Night Out With Frédéric Chopin N...Frédéric Chopin by playing selections of his work and...

NAMI Mercer is pleased toannounce that Sen. RichardJ. Codey and Mrs. Mary Jo

Codey will serve as the honorarychairpersons of our eighth annualNight Out with NAMI concert anddinner on January 10, 2010. Thisevent is our organization’s majorfundraiser, generating resources tosustain NAMI Mercer’s free educa-tion and support programs.

Over the years, the Codeys haveshown great commitment to improv-ing the lives of people affected bymental illness. Most recently, thesenator sponsored legislation thatwill bring much-needed outpatientmental health assistance to thosewho present a danger to themselvesor others by refusing treatment.

We also appreciate and respect Mrs.Codey for her candid discussion abouther past struggles with depression. Herwillingness to speak publicly con-tributes enormously to erasing thesocial stigma associated with mental ill-ness.

At this year’s concert, Dr. RichardKogan will commemorate the 200th

anniversary of the birth of composerFrédéric Chopin by playing selections ofhis work and discussing the healingpower of music in the composer’s life. Arenowned concert pianist and psychia-trist, Dr. Kogan will be making hiseighth appearance at our annualfundraiser.

Night Out, which begins at 3:00 p.m.,

December 2009 Published by NAMI Mercer NJ, Inc. www. n a m i m e rc e r. o rg Vol. 27, No. 3

Night Out With Frédéric ChopinOur Mission

NAMI Mercer is a nonprofit organization of individuals

and families working to improve the lives of those affected by mental

illness through education, advocacy and mutual support.

NAMI Mercer CalendarFor regular support meetings, see Page 8

PU B L I C ED U C A T I O N ME E T I N G S

A T T H E NAMI CE N T E R

Jan. 12 (Tuesday), 7:30 to 9 p.m.Hearing Distressing Voices: A

Workshop for Family Members

Emma ShelbyCommunity Educator, MHANJ

Experience a simulation of hearing voicesthat will enhance your empathy and un -derstanding of the challenges that facepeople with psychiatric disabilities. Thegoal is to better address the needs of peo -ple who hear voices. This workshop is notappropriate for anyone who experiencesvoices.

Feb. 16 (Tuesday), 7:30 to 9 p.m.Advocating the Best Health Care for Your Special Kid

Lauren Agoratus Family Voices NJ, Statewide

Parents’ Advocacy Network of NJ, NAMI Mercer Board

and parent of Stephanie

Mar. 16 (Tuesday), 7:30 to 9 p.m.Panel Discussion:

Spirituality and Mental Health

A panel of clergy and NAMI mem -bers of different faiths will wrestlewith questions of how spirituality,mental health, and mental illness are connected.

8th Annual NIGHT OUT WITH NAMI, JAN. 10, 2010

Dr. Richard Kogan, psychiatrist and concert pianist, willperform the works of Frédéric Chopin and discuss the healing power of music in the composer’s life. Concert at3:00 p.m. in the Music Building, The College of New Jersey,Ewing.

Silent auction and gala reception at 5:30 p.m. at EickhoffHall. Proceeds will benefit NAMI Mercer’s free educationand support programs. Details are on Page 2.

PURCHASE TICKETS NOW

Mary Jo Codey and Senator Richard Codey, honorarychairs of Night Out With NAMI this January.

Continued on Page 3

December 09 Messenger 11/30/09 11:25 AM

Ifirst heard about NAMI after atwo-year odyssey with psychia-trists, therapists and hospitals led

to a clear diagnosis of mental illnessfor our loved one. “What would you doif this were your family?” we asked thedoctor. Without a blink of the eye, hesaid, “I’d call NAMI.”

We didn’t know anything aboutNAMI, but we found our local affiliateand joined. Within a few weeks, weenrolled in Family to Family where wemet 18 other family members whodeeply understood the journey wefaced. We belonged together, and wefelt relieved of the loneliness that men-tal illness brings to families. Beingpart of a group that understood ourexperience empowered us to cope withour challenges.

That was more than 12 years ago. In2007, I became the executive directorof NAMI Mercer. Imagine my embar-rassment when, reviewing our mem-bership files, I discovered that I nolonger was a current member!

