ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (WCAX) – The National Alliance on Mental Illness Vermont introduced a new connection recovery support group in St. Johnsbury.
The free support groups meet every Wednesday from 5:30-7:00 p.m. and give people time to connect with others who are experiencing similar mental health struggles.
This is the seventh program NAMI has set up across Vermont, and leaders say it’s an important step in providing mental health services to less populated areas of the state.
David Turner has volunteered as the Burlington NAMI connection support group facilitator since 2009.
”It’s a good way to change your life by focusing on mental health,” said Turner.
Once a week, anyone who wants to can come to a 90-minute meeting at the episcopal church on Cherry Street and meet with others experiencing mental health issues.
“It’s revolutionary to share your story with other people, and that’s really how it begins, by you opening up to other people about what’s really going on inside with you,” said Turner.
NAMI broadened their programs to include the Northeast Kingdom this month with sessions beginning in St. Johnsbury.
Program assistant Kathy Johnson says this expands access to care there. “It’s hard for people to find a therapist because they’re all taken and busy and not accepting new patients, so I think this gives them another outlet that they can have in their pocket,” said Johnson.
Turner says the more people share about mental health the smaller the stigma. “Feeling awful about ourselves because we have mental illness, we should not feel that way, and NAMI fights day and night against stigma,” said Turner.
NAMI wants to fight the stigma in as many places around the state as possible.
“We are always looking to expand because we are looking to get into as many communities as we can,” said Johnson.
To do that, they need volunteers to run the sessions. They say the more volunteers they have, the more they can grow, which Turner says is vital for tackling mental illness in communities.
“You need to get out of existing in your own world by yourself. The best antidote to mental illness, loneliness, isolation, and depression is being with other people,” said Turner.
Groups meet every week in St. Johnsbury, Barre, St. Albans, Burlington, Rutland, and virtually for southern Vermont.