Skip to main content

Ashley's Upcoming Workshop September 29, 2018

What’s On My Mind? Coping Takes Work! The Workshop (Description)
What’s On My Mind? Coping Takes Work! The Workshop An introduction to a peer’s second book, based on her lived experience with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Despite maintaining wellness, her condition is still an illness that requires work! Eleven years after her first breakdown that resulted in her diagnosis, she has yet another experience where her reality is in diverse worlds in her mind, only. Coping Takes Work! focuses on how she endures the second-time around, still struggling, but not giving in! Through these experiences, reflecting on her first break, and her recent, she still sees hope.

What To Expect from The Workshop
A group discussion on the following concerns and needs to prepare an individual for a crisis and/or hospitalization:

  • Warning Signs
  • Triggers
  • Practical Scenarios 
  • Your Coping Skills 
  • Advance Directive

The Facilitator
Ashley Smith is a lived experienced expert, certified peer specialist (CPS), and speaker. She is a trained speaker with NAMI Georgia and the Respect Institute. Ashley is managing her schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Her recovery journey began in 2007. Despite living with her conditions, she thrives evident by her resiliency, which she discloses on her personal blog, “Overcoming Schizophrenia,” (2008-present). Her first book, which is a collection of blog entries from “Overcoming Schizophrenia,” What’s On My Mind? However, her follow up book, What’s On My Mind? Coping Takes Work! that is devoted to the act of recovery, which is articulated in its title, “coping,” and the work involved. Ashely Smith self-published her book and wants to assist others to do the same. She is president and CEO of EMM Enterprise, LLC. Through EMM Enterprise Ashley guides individuals on how to organize, compile, and to deliver a self-published book! To contact Ashley, visit her blog or website…

Upcoming Book
Ashley Smith authors, What's On My Mind? A Collection of Blog Entries from Overcoming Schizophrenia, which is available on Amazon. Her book reflects on memories of her first breakdown in 2007 that is a vivid account of her processing of the diagnosis of schizophrenia, and bizarre thoughts while experiencing different realities. Likewise, Ashley's writing still shares her story. Her next  book, What’s On My Mind? Coping Takes Work! is inspired by her recent hospitalization in 2018, which she recorded in her journal during her inpatient hospitalization. 

Ashley practices recovery by living it, sharing it, and giving the God of her understanding all the credit for restoring her mind! Despite challenges of living with mental health conditions, which can disrupt all areas of one’s livelihood, Ashley is committed to mental health advocacy! Struggling for her livelihood, but not for her hope. The book, What's On My Mind? Coping Takes Work! is forthcoming...

Register TODAY
2018 Mental Health Conference Voices of Hope: Speaking Out About Mental Health in Church and Community 

  • FREE Event
  • Saturday, September 29, 2018
  • 9 AM to 3 PM
  • The House of Hope church, Dr. E. Dewey Smith (Senior Pastor), located: 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur, GA 30034
  • To learn more about workshops offered, and to register visit: www.faithbasedmentalhealth.org/workshops
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Religious Preoccupation

After a talk, a woman asked me if my faith contributed to my recovery because she noticed that I mentioned it throughout my speech. In addition to that, she told me that she observed people with faith as having a better outcome in their mental health recovery. First, I came from a family with Christian values. My faith in God started to get intense during the latter years of high school, which in my opinion, is when I started having symptoms. In my experience religion plays a major role in my mental health- its delusions, its coping skills, and in my recovery. In medical terms they call my religious rituals and delusions "religious preoccupation." Before I was diagnosed I was highly religious. In fact, I wanted to be an evangelist and to go to a Christian college. I would read my Bible for several hours a day throughout the day, listen to hymns, and meditate. Sometimes I would ignore people if they wanted my attention while I was meditating I was in such deep thought. Also, I...
15 comments
Read more

The Path that God Chose for Me

I am not upset that I have schizophrenia, this is the life God chose for me. The other day I was telling my mother I am glad I took a break from school, but I wish I had taken it sooner so that I could have recognized my illness sooner. She reminded me that everything happens for a reason, and that had I took a break sooner I would not have been able to know my full potential in college and in life. I went to college and got really involved in it through sports, internships, and mentoring peers. I was involved in so many things, school, church, home, friends, family, you name it! She was right, I am glad I took the path I took. I did not always have schizophrenia, but now that I have it I will work hard to overcome it. I try not to use the word schizophrenic because that identifies the person by their illness and that isn't fair. I am Ashley and I have schizophrenia. I will not let it limit my potential or define who I am. I can and will overcome these symptoms with medication, the...
23 comments
Read more

Lack of Trust: A Byproduct of My Mental Illness

In this entry, I'll share my experiences with Schizophrenia in regards to feeling lack of trust in others, paranoia, and isolation.... I remember my many episodes with Schizophrenia where I felt uneasy because of lack of trust in others. In the past, isolation was a giant bullying me around. Sometimes my mind would take me to a place of fear, hurt, and an unsettling spirit, which started with what seemed like a strange look, or a different feeling around an individual, when in reality it was another symptom of my undiagnosed illness- paranoia. My paranoia was rampant and dictated my life prior to experiencing a crisis, which led me to jail and into forced treatment and to receive an official diagnosis of Schizophrenia in 2007. In other words, my illness created enemies in my mind. For instance, I once believed my favorite kin was against me and I felt like she wanted me to fail, and I eventually thought she was conspiring to harm me. However, she never said anything to imply these ...
14 comments
Read more