I had not paid my $38 annual mem-bership dues, even though I remained

as committed as ever to the NAMImission. I had continued to useHelpline services and to attend NAMIMercer educational events.

NAMI memberships are annual andneed to be renewed every year. Myguess is that many of our participantsTHINK they are members, but techni-cally are not. So here’s my request—please JOIN or REJOIN.

Why join?• Because we need the human

resources to realize our goal of improv-ing the lives of individuals and fami-lies affected by mental illness.

• Because we are more likely toreceive funding if our membershiprolls remain high.

• Because we need your voice as weadvocate to legislators. Our message ismore powerful with more people.

Important advocacy issues for 2010• We need to ensure that mental

health issues are addressed byNational Health Care Reform.

• We need to protect funding for

mental healthas state legis-lators and thegovernor workto balance thestate budget.

• We need tobe vigilant andspeak out dur-ing the develop-ment of regula-tions to enforcethe new NJInvoluntary Outpatient CommitmentL a w .

As a participant in our programsand a supporter of our mission, pleaseJOIN or REJOIN when you receiveyour personal invitation in the mailnext month. Or join right now atw w w . n a m i m e r c e r . o r g .

Thank you for supporting NAMIMercer through your membership.

S i n c e r e l y ,

Sally OsmerExecutive Director

Executive Director’s Message

Sally Osmer

Have You Renewed Your Membership This Year?

The NAMI Mercer Book Club wel-comes all NAMI members to itsmeetings on the third Thursday

of each month at 11:30 a.m. Bring yourown lunch and participate in stimulat-ing discussions about relevant litera-ture and works of non-fiction.

The club generally meets in theNAMI Mercer education room. Call theoffice at (609) 799-8994 for the specificlocation of the upcoming meeting.

We will meet next on Dec. 17 at 11:30a.m. to talk about Dave Eggers’s novel“What is the What,” based on the storyof Valentino Achak Deng, one of “thelost boys of the Sudan” who fled fromhis village in the southern Sudan totemporary shelter in Ethiopia, arefugee camp in Kenya, and finally toA t l a n t a .

NAMI StigmaBusters is a net-work of dedicated advocatesacross the country and around

the world who seek to fight inaccurateand hurtful representations of mentali l l n e s s .

Whether these images are found inTV, film, print, or other media,StigmaBusters speak out and challengestereotypes. Their goal is to break downthe barriers of ignorance, prejudice, orunfair discrimination by promotingeducation, understanding, and respect.

Join the 20,000 NAMI Stigma-Busters by signing up to receive alerts.To learn more and to enroll, select“Fight Stigma” from the left-handmenu at www.nami.org.

NAMI Mercer Book Club:“What is the W h a t ”

will be held in the Music Building ofThe College of New Jersey in Ewing. Agala dinner and reception at EickhoffHall will follow.

During the reception, there will bemusic by “Thursday Night Jazz,” a trioof young musicians who perform a mixof fusion, funk, blues, pop, and smoothjazz from contemporary and traditionalartists such as Duke Ellington andGeorge Gershwin.

The ticket price for the concert is $70for adults and $40 for youths ages 11-18. The price for both concert and din-ner is $185 for adults and $155 foryouths. If you cannot attend, please con-sider making a donation, sponsoring theevent, or advertising in our event pro-gram.

For more information or to purchasetickets, go to www.namimercer.org orcall 609-799-8994.

Night Outcontinued from Page 1

Become a S t i g m a B u s t e r !

December 09 Messenger 11/30/09 11:25 AM Page 2

By Bill Hayes

In my last column, I focused on theimportance of stress management,diet, and exercise as part of a well-

ness program to optimize health andrecovery. I’d like to use this column todescribe two areas of research that, inthe next 25 years, hold great promisefor individuals who are affected bybrain-based biological illnesses.

P h a r m a c o g e n o m i c sPharmacogenomics is the science of

how individuals react to medications.It offers the potential to develop cus-tomized drug treatments based on anindividual’s genetic background. In thenext decade, ongoing research ingenetic testing should improve boththe diagnosis of psychiatric illnesses aswell as the identification of effectivetreatments. Currently many patientsendure multiple drug trials until theyfind an effective and well-toleratedmedication. Unfortunately, somepatients experience significant sideeffects that delay their recovery. Onemajor reason is that even slight gene-tic variations affect how the bodyresponds to medication.

