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Anxiety, My Companion

Jason Hopcus, CLC, MSLC Anxiety, community, counseling, depression, education, educators, health, healthy students, mental health, mental health care, NAMI Blog, presentation, recovery, stigma, teachers, well-being, wellness

My relationship with Anxiety is like what they say about falling in love: “gradual and then all at once.” She started spending time with me when I was in college—only every once in a while—then, I slowly became more anxious as I started adulthood. With each hardship I faced, Anxiety became a more consistent companion. Anxiety begged me to seek reassurance and validation for the lack of comfort in my new life. Together, we found it in the wrong place—a toxic relationship. What started off as an exciting fling became soul-sucking attachment. An attachment that I was fortunately able toRead More

Finding Wellness After Illness

Jason Hopcus, CLC, MSLC community, counseling, education, health, mental health, mental health care, NAMI Blog, presentation, recovery, stigma, well-being, wellness

At 50 years old, Joe experienced what he considers his first manic episode. He was fired from his job—a career he spent 33 years building. After getting the news, he drove straight to the hospital. “I walked in through the employee’s entrance, all stressed out,” Joe explained. “The people working there were like, ‘Hello? How are you?’ And somehow or another the word ‘suicide’ came out. The next thing I knew, I was laying down, strapped in.” It was during this first admittance of many that Joe was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. “I ran away from my diagnosis,” Joe explained.Read More

NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties Community In Our Own Voice Mental Health Recovery Presentation

Jason Hopcus, CLC, MSLC counseling, education, health, mental health, mental health care, recovery, stigma, well-being, wellness

NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Counties will host two presenters who will share their own mental health recovery stories. They will bravely share their lived experience to inspire hope.  Please join us Saturday, January 13, 2018, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm at Koelbel Library – The Forum, Greenwood Village, Colorado. NAMI In Our Own Voice (IOOV) presentations change attitudes, assumptions and stereotypes by describing the reality of living with mental illness. People with mental health conditions share their powerful personal stories in this 60-minute presentation. What You’ll Gain NAMI In Our Own Voice adds a critical perspective to the popular understanding of whatRead More

Growing The Whole Teacher: Mental Health In Education

Jason Hopcus, CLC, MSLC counseling, education, educators, health, healthy students, mental health, mental health care, stigma, teachers, well-being, wellness

Today, the role of teachers is expanding to include more duties and responsibilities than ever before, including building emotionally strong and healthy students. However, society often neglects to address or even discuss the mental and emotional well-being of teachers themselves. This neglect has led to two major issues – teacher burn-out and a lack of skilled teachers available as a result. Given their expanded duties, growing numbers of educators are struggling to cope with the changing demands of their profession. According to a recent survey of over 30,000 educators, conducted by the American Federation of Teachers, more than 75 percent sayRead More