Mental Health Social Support Hour

Mental Health Social Support Hour

Check in time! Let's gather for an afternoon of stimulating/engaging conversation, education and mutual support.

By Empowered Connections through Mental Health: HTX

Select date and time

Saturday, May 4 · 3 - 4:30pm CDT

Location

Whole Foods Market

701 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77019

About this event

WHAT TO EXPECT

This is an ongoing open space for those dealing with mental health issues themselves, those who have loved ones dealing with them, practitioners/advocates, those who want to learn more or impart their understanding about mental health in general or specific conditions, and everyone in between. Our meetings usually draw around 5-10 people per event on a regular basis and are always warm, inviting, informative, entertaining, and most of all, uplifting. Look for us in the indoor seating/dining area along Waugh Dr. Weather permitting, we might be outside in the seating area facing Waugh. If you need help finding us or if you have any questions about the group, please feel free to call or text the event organizer Marcel at (832) 468-1146.

We will begin with introductions/check-ins and then launch into our conversation topic for the week. Topics are typically mental health/wellness related and can be proposed by anyone in the group, but can and usually do run the gamut of subjects and ideas. We strive to maintain an open and casual forum in the conversation space so that the friends feel comfortable enough to fully express themselves and talk about their perspectives/experiences of daily living. This is a space where you can be as vulnerable as your emotions will allow, and I call upon everyone to help sustain this kind of environment for all involved.

Please note, this is not a formal support group and I am not a mental health professional, just a regular guy who wants to keep a space of unconditional support and dialogue open so that no one ever feels alone or out of place, especially those who may be new to the city and presently lack connection. There is no requirement here for any kind of commitment; you are free to come to any gathering you please as often you see fit. There will always be a seat for you here.

Marcel

GENERAL GROUP GUIDELINESIn order to help make these gatherings a positive, supportive and edifying experience for all of us, I have made a list of guidelines that everyone is obligated to adhere to as a condition of participating in our in person meetups. This list is not exhaustive. Let me know if you have any questions/suggestions.

Please Observe Proper RSVP Etiquette: We kindly ask that you RSVP only if you actually plan to be in attendance. If your plans happen to change after you have indicated that you're going, please take a moment to update your RSVP status so that the organizer gets a clear idea of who will be coming to the group.

Be Kind, Courteous and Tactful: We're all in this together to create a welcoming environment. Let's treat everyone with respect. Healthy debates are natural, but kindness is required. While members are allowed and encouraged to be open and frank, we will remove any members who use offensive, slanderous, harassing, threatening, or abusive/untoward language toward another member or the group.

Be Respectful of Diversity: This group has people from many different walks of life, backgrounds, life experiences and social groups, encompassing a wide range of perspectives and belief systems. Inevitably, some conversations may veer into territory where stark differences among the friends arise. To reiterate the first rule, we simply ask that everyone give their opinions respectfully and be respectful of those opinions that happen to differ from yours. We especially want to avoid any contentious back-and-forth exchanges. All roads lead to Rome, and we're all here to help each other get there in peace.

Absolutely No Hate Speech or Bullying: Make sure everyone feels safe. Bullying of any kind isn't allowed, and degrading comments about things like race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender or identity will not be tolerated.

Give Space: Please allow each member to fully develop and express their thoughts before forming your own response/input. Also, please strive for conciseness when sharing, as we have a limited time frame and want to make sure everyone gets an adequate chance to share their thoughts. Please minimize crosstalk in the group setting. Questions, offering relevant personal experience, and words of support are welcome as peers, but we are not here to diagnose or treat anyone.

Respect Everyone's Privacy: Being part of this group requires mutual trust. Authentic, expressive discussions make groups great, but may also be sensitive and private. What's shared in the group should stay in the group.

If You are Going Through a Tough Time: Members are welcome to express how they feel and inquire about local mental health services. We as peers are here to support you and provide a safe outlet for your thoughts. We strongly recommend that members in acute mental distress to seek immediate professional assistance. The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD provides assistance 24 hours a day/7 days a week at 713-970-7000. You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or by text at 741741.

Tags

Organized by

Empowered Connections through Mental Health: HTX

This group is designed to be a safe, supportive and empowering space for those of us who currently deal with or have dealt with mental health issues and all the components that surround them. We acknowledge and understand that mental health lies on a spectrum, and that we all have a relationship with it to varying degrees. Depending on the circumstances of daily life and living, our mental health has the capacity to improve or lessen, and we believe that through the power of community and interconnectedness we can not only work to erase the stigma of mental illness, but also help one another achieve optimal wellness so that we may live full, robust and authentic lives.

The goal of this group is three-fold:

(1) To normalize candid conversations about living with a mental/emotional/behavioral health condition or conditions in public spaces

(2) To form and strengthen bonds of friendship, trust and mutual support

(3) To help one another navigate life’s challenges and achieve optimal wellness through an emphasis on aligning various components of one’s being (holistic approach)

We believe that our lives are comprised of various systems that are organically interconnected and interdependent, and that when in alignment with each other, these systems give rise to optimal and sustained mental, emotional and behavioral wellness.

This group is also open to those with personality/behavioral disorders such as Autism Spectrum, Attention Deficit, Obsessive-Compulsive, Avoidant Personality, and even those with "stigmatized" character traits like shyness, introversion and the like. We welcome mental health professionals in every field and scope of practice, mental health advocates, representatives from government and non-profit mental health awareness and advocacy entities, faith leaders, education and criminal justice professionals, public servants, creative types, and most of all, laypeople like myself who simply have a curiosity and desire to learn about other people's experiences dealing with mental health conditions, and about mental health issues in general. What I hope unites us all is a willingness to listen, understand, educate and support one another along our respective journeys and to the best of our respective capacities.

We believe in promoting a respectful, accepting and inclusive environment for every gathering, free of judgment or any inkling of strife or prejudice. We are all here to learn from one another and support each other in our respective journeys toward lasting wellness, sustained by a constant hope bolstered by an ever-increasing ability to cope with life's difficulties and challenges effectively. Please note that I am not a mental health professional and this is not a professionally-facilitated group therapy setting. Nor is this an official peer-to-peer support network. If you are seeking professional care for a possible mental health-related condition in yourself or someone you know, please go through the proper health care channels in order to get the help you need. I will be more than happy to refer you to any number of mental health organizations that can set you in the right direction.

We will organize a mixture of informal gatherings, activities in the arts, advocacy walks, and workshops and events related to mental health awareness and recovery. Of course, members are highly-encouraged to share their own interests with the group, and especially how those interests have served them in their recovery or in the recovery of someone they know. Hopefully this sharing will lead to even more ideas for meetup events.

Hope to meet everyone soon! Be well.

-Marcel Wormsley, Group Organizer