BRIDGES

 

With BRIDGES You Are Never Alone

BRIDGES is the acronym for Building Recovery of Individual Dreams and Goals Through Education and Support. It is a peer-to-peer education and support group program for adults. There is no fee to participate and it is open to all people with a diagnosis of mental illness.

Peer-to-peer means the education course and support groups are led by persons with mental illness who have received special training in BRIDGES.

The program has two components. It provides a 10-week education course followed by a support group with trained teachers and facilitators. The program is modeled after the “Journey of Hope” family-to-family education course.

One of the participants is Ruth. Initially, Ruth never talked. She was included in all the group conversations and soon, the other students were talking to her directly, as well. But when we asked her a question, she would just shrug her shoulders. We really didn’t know if the material was getting to her or not. During the fifth class, while we were taking a break, Ruth finally spoke up. She said, “I never talked because nobody ever talked to me. It was the same way in school, so I didn’t learn a thing. I can’t read or write – just sign my name. But, if you read it to me I can learn.”

Ruth had perfect attendance at the course. The day after graduation, the town Ruth lives in had a Mental Health Awareness Day. Along with other class participants, Ruth sat at the BRIDGES information booth. Her community support worker came by and said that Ruth had shown so much improvement that her guardian was considering letting her move from the residential care facility into a friend’s home. Now, Ruth participates in the BRIDGES Support Group, and she’s looking great! She is definitely taking pride in her appearance.

Because of the BRIDGES program, we have learned that having a diagnosis of mental illness is not the end of life. We have learned that we are capable of empowering ourselves and living our lives to the fullest.
 
Our teachers and facilitators come directly from our classes. They undergo intensive training to promote recovery for others who are suffering with mental illness.

With BRIDGES, you are never alone!
 

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