Positive psychology is the scientific study of what enables individuals, organizations, and societies to best develop and flourish. The focus of research is on psychological well-being, cultivation of best practices and resources, and applying the potential of people for a best possible life. Research suggests that between 30-70% of individuals who experienced trauma also report…
How Do Different Types of Stressful Experiences Affect Brain Development and Mental Health in Teenagers Dr. Rajpreet Chahal is interested in understanding the roles of specific forms of stress (e.g., abuse and economic disadvantage) on brain development and mental health. In her research study, she describes how the brain develops when faced with different types…
Beth Am, a congregation in Los Altos Hills, created Beit R’fuah (House of Healing), a mental health support group, to bring together people who felt marginalized in their communities. This led to the production of a powerful documentary, “House of Healing,” showing how houses of worship can become mental health friendly by de-stigmatizing mental illness.…
How can we prevent bipolar disorder from sticking around for a lifetime? Dr. Manpreet Singh is keen to answer this question starting with..
The stigma associated with serious mental illness affects both persons with mental disorders and their families. Marjorie Baldwin, Professor of Economics at Arizona State University, has experienced that stigma as the parent of a son with schizophrenia, and has studied the impact of mental illness-related stigma in her research on employment discrimination against persons with…
In 2015, after thirteen years as the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Tom Insel decided to leave the government’s scientific approach to mental health and look deeper into the problems and treatment for those with severe mental illness.
We are living in extraordinary times, in the middle of a prolonged pandemic, which has taken its toll on our mental wellness. As we are caught in this whirlpool of collective trauma, we have each also been spinning with our individual traumas, be it losing our loved ones or other losses such as employment and…
Our June speakers, Teresa Pasquini & Lauren Rettagliata, will present their “Housing That Heals” story—a call to action that encourages local, state, and federal policy makers and community partners to think beyond the Housing First model and focus first on building a continuum of care for those who live with serious mental illnesses. Housing That…
Come to the general meeting to be inspired. We’ll hear testimonials from individuals for whom spirituality is a cornerstone of their wellness and recovery. We’ll see an excerpt from a powerful new movie produced by Congregation Beth Am that documents its mental health support group, Beit R’fuah, House of Healing. We’ll honor twenty congregations in…
Nowhere in Santa Clara County are mental health needs more prevalent than among those with severe mental illness. Compound these health challenges with a lack of housing, and those who suffer from severe mental illness become homeless or land in jail. Even those who do stabilize through hospitalization or residential treatment facilities fall into…