I'm Leah Harris, co-coordinator of the U.S. Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (USNUSP), a newly-formed network seeking to use the language, framework, and principles of international human rights to end violations against users and survivors of psychiatry and to promote voluntary and compassionate alternatives to the traditional mental health system.

Freedom Center helped start Hearing Voices groups in the Western Massachusetts area and beyond - to find out more information, contact the Recovery Learning Community, which is actively involved with organizing Hearing Voices groups in the area. Thanks!

 

Hearing Voices groups are popular and fairly widespread in Europe, specially England. Hearing Voices groups do not pathologize the experience of hearing voices or experiencing other altered states, instead they ask the voice hearer: What do the voices mean to you? Join us for the first Hearing Voices group east of Wisconsin and share and get support from others with similar experiences! *Co-sponsored by the Center for Human
Development, RLC and the Freedom Center.*

Freedom Center organizer Caty Simon is attending the Community Activation Network's Community Power Kickoff to represent us and would like other Freedom Center members & people interested in the mad movement to join her. The event is on DATE CHANGE March 28th at Hampshire College. 12-6PM--you'll be
directed by signs as soon as you get there showing you specifically where to go.

Here's a quick summary of the event.

Freedom Center is organizing a spring Speak Out and we want your help! Join slam poet and mental health activist Leah Harris from DC, Caty Simon, Lee Hurter and others. We need speakers and volunteers for this upcoming event -- get in touch with caty(at)freedom-center(dot)org.

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Freedom Center is seven years old!

To celebrate our birthday, and the honor of being recognized by Forbes,  Freedom Center will host a special event to screen the video at its "Lucky 7 Psychosocial" party on

September 20th at 6 pm

World War II Club

50 Conz St., Northampton, MA.

The Gazette also did a story about the Forbes article.

Leading Business Magazine Forbes Honors Local Advocates in International Fundraiser; Anniversary Celebration Planned

 

Thanks to everyone who has listened to, been a guest on, and helped make Madness Radio successful as we continue in our third year!

We have a new timeslot --

4-5pm Tuesdays on 103.3 FM www.valleyfreeradio.org

You can always listen online to the latest shows, to the archives, and subscribe via podcast at www.madnessradio.net or through the iTunes store.

Keep the madness rolling...

Will

 

Press Release
Contact: Erika Arthur 413/ 253-5432

*erika@foodforthoughtbooks.com* <erika@foodforthoughtbooks.com>

Are You *Surviving America's Depression Epidemic*?

*Author Bruce Levine to Present at Food for Thought Books*
AMHERST – Author Bruce Levine will present and read from his new book,
*Surviving America's Depression Epidemic: How to Find Morale, Energy, and Community in a World Gone Crazy* at 7 pm on Tuesday, March 25 at Food for Thought Books in Amherst.

Recovery Learning Community to Screen “A Balancing Act”

 

Weekly Movie Night to Feature Local Filmmaker, Marc Israel

 

 

Will is traveling around the country - Virginia Tech, Richmond, Chicago, Indianapolis, Winona, Minneapolis - with Sasch and Madigan of the Icarus Project talking about his psych abuse experiences, the origins of Freedom Center, the new coming off meds guide, and visions of who we are and what we can do beyond the disease and disorder model. Check out the Icarus staff blog for info, including audio and photos.

Download flyer here.

Acupuncture is cancelled this Monday due to space and clinician issues. Acupuncture will be held as usual the following week, 9/3/07 Sorry for the inconvenience. Please join us for yoga Monday evening at 7:15 in the back of the Somatic Center located at 32 Masonic Street.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

For Immediate Release: Escape From Psychiatry: A Protest and Bed Push Against Abuse in the Mental
Health System
July 29, 2pm Cooley Dickinson Hospital

 

Download Flier here.

 

Survivor-Professional Mental Health Open Forum

 

Members of Windhorse Associates and Freedom Center are invited to an open forum discussion Tuesday July 10 6:00-8:0pm. Please call or email for location and details.

Please come if you are interested in having your voice heard, listening respectfully to others, and inquiring more deeply into your own beliefs and assumptions. The forum will be facilitated by a third party facilitator committed to group safety, and honesty and depth are the shared goals.

Please come advocate for mental health personal care attendants:

 

June 24 Facilitation Training

June 24th in Northampton the Recovery Learning Center and Freedom Center are offering a 3-hour Facilitation Training, led by Freedom Center organizer and Icarus Project staff Will Hall.

The 5th Annual Art Show of the Western Mass Training Consortium

FLUX: a group exhibit of the 2007 Career Initiatives Artisits: Virginia Harlow, Larry Ditman, Janice Sorensen