It’s Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley’s (GESMV) Miracle Clubhouse 10-year anniversary, and it’s time to celebrate! Because of Miracle Clubhouse, many with mental illness are living a more productive life. Like with any disability, mental illness may cause its daily struggles, but people who have it, don’t want it to stop them from having a quality of life. Thanks to Miracle Clubhouse, many are achieving that dream. As we continue to commemorate this milestone event, I’d like to welcome today’s guest-blogger Kathy Trick to share on what makes Miracle Clubhouse, amazing.
Shari
Thank you, Shari, for allowing me to write about GESMV Miracle Clubhouse and the importance about mental illness.
Since 2012, Miracle Clubhouse has served over 450 Dayton area residents and their families, offering a supportive environment for individuals in mental health recovery. By focusing on an individual’s strengths instead of their illness, Miracle Clubhouse provides opportunities to help members achieve their full potential.
At Miracle Clubhouse, we offer meaningful work, education, friendships, and access to housing in a supportive, caring, dignified and respectful setting. Members of Miracle Clubhouse develop hope for recovery. We believe that recovery is possible with the help and support of others and the community. Work and relationships are rehabilitative.
A lot has happened in the past ten years – as a community, the Miracle Clubhouse has watched members reach employment and education goals; build confidence and skills; make friends and participate in the community. We’ve helped members move into their own places and build independence; given hundreds of presentations to groups and organizations in hopes of educating about mental health and eliminating stigma, celebrating life successes.
As a community, Miracle Clubhouse has also supported each other during hard times. We have lost members and offered support through difficult personal situations; supported each other through cycles of mental illness, doctor appointments, and medication changes. It’s truly a community of support.
The Miracle Clubhouse powerfully demonstrate that people with mental illness can and do lead productive, fulfilling lives. I’ve seen this first hand every day, for the past 10 years. I am grateful for the opportunity to work side-by-side with all the members and staff at GESMV Miracle Clubhouse.
I wanted to share this poem written by Steve, a Miracle Clubhouse member. The poem describes his personal thoughts on mental wellness.
“We”
By: Clubhouse Member Steve
We. Often, we are misinterpreted. We are assumed and judged prematurely for things we do not know.
We. Want to be loved, accepted, heard. But when we have problems receiving love or affection or may struggle with the ability to express what we’re thinking about or feeling, or even sitting down to socialize in acceptance, we are misread, criticized, even mocked, or laughed at. Rejected.
We. Suffering from symptoms, triggers and in situations; we often brave against deep depression, anxiety, fear, mania, thought processing, problem solving, nervousness, withdrawal, isolation, or self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.
We. From all walks of life, recognize in others many peers who have same or similar traits as each of us do making it sometimes easy to reach out to those individuals that might otherwise not be recognized or accepted. Only rejected.
We. Having feelings as everyone does should be no surprise. But not respected, ignored, or underestimated is painful to all.
We. We hurt, bleed, cry, and fear simple things. One may love horror movies but be terrified of chickens.
We. Know things. And then our brain gets stuck. We laugh, are humorous, are talented and artistic. We learn. Some of us learn slower than some.
We. Often take medications to help us cope, and function better in many environments; at home, at school, at work, with our peers, with others and when we are alone.
We. Are people. Brothers. Sisters. Moms and Dads. We are someone’s kids, sometimes somebody’s parent, grandchild, and friend.
We. Really would enjoy getting to know you. You are welcome to share with us and hope you’ll let us share more about ourselves with you.
We. Who are we? We, having been once told are the Mentally Ill.
We. Turns out, are becoming the Mentally Well. We are. We.