrant-experience-asian-heritage-street-celebration-2011-wisdom-has-a-voice-anthology-mothers-and-daughters/feed/ 0 http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/happy-birthday-to-the-characters-in-love-made-of-heart/ http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/happy-birthday-to-the-characters-in-love-made-of-heart/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 18:00:55 +0000 admin http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/?p=1533 Happy Birthday to Love Made of Heart!  My novel (published by Kensington Publishing, New York) made her debut on October 1, 2002

Thank you to everyone named on my acknowledgment page!

In addition to the folks I thanked on my post http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/first-book-turned-seven-in-october/, I wish to thank everyone else who has kept Love Made of Heart alive and well!

I celebrate the memorable characters who have taught me how to talk to my mother, how to see life through new eyes, how to forgive one’s self.

author Teresa LeYung Ryan celebrates the characters in Love Made of Heart

I celebrate everyone who advocates compassion for mental illness.

• Love Made of Heart inspires adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas that their parents suffer.

I celebrate National Alliance on Mental Illness www.nami.org From its inception in 1979, NAMI has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

I celebrate Carmen Lee & everyone at Stamp Out Stigma.  www.stampoutstigma.org Stamp Out Stigma is a consumer driven advocacy and educational outreach program designed to make positive changes in the public perception of mental illness and inform the community about the personal, social, economic and political challenges faced by people living with mental illness. Founded by Carmen Lee.

I celebrate Glenn Close and everyone at Bring Change 2 Mind bringchange2mind.org The idea of a national anti-stigma campaign was born of a partnership between Glenn Close and Fountain House, where Glenn volunteered in order to learn about mental illness, which both her sister and nephew suffer from.Glenn Close’s documentary film “Pax” will be featured at the 2nd Annual Lady Filmmakers Film Festival! Oct 8-10, 2010 Click Here http://ladyfilmmakers.com/Home_Page_MV6D.php for more information.  At the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, CA

Love Made of Heart inspires adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas that their parents suffer.

Publisher’s Note: Kensington Publishing Corp, NY

“The Chinese word for ‘love’ is made up of many brush strokes. In the center of the word ‘love’ is the word ‘heart.’ Love is made of heart…”

Twenty-seven-year-old Ruby Lin has what many women envy: a beautiful apartment in one of San Francisco’s best neighborhoods, a busy social life, and a coveted position as manager of special events for the tony St. Mark’s Hotel. But it’s Ruby’s personal life that’s become unmanageable ever since the day her mother’s emotional breakdown forced Ruby to hospitalize her, shaming the family. Now, Ruby is caught in the crossroads between two vastly different cultures-one in which she is the American girl, raised on kitschy television shows and black-and-white movies, and one in which she is known only as Daughter, the eldest, fulfiller of responsibilities.

In putting together the pieces of her mother’s life, Ruby finds herself exploring the wounds of her own past. Starting with a forbidden locked tin box and the yellowing photograph inside, Ruby embarks on a startling journey of self-discovery that takes her through a family history rife with violence, betrayal and loss that reaches back through generations, from China to America, and finally to the secret pain of a mother’s sacrifice. Like the Chinese calligraphy that adorns her walls, Ruby comes to see that “life is not a straight road,” but a language drawn with many brush strokes, where every misunderstanding must yield to the simple message of the heart.

Filled with warmth and wisdom, this luminous debut novel heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in fiction as it explores the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, the choices that divide us, and the love that brings us home.

From http://www.mhprofessional.com/templates/chases/special-months.php

October is:

•    Antidepressant Death Awareness Month
•    Depression Education and Awareness Month
•    Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart; writing-career coach, founder of GraceArt Publishing

This is Post #4 to follow-up on my three posts published on July 25 & 27, 2010

Re: what happened to my cousin July 22/July 23, 2010

Thursday August 5, 2010 a Victim’s Advocate at Community Violence Solutions “CVS” http://www.cvsolutions.org/ called me to offer help.

I gained nuggets from our conversation:

• The Victim’s Advocate at CVS  said the police ought to have escorted my cousin (because of her mental capacity of a ten-year-old or younger) to a “Children’s Interview Center” that night.  The Children and Adolescent Sexual Abuse Resource Center (CASARC) is an agency in the San Francisco Department of Public Health http://www.sfghf.net/programs/casarc.html For Contra Costa County, CA, there is: The Children’s Interview Center of Contra Costa, a program of Community Violence Solutions http://www.cvsolutions.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=70
• San Francisco Women Against Rape SFWAR  http://www.sfwar.org/resources.html I looked at their website; they show pamphlets in many languages;  http://www.sfwar.org/programs.html lists their programs