Roche has developed the Amplichip,the first FDA-approved genetic test toanalyze a patient’s cytochrome P45O(abbreviated CYP) system of enzymesin the liver. These enzymes areresponsible for metabolizing (breakingdown) more than 30 types of medica-tions, thus determining how quicklyand effectively these medications are

eliminated from the body. Ten percentof individuals have genes that breakdown medications slowly, causinghigher drug levels in the blood andgreater likelihood of side effects.Another ten percent of individualsmetabolize medication very rapidly,placing them at risk of not achievingtherapeutic blood levels with routinedoses.

The Amplichip can now test for CYP450 2D6 and 2C19 genotypes from ablood sample to determine appropriatedosing of certain antidepressants, anti-coagulants, proton-pump inhibitors,and a number of other medications.

Obtaining genetic assays prior totreatment would allow physicians tomore finely tune a patient’s medica-tions. While CYP testing is currentlyavailable, this technology will offereven more exciting possibilities for thefuture. Many insurers, however, con-sider CYP experimental and do notcover genetic testing.

Functional Magnetic ResonanceImaging (fMRI)

Another exciting area of research isfMRI, a type of specialized MRI scanthat measures the hemodynamicresponse (change in blood flow) relatedto neural activity in the brain. Thistechnology is bringing us new know-ledge of human brain functions, betterunderstanding of brain disorders, andimprovement in medical practices.Since most fMRI techniques are nonin-vasive and do not involve the injection

of radioactivematerials, theycan be usedr e p e a t e d l y .

In the future,fMRIs hold greatpromise as diag-nostic and treat-ment aids; how-ever, at present,neither theA m e r i c a nP s y c h i a t r i cAssociation northe AmericanAcademy of Child and AdolescentPsychiatry has endorsed their currentuse as they remain experimental andare not currently a diagnostic tool eventhough they are advertised as such bysome physicians.

This is an exciting time in psychia-try and medicine. In the next quartercentury, NAMI Mercer will continueits mission of ensuring that personsaffected by mental illness have accessto newly emerging technologies andeffective, evidence-based, affordableservices that improve their quality oflife and promote real recovery.

We will continue to fight stigma andto educate the public about the needsof these persons and their families.

William P. HayesM.D., F.A.A.C.A.PP r e s i d e n t

President’s Message

Bill Hayes

Exciting Time in Psychiatry and Medicine

Ihope you have received your invitation to Night Outwith NAMI on January 10, 2010 at The College of NewJersey and are planning to attend.

You can enjoy the concert free of charge by volunteeringto help during the event. We still have positions open, butthey are filling up quickly. If you are available, please e-mail me as soon as possible at [email protected].

As we near the end of 2009, I would like to extend mysincere thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who con-tributed their time and energy to all our various programs,events and office activities.

My best wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season.

Tom Tompkins, Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteers needed for NOWN NAMI Mercer statistics through OctoberTotal number of people involved in NAMI’s work 3 , 0 0 0

I n c rease over 2008 2 5 %People attending Soloist & Harvest of Hope events 4 5 0Total volunteer hours worked 5,051

Total number of IOOV pre s e n t a t i o n s 4 7

IOOV presentations in Tre n t o n 1 8

People who attended IOOV pre s e n t a t i o n s 9 6 2

People who reported a reduction in stigma in themselves or others 6 7 %

Number of Just Friends activities 7 6


H a rvest of Hope Conference, October 10

Top, from left: Michelle Berenwick and Ann Basile.Top right: Joanna Harrison-Smith and Thomas Klem.

Above: Delores Williams and Nora Kales.Right: Heart to Hearts VP Sue Methot and Libby Bartholomew.

More than 120 NAMI Mercer family members andfriends gathered to learn about recovery at ourfirst annual Harvest of Hope Conference on Oct.

10 at the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville. Keynotespeaker Dr. Sharon O’Brien, author of “The Family Silver:A Memoir of Depression and Inheritance,” gave a movingand enlightening lecture on her personal struggles withdepression and stigma in American culture.

Later, guests participated in small-group workshops tolearn ways to promote wellness and recovery.

Overall, participants rated the conference an average of4.73 out of 5.0. When asked the most important concept

they learned, here is what attendees responded:“Anyone can recover from mental illness.”“I’m not the only one and shouldn’t be embarrassed.”“There is great support all around for people living with

mental illness and great hope for living fulfilling lives.”“There is power in sharing your story.”“With silence comes stigma and shame carried on the

i n s i d e . ”“There is hope for maintaining my mental health if I

have a structured plan.”“Self-direction and empowerment are very important in

r e c o v e r y . ”


Left, from left: NAMIMercer President BillHayes, keynote speakerSharon O’Brien and NAMIMercer Executive DirectorSally Osmer.

Below left: VolunteerCoordinator Tom and for-mer board memberCaroline Tompkins

Below right: AmandalynnSalzman of IFSS and JenSelmon, an intern fromRider University.

By Nancy Behrendt

As soon as Hannah could hold apencil, she began drawing. Shewas a quiet child who enjoyed

playing alone, writing, and sketching.Once she had her own computer, shelearned to draw using a mouse andlater, a computerized pen and tablet.

Since her early teens, Hannah hasbeen creating fan art for commissionsthrough the Internet. She has receivedhonors for her artwork and has a pieceon display at the M.I.N.D. Institute atthe University of California at Davis.

Hannah’s artwork is extraordinarybecause, in spite of her diagnosis ofAsperger’s Syndrome (an autism spec-trum disorder), she captures facialexpressions with life-like realism.

When she sees a face, especially theeyes, she sees many feelings, moodsand thoughts, and it is difficult for herto discern what is being communicated

nonverbally. This may account for whymany persons with autism look awayor appear unresponsive when commu-nicating face-to-face.

Hannah has taken the study of theface and applied it to her artwork.

The subject of most of Hannah’s art

is horror, which may reflect her fre-quent battles with terrifying hallucina-tions. She draws pictures of dead,dying and mutilated beings withmeticulous detail. Hannah’s hallucina-tions are even more frightening thanher drawings.

Medication has been somewhat help-ful, but side-effects often lead toHannah’s taking “medication vaca-tions.” She is going to try the newermonthly injections with hope that thevisions will cease.

Hannah doesn’t know what hercareer will be, but she always will bean artist. She is taking online classestowards a degree in game art designand dabbles in animated art andwatercolor painting.

Hannah looks forward to exhibitingher art and thanks NAMI Mercer forproviding this opportunity.

My Daughter, Hannah Behrendt


By Amy Layng, Amandalynn Salzman,and Shoshanna Price

Most of us work very hard.During holiday season, stress,fatigue, unreasonable expec-

tations, and tough economic times maylead to “the blues.” The pressures of hol-iday shopping, parties, and houseguests can also make this time of yearparticularly difficult. For people with-out friends or family, the holidaysintensify feelings of loneliness.

Dealing with Holiday StressorsKeep your expectations for the holi-

day season manageable by setting real-istic goals. Pace yourself. Organize yourtime. Make lists and prioritize youractivities.

Remember that during the holidays,people may feel sad or lonely. It isappropriate to acknowledge these feel-ings even if you choose not to expressthem to others.

Leave the past in the past and looktoward the future. Search for the goodin all life changes.

Volunteer your time to help others.Do something in the community thatmakes a small difference. It feels good.

Having fun does not necessarilymean spending money. Take a drive tosee the holiday lights at night. Makeangels in the snow. Take out holidaymovies from the local library.

Be aware that excessive drinking willonly increase your feelings of depres-sion.

Celebrate the holidays in a differentway. Try new experiences.

Spend time with loving and support-ive people. Make new friends. Contactsomeone you haven’t heard from in awhile.

Delegate tasks to others. Take sometime to indulge yourself.

If you or someone you know suffersfrom seasonal affective disorder (SAD),bundle up and go outdoors. SAD stud-ies show that early morning sunlighthelps to relieve this type of depression.

During the holiday season, if you orsomeone you love is suffering with amental illness, contact:

NAMI Mercer at 609-799-8994 or Intensive Family Support Services at 609-396-6788 Ext 236.

