According to the latest statistics, roughly 1 in 4 adults in the United States will suffer from a mental illness in a given year. This can include everything from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia to eating disorders to addiction disorders to the depression that comes from losing a loved one. All of these are a type of mental illness and, if not dealt with in a serious way, can cause irreparable damage to not only the one with the illness, but also to their loved ones.
There is a new nonprofit in Plymouth that seeks to help the mentally ill and their loved ones: Here/Hear. This organization was founded with the intent of working with the mentally ill and their loved ones to offer support while also combatting the stigma that comes with mental illness. One way that Here/Hear offers such support is through its peer-to-peer support groups.
These groups are called Here/Hear Groups. Here/Hear Groups operate slightly differently than the normal peer-to-peer support group. There are four elements in a Here/Hear Group that work together to make it unique. First, there is the welcome. Every week every person in the group introduces themselves. Second, there is a time of meditation: not a long time, but a moment or two where everyone can focus and center themselves on what is about to happen. Third, Here/Hear Groups feature a time of discussion and sharing, typical of many support groups. Last, these groups also have a time of reflective action, where each participant writes down or thinks about some areas where they can take action in their lives in light of what has been said in the group.
Nate Crawford is the founder and executive director of Here/Hear. He says, “The reason for these four elements is due to the fact that we want to give people a way to live their lives. Different studies have shown that these elements all work in getting people to deal with their mental illness, with their pain and suffering, in more positive ways. All we are doing is trying to give people those tools to make a positive impact in their life.”
If you want to be part of a Here/Hear Group, they meet on Tuesday evenings at the Plymouth Public Library in the Jim Neu Room from 6:30-7:30pm. If you have questions, contact Nate Crawford at nate@herehear.org.