* * * * *

Resources for Caregivers from the National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI
Full list at http://www.namisf.org/support.html (for families & friends in San Francisco)

NAMI-SF SUPPORT GROUPS
For Family Members Caregivers and Friends Only

• 1010 Gough, San Francisco
  2nd Wednesday at 6:30
  Contact Vicki Evans at 415-661-5208
• SF General Hospital
  7th Floor Room 7 M 30
  Tuesdays, 5:15 – 6:45 p.m.
  Call Susanne Killing at 415-558-5900

• New Family Support Group at Kaiser Hospital, French Campus, 4141 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco on the second Saturday of each month 10:30-Noon.
  Contact Pam Polos at 650-862-2886
• Sibling & Adult Children Network
  Call Mary Gullekson at 415-474-7010 for information
• Bilingual & Monolingual Support Groups
• Chinese Families Mental Health Alliance. Ed Koo 415-352-2047

* * * * *

Perhaps these nuggets are to help everyone gain awareness, get resources, and further promote advocacy for the mentally disabled community.  Law enforcement personnel need more education. We all need more education and resources to better help those who cannot speak for themselves.

My cousin’s siblings are focusing on their sister’s well-being and I am 100% supportive of their efforts.

I’ll be writing to  BringChange2Mind.org (the not-for-profit organization created by Glenn Close, CABF the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation , Fountain House, and Garen and Shari Staglin of IMHRO International Mental Health Research Organization).

http://www.bringchange2mind.org/

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

Eve Ensler spoke eloquently on TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) in 2004.  In 20 precious minutes, Eve talked about how The Vagina Monologues came to be; Marsha Lopez in Afghanistan; Esther Chavez in Juarez, Mexico; Agnes In Kenya, help stop female genital mutilation; her belief in Mr. Alligator who would come to her rescue when she was a girl; 1 in 3 women are beatened or raped; Susan Sarandon, Glenn Close, Whoopi Goldberg; purpose & intent; date-rape, drugs; Vagina Warriors; when we give what we want the most.

author Elisa Southard with Vagina Monologues cast member Teresa LeYung Ryan & creativity coach Mary Knippel photo by Ellen Gailing

I am so honored that I got to speak some lines from the play. For the past 8 years I’ve been working on my second novel, the story of a first-time published author who is afraid to talk about human-trafficking. I got my chance to speak out with Ms. Ensler’s script.

The performance was a benefit for Community Violence Solutions http://www.cvsolutions.org/. Caring attitude from Director Kathy McCarty, her production team, and members in the cast (women of all ages and diverse cultures from the community); audience was gracious; folks from Community Violence Solutions showed dedication.

I learned to listen for the lines assigned to a fellow actress so that I could speak mine in a seamless fashion.  I learned to get into my body while listening to all the lines; creating a circle of energy was most important.

Thank you, community spirits, for stepping out to say: “Stop the violence.  Stop the suffering.”

Thank you, Elisa Southard http://breakthroughthenoise.com/, for talking to Director Kathy http://galateanplayers.com/ when she announced her desire to direct the play again.

Thank you, Mary Knippel http://openuptoyourcreativity.com/, for getting me there on time on performance day, for getting me home after a long day.

Thank  you, Pat Phillips, Lakshmi Kerner, Amira, Leslie, Debbie, all of Lakshmi’s friends, Joey, Joey’s sisters, Michaela, Mike (sorry I didn’t get a chance to say thanks in person).  Thank you to all my friends, my sis & bro-in-law, my hubby for sending good thoughts.

I’ve met remarkable women in this production; hope to connect with them this year. I reconnected with Cynthia Peterson of CVS; what a joy. Where is our colleague and poet Shirley Phelps?

Ellen Gailing http://ellengailingphotography.com/ took vibrant photos; I’ll post more as I receive them.

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

I, Teresa LeYung Ryan, use my novel Love Made of Heart to:

• shed light on the secret agonies suffered by immigrant women, men and children.
• inspire understanding of mental illness/traumas of the mind.
• help survivors of violence find their own voices through writing.

Love Made of Heart, the story that sheds light on the stigmas & secret agonies suffered by a mentally-ill immigrant mother.

http://LoveMadeofHeart.com/

Writers’ Sanctuary is sponsored by the Moe Green Poetry Hour

On Tuesday, March 16th 2010 , in celebration of Women’s History Month, Writers’ Sanctuary presents visionary author Mary Cox Garner; award-winning author Luisa Adams; author and writing career coach Teresa LeYung Ryan; and international plot consultant Martha Alderson. This program is aimed at people that have a love of words, a book in their head, and are seeking methods of putting their ideas on paper, and developing a story with the potential to become a publish book.