Coping with Stress during the Holidays

By Madeline Monheit

NAMI Mercer bids a fondfarewell to Amy Layng, wholeft her position as Program

Coordinator of Intensive FamilySupport Services (IFFS) on Dec. 8 toassume a new position with GreaterTrenton Behavioral Healthcare as aschool-based therapist.

For more than six years, Amy hasworked collaboratively with NAMIMercer families affected by mental ill-ness to provide them with the knowl-edge, skills and supports to improvethe family’s overall functioning andsense of control. Funded by the Stateof New Jersey, IFFS offers family serv-ices free of charge, regardless ofwhether the ill family member isreceiving mental health services.

Amy and her IFSS staff have beenleading NAMI Mercer family supportgroups on Mondays from 5:30-7:00p.m. at the Lawrence Road Presby-terian Church and on a biweekly basison Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. atthe NAMI Center of Mercer County.

IFSS also provides consultation andcounseling to families in their homesor other comfortable settings. Somemeetings take place at the NAMIMercer Center.

In her good-bye letter to NAMIMercer families, Amy wrote: “I’ve hadthe privilege of learning so much fromall of you. I’ve learned what it meansto have strength and have seen true

resiliency within families during hardtimes. I feel blessed to have workedintimately with truly extraordinaryp e o p l e . ”

Amy and NAMI Mercer staff andvolunteers also have enjoyed a won-derful collaborative relationship.

“I will remain a card-carrying mem-ber of the NAMI admiration society,”said Amy.

“I respect the past pioneers andpresent staff and volunteers that giveso much of themselves. Sally andDanita have created an atmosphere ofcomfort that welcomes everyone andmakes them feel a part of somethingvery special.”

In addition to her new career provid-ing therapy to youngsters and familiesin two Trenton elementary schools,Amy plans to continue pursuing hercreative endeavors. She enjoys macro-biotic and vegetarian cooking and run-ning, winning a medal at age 53 in herfirst 5K race. She is now enrolled in adocumentary film-making class withhopes of someday assisting her son inhis goal to become the next Scorsese,Kubrick, or Fellini.

Amy urges her NAMI Mercerfriends to keep in touch with her atwork at (609) 396-6788 or [email protected] or at home at amyslayng@-c o m c a s t . n e t .

Farewell to Amy Layng

Amy Layng


NAMI Mercer Board memberLauren Agoratus was honoredas “Humanitarian of the Year”

at the ASAH annual conference inNovember. ASAH is a not-for-profitorganization of private schools andagencies in New Jersey that providehighly specialized services to morethan 11,000 infants, children andyoung adults with disabilities.

The ASAH award recognizes advoca-cy and leadership on behalf of NewJersey citizens with special needs andtheir families.

Lauren, whose daughter Stephanie

has significant disabilities and specialhealth care needs, is New Jersey'sFamily Voices Coordinator and alsoworks on the Statewide Parent Advoc-acy Network (SPAN) Family to FamilyHealth Information Center.

In spite of her disabilities, Stephaniealso has received many awards inhonor of her volunteer work. She wasrecently featured in the Fall/Winteredition of the New Road School’s“Traveler” newsletter. You can readabout Stephanie at www.spannj.org/-S t e p h a n i e . p d f .

At its annual conference on Nov.12, the New Jersey PsychiatricRehabilitation Association pre-

sented its prestigious Alan LuntMemorial Award for Consumer Advo-cacy to Elise Wilmot. Given annually,the award recognizes an outstandingmental health peer provider in thestate.

Elise is employed by Greater TrentonBehavioral Healthcare (GTBH) on itsResidential Intensive Support Team(RIST). RIST is a state-funded programthat works to reintegrate former long-term residents of state psychiatric hos-pitals back into the community. Peerproviders relate effectively to these peo-ple because of empathy based on com-mon experience.

In addition to her work with GTBH,Elise is a very active NAMI Mercer vol-unteer. She is an In Our Own Voicespeaker, bringing her personal story ofrecovery to a wide range of audiences.She co-facilitates our NAMI Connec-tion peer support group and is also amember/volunteer in NAMI Mercer’sJust Friends social program.

