Welcome to our May Newsletter! We hope that you find our information helpful as we provide free information and services for youth, individuals, families, seniors, veterans, active military and low income individuals.

Harry Tyler,

Executive Director

htyler@mentalhealthok.org

(405) 943-3700   

EMDR Part 2

May 31^st-Jun 2^nd

Well, we did it!  Part 1 of our 2-part EMDR workshop was a huge success!  A big thanks to Dr. E.C. Hurley and the wonderful facilitators from the EMDR Institute for traveling to Oklahoma to provide such a great opportunity to our mental health professionals!

Part 2 is only a month away and we're excited to get going!  I would also like to thank Integris Baptist Medical Center for donating space for Part 1 and the University of Central Oklahoma for donating the space for Part 2.

Several mental health providers have expressed an interest in volunteering for our Sunbridge programs and increasing our outreach in Central Oklahoma.  We offer a discounted rate for our therapists and hope to continue to find additional incentives.  We are always looking for volunteers.  If you, or anyone you know, is interested in joining our volunteer network please let us know!

2^nd Annual Speed-Sharing

July 12, 2013

Together with Veterans' Families United, we hosted our 1^st Annual Speed-Sharing event for military resources in July of 2012.  50 organizations shared their resources and had an opportunity to network and establish relationships for collaboration and more effective referrals.

Based on the wonderful response and continued need to increase ties within the community, we have started the planning process for our 2^nd Annual event.  This year, Army OneSource and the Oklahoma Behavioral Health Alliance will be joining us to put on a wonderful event.

Please email me if you are interested in sharing about your organization!  Watch for additional information in the next few months.

Care Coordinator

smckinley@mentalhealthok.org 

I wanted to share this letter we received.  When we hear directly from the people we serve and they report that we have helped them with our Sunbridge counseling program, it is so rewarding for our staff and volunteers.

April 24, 2013

Ms. Sherrill Scott, LPC

Sunbridge Counseling

2800 NW 36th St, Suite 104

Oklahoma City, OK 73112

Dear Ms. Sherrill,

I just want to take the time to say "THANK YOU" to you and Sunbridge Counseling. It

was a big step to accept that I needed help, and an even bigger step and quite a

challenge to locate someone who could help me work on my issues.

As you know, I have been unemployed, have had no insurance and living off a small

disability settlement since March of 2011. I can't receive help from the state because I

don't have young children and I'm under 62. There aren't many services for adults

needing to be assessed for or who have adult ADD. There are many more available

services if one has a substance abuse problem, has "acting out" mental issues, or is an

ex-offender.

I spoke with and visited a few other facilities before coming to Sunbridge. I was and

remain very grateful that I found out about your organization. It's clean and bright. You

all are very professional and I've been treated with great care and compassion.

Sunbridge fills a niche to assist those who fall into the grey area.

In the short time I've been with Sunbridge, I've become more hopeful than I have been in

a very long time. God bless and I hope your organization is with us for a very long time

to come.

Sincerely,

Diane

Sherrill Scott

Sunbridge Program and Services Manager

teenscreen@mentalhealthok.org 

We are excited to begin screening at our newest and final site of the '12-13 school year. We will be beginning screenings at Mid-Del Alternative School this upcoming week. We anticipate that by the end of this school year we will have screened over 200 students! We have doubled our screening efforts from last year and are very excited to be moving forward and reaching out to more students who are struggling with various difficulties. Over the summer months, we will be in preparation for a busy upcoming new school year. We have added several new sites to conduct screenings as per our collaboration with the Oklahoma City County Health Department.  Due to our recent growth, we are hoping to increase our screening staff with qualified volunteers. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering your time and making a difference in the lives of adolescents, contact Sherrill Scott at 405-943-3700!  

Sunbridge Program and Services Manager

teenscreen@mentalhealthok.org 

Signs of alcohol abuse

• You have problems at work or school because of your drinking, such as being late or not going at all.
• You drink in risky situations, such as before or while driving a car.
• After drinking, you can't remember what happened while you were drinking (blackouts).
• You have legal problems because of your drinking, such as being arrested for harming someone or driving while drunk (intoxicated).
• You get hurt or you hurt someone else when you are drinking.
• You keep drinking even though you have health problems that are caused or made worse by alcohol use, such as liver disease (cirrhosis).
• Your friends or family members are worried about your drinking.

Signs of alcohol dependence or addiction

• You cannot quit drinking or control how much you drink.
• You need to drink more to get the same effect.
• You have withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. These include feeling sick to your stomach, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety.
• You spend a lot of time drinking and recovering.
• You have given up other activities so you can drink.
• You keep drinking even though it harms your relationships and causes health problems.

Other signs include:

• You drink in the morning, are often drunk for long periods of time, or drink alone.
• You change what you drink, such as switching from beer to wine because you think that doing this will help you drink less or keep you from getting drunk.
• You feel guilty after drinking.
• You make excuses for your drinking or do things to hide your drinking, such as buying alcohol at different stores.
• You worry that you won't get enough alcohol for an evening or weekend.
• You have physical signs of alcohol dependence, such as weight loss, a sore or upset stomach (gastritis), or redness of the nose and cheeks.

You can take steps today to stop drinking. Your first step might be to see your doctor, contact a support group, or set a date in the near future to stop. While some people can stop drinking on their own, others need medical help to manage the physical process of withdrawal.  

If you think you have an addiction to alcohol, talk to your doctor about whether you need to withdraw from alcohol under medical supervision. Your doctor can give you medicine that will help you safely withdraw from alcohol. Other medicines might be prescribed later to help you stay sober. With a doctor's help, withdrawal from alcohol is safer.

Stopping alcohol use can:

• Prevent or reduce health problems that are made worse by alcohol use, such as liver damage.
• Prevent harm to your unborn baby if you are pregnant.
• Reduce related family concerns or relationship problems.
• Increase your ability to be productive at work, school, and home.
• Reduce legal problems that you might have as a result of misuse of alcohol

If any of these behaviors seem to match you or someone you know and love, please don't be afraid to seek help.  Please contact the Mental Health Association of Central Oklahoma at (405) 943-3700 or info@mentalhealthok.org  and we will help you find the help you are looking for.