I had fun today!

Kim McMillon creates interesting programs for the literary community.  Her latest creation is “Writers’ Sanctuary” a blog talk radio show. Today she interviewed:

Mary Cox Garner, author of The Hidden Souls of Words:  Keys to Transformation Through the Power of Words http://www.hiddensoulsofwords.com/ In 1995, Mary Cox Garner established a foundation, HOPE, INC., which continues to address both the material and spiritual needs of children and their care givers. She lives with her husband in Washington, D.C., and has three grown sons.

Luisa Adams, author of Woven of Water http://rp-author.com/Adams/ Luisa Adams is an award winning writer, educator, workshop leader, and Licensed Brain Gym® Consultant. She is the mother of five, grandmother of eight, and resides with her husband, Dave, in San Mateo, California when not living by the enchanted lake.

Teresa LeYung Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/ As  community spirit, Teresa LeYung Ryan uses her novel to shed light on stigmas suffered by women, men, and children who have mental illness/traumas to the mind.  She speaks out for those who cannot speak for themselves. [ On the show today, I focused on what I had learned from writing Love Made of Heart, why I need to speak openly about mental illness and the toxic stigmas, Glenn Close’s mission and http://www.bringchange2mind.org/]

Martha Alderson, M.A. is an international plot consultant for writers. Her clients include best-selling authors, New York editors, and Hollywood movie directors. She can help you, too.  http://www.blockbusterplots.com http://plotwhisperer.blogspot.com/ Plot tools that Martha has created include: Blockbuster Plots – Pure and Simple;  The Seven Essential Elements of Scene;  Scene Tracker Kit; DVDs for many genres; and free monthly Plot Tips eZine: http://www.blockbusterplots.com/contact.html

To listen to “Writers’ Sanctuary” blog talk radio show hosted by Kim McMillon, click on: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onword/2010/03/16/writers-sanctuary-hosted-by-kim-mcmillon Mary Cox Garner, Luisa Adams, Teresa LeYung Ryan, Martha Alderson shared insights and posed questions; the show was aired on March 16, 2010 11:30am-1:30pm and is now archived.

Teresa LeYung Ryan is also known as Writing Career Coach Teresa. She is the creator of Build Your Name, Beat the Game: Be Happily Published (a 22 minutes for 22 days workbook for writers to build their platforms before and after publication). Coach Teresa says: “You are THE expert of your experiences. Whether you’re a fiction or non-fiction author, make your name synonymous with the themes / subject matters / issues in your writing.”  http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

1 in 6 Americans go hungry
1 in 6 Americans in poverty
1 in 6 Americans swine flu
1 in 6 traffic fatalities is a pedestrian
1 in 6 h1n1
1 in 6 hungry
1 in 6 men prostate cancer

1 in 6
http://www.bringchange2mind.org/

1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Yet, for many, the stigma associated with the illness, can be as great a challenge as the disease itself. This is where the misconceptions stop. This is where bias comes to an end. This is where we change lives. Because this is where we Bring Change 2 Mind.

911 in-crisis support 800-273-TALK (8255) • 411 mental health information and resources 877-726-4727

One of the best ways you can help someone with mental illness is by understanding what it is – and what it isn’t. After all, myths about mental illnesses contribute to stigma, which often prevents those who are living with it from seeking help.

The fact is, a mental illness is a disorder of the brain – your body’s most important organ – And 1 in 6 adults suffers from brain-related illness including depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD and schizophrenia.

Like most diseases of the body, it has many causes – from genetics to other biological, environmental and social/cultural factors. And just as with most diseases, mental illnesses are no one’s fault. The unusual behaviors associated with some illnesses are symptoms of the disease – not the cause.

But most importantly, mental illnesses are treatable through medication and psychosocial therapies – allowing those who suffer from them the opportunity to lead full and productive lives.

BringChange2Mind.org is a not-for-profit organization created by Glenn Close, the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF), Fountain House, and Garen and Shari Staglin of IMHRO (International Mental Health Research Organization).

The idea of a national anti-stigma campaign was born of a partnership between Glenn Close and Fountain House, where Glenn volunteered in order to learn about mental illness, which both her sister and nephew suffer from.

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan   www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com

As an author and a community spirit, I, Teresa LeYung Ryan, use my novel Love Made of Heart to shed light on stigmas suffered by women, men and children with mental illness/traumas to the mind. I speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.

author Teresa LeYung Ryan uses Love Made of Heart to inspire adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas and gain resources for their families

Other resources:

National Alliance on Mental Illness   www.nami.org

Stamp Out Stigma  http://www.stampoutstigma.net/ Carmen Lee, founder