The Alan Lunt Award is named forAlan Lunt, who was a former peer

advocate for the Mental HealthAssociation of Morristown NJ. Theaward is given to a consumer for:

• Promoting empowerment amongc o n s u m e r s

• Providing advocacy on a variety ofl e v e l s

• Demonstrating recovery throughpsychiatric rehabilitation principles

• Making a significant contributionin the lives of other consumers of men-tal health services.

NAMI MercerBOARD OF DIRECTORS

William P. Hayes M.D.P r e s i d e n t

Laurie A. RussellVice President

Madeline MonheitS e c r e t a r y

Damon Magnes VigianoT r e a s u r e r

Harris AdamsLauren Agoratus, M.A.

Jules DeGraffInge Eriks, Ph.D.

Hon. Joseph E. IrenasCarol A. Kivler, M.S.

C. Elizabeth Leach, M.S.W.Tiffany Malloy, A.P.R.N.

Jeremy MannJohn E. Marsland, Jr.

Karen L. Marquis, Ph.D.John Monahan, M.S.W.Madeline Monheit, M.S.

Tom Pyle, M.A.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORSally T. Osmer, L.C.S.W.

OFFICE MANAGERDanita L. Saunders

E D I T O R SMadeline MonheitElisabeth Hagen

Elise Wilmot gets Alan Lunt Award

Elise Wilmot received the Alan Lunt ConsumerAdvocate Award on November 12, inWoodbridge. Pictured with her are Ni Gao andBill Waynor of the Integrated EmploymentInstitute of UMDNJ. The NJ PsychiatricRehabilitation Association presents the awardannually.

Lauren and Stephanie Agoratus honoredWhat’s Been on

YOUR Mind Lately?

NAMI Mercer is forming a groupwhere participants will exploreand communicate their personal

experiences, opinions and responses tolife through the written word. We willwrite about and share our perspectiveand feeling about major events as well aseveryday experiences, but most impor-tantly, you’ll determine what is mean-ingful to you.

The goal of our writers’ group is simplyto express, reveal and release ourthoughts and feelings. The idea, inspiredby Dr. Sharon O’Brien, who led thememoir-writing workshop at our Har-vest of Hope Conference on Oct. 10, isthat writing is an effective self-help toolfor stress management, personal under-standing, and fulfillment.

We plan to meet one weekday eveningper month. If you are interested in join-ing, please contact our office at 609-799-8994 and let us know your availability.

A man falls into a hole so deep he can’t get out. A doctor lowers a prescription into the hole. A clergyman tosses in a prayer.

Finally, a stranger walks by and jumps into the hole. “Why did you do that?” the man asks. “Now we’re both in the hole.”

“Yes,” the stranger responds. “But I’ve been in this hole before, and I know the way out.”


The NAMI Center o fM e rc e r C o u n t y

Lawrence Commons3371 Brunswick Pike

Suite 124Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

NON-PROFIT U.S.POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT #257TRENTON, NJ

H O W TO REACH US

THE NAMI CENTERof Mercer County

Lawrence Commons3371 Brunswick Pike

Suite 124Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

(609) 799-8994fax (609) 799-8996

h o m e @ n a m i m e r c e r. o rgw w w. n a m i m e r c e r. o rg

Directions: From southbound Rte. 1,pass Province Line Road and make aright at the Office Depot sign. LawrenceCommons is a white building, second onyour left. Drive to the rear of the building.The NAMI Center is in Suite 124 on theground floor.

NAMI Mercer Support GroupsNAMI For adult consumers, run by consumersCo n n e c t i o n 1st through 4th Mondays, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Registration required. NAMI Center of Mercer County.

W R A P A wellness/recovery action program for consumersThis program will restart in January. Registration required. NAMI Center.

Weight For adult consumers and families Ma n a g e m e n t 4th Wednesdays, 6:00 p.m.

For December, the 3rd WednesdayVisitors welcome. NAMI Center.

I F S S / N A M I For families of adults with mental illnessMondays, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church a n dBiweekly Tuesdays, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.NAMI Center(Contact NAMI at 609-799-8994 for Tuesday dates.)

December 09 Messenger 11/30/09 11:25 AM

Night Out With Frédéric Chopin N...Frédéric Chopin by playing selections of his work and...

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