Dear MotherWoman,
We are writing to address our concern about your legislation on postpartum depression screenings. We propose that Motherwoman drop this legislation because we believe in the long-run it will do more harm than good.

Under the George Bush Jr administration there was an initiative called
“The New Freedom Initiative” which proposed mandatory mental health

A free lecture by David Oaks at Holyoke Community College.

The Freedom Center along with Arise for Social Justice and Outnow of Springfield is co-sponsoring a SPA NIGHT!!

Come get massage, acupuncture, or reiki for the revolution!

Relax, rejuvinate and support revolutionaries!!

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Primetime/story?id=8382903

 

 

'Mad Pride' Activists Say They're Unique, Not Sick

For Some, Psychiatric Conditions Are 'Mad Gifts' to Be Cherished, Not Medicated

By IA ROBINSON and ASTRID RODRIGUES

Aug. 24, 2009—

 

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.

Listen to Gail Hornstein's radio interviews -- one on the local National Public Radio affiliate, WFCR and the other with Deborah Harper of psychjourney.com.

http://www.freedom-center.org/radio/HornsteinWFCRAgenssJacket04-09.mp3

http://www.freedom-center.org/radio/harper_hornstein_agness_jacket.mp3

 

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.*

Congratulations Gail!

 

Agnes’s Jacket
A Psychologist’s Search for the Meanings of Madness
Gail A. Hornstein

 

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.

Sorry folks, but Chaya will be away for a couple of weeks.  She looks forward to seeing you when she returns!

Hi everybody, our monday acupuncture clinic will be postponed on February 9th 2009, as Barbara our acupuncturist has another engagement. Sorry for the inconvenience, we'll be back on our regular schedule monday Feb 16th as usual. Instead, take some time out of your day and meditate, you'll be glad you did!

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9800EEDD133FF931A1575BC0A9629C8B63&sec=health&pagewanted=all

 

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.

Judi Chamberlin is one of the shining lights of the psychiatric survivor movement, working her whole life as a pioneer and leader who has never backed down or compromised. We just got this email from organizer Sylvia Caras of People Who, about Judi's health and her request that people be in touch with her.

Dear friends:

Freedom Center is celebrating our seventh year as Northampton's peer-run mental health alternative. Everything we do is volunteer-run and on a shoestring budget. We need you to participate! Your donation will be one of the most cost-effective ways to make a difference this holiday season.

n/a

FC Organizer Mollie Hurter writes about the Northeast Herbal Convergence:

 

The Hampshire Daily Gazette did a story Friday on Freedom Center's anniversary and the Forbes Story:

Gazette07-08FreedomCenterForbesStory.pdf

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

 

Freedom Center was mentioned in a recent New York Times article about Mad Pride; Check it out!

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/fashion/11madpride.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

Please forward

Tues February 5th
7pm

Broadside Bookshop 247 Main St Northampton MA

Discussion with Will Hall, author of the new

*Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs*