St. Johnsbury, VT — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Vermont has introduced a new connection recovery support group in St. Johnsbury, marking an important step in providing mental health services to less populated areas of the state. This addition brings the total number of NAMI support programs across Vermont to seven.
The free support groups meet every Wednesday from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Episcopal Church on Cherry Street. These sessions provide individuals with a space to connect with others experiencing similar mental health struggles, offering a sense of community and support.
David Turner, a long-time volunteer facilitator for the Burlington NAMI connection support group, has been leading sessions since 2009. He emphasizes the transformative power of sharing personal experiences with others.
“It’s a good way to change your life by focusing on mental health,” said Turner. “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.”
The expansion into the Northeast Kingdom, with new sessions in St. Johnsbury, addresses the pressing need for accessible mental health support in rural areas. Kathy Johnson, a program assistant at NAMI Vermont, highlights the difficulty residents face in finding therapists due to high demand and limited availability.
“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 underscores the importance of reducing stigma associated with mental illness. “Feeling awful about ourselves because we have mental illness, we should not feel that way, and NAMI fights day and night against stigma,” he stated.
NAMI Vermont is committed to fighting the stigma surrounding mental health and aims to expand its reach to as many communities as possible. Johnson expressed the organization’s ongoing efforts to grow their programs.
“We are always looking to expand because we are looking to get into as many communities as we can,” said Johnson.
To achieve this goal, NAMI Vermont relies on volunteers to run the sessions. Turner emphasizes the vital role of community in combating mental illness.
“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,” Turner said.
In addition to St. Johnsbury, NAMI support groups meet weekly in Barre, St. Albans, Burlington, and Rutland, with virtual sessions available for residents in southern Vermont.
Related topics:
