This is the Berks NAMI presentation I have for presentations to public organizations such as churches and community service organizations.

1. My name is Richard Gardner, I am the president of the
National Alliance on Mental Illness of Berks County,
PA.
I have been gifted with mental illness. I am proof that
mental illness can be a gift, not a disaster.
introduction

2. What is NAMI? A virtual tour from
the National to Pennsylvania to
Berks

3. Who We Are
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the
nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization
dedicated to building better lives for the millions of
Americans affected by mental illness.
National NAMI

4. We educate
We advocate
We listen
We lead
What We Do

5. We educate - our education programs ensure
families, individuals and educators get the
support and information they need.

6. We advocate - shaping national public policy for
people with mental illness and their
families.

7. We listen - providing free referral, information
and support.

8. We lead - public awareness events and
activities, successfully fighting stigma and
encouraging understanding.

9. NAMI Keystone is the Pennsylvania state NAMI
organization.

10. There are 25 recognized NAMI chapters in PA.
We are here
http://www.supercoloring.com/silhouettes/pennsylvania-map

11. EDUCATE
ADVOCATE
SUPPORT
LISTEN
We are here to help Individuals, Families, and Supporters of those experiencing Mental Illness.
(610) 685-3000 berksnami@gmail.com

12. NAMI of Berks County is a 501(c)3 nonprofit
membership organization governed by a board
of directors.

13. We received our non-profit status
on March 16, 2016.

14. WE ARE
People affected by mental illness who are
involved in educating, advocating and
supporting others like ourselves. We are family
members, friends and people who daily deal
with mental illness and daily overcome the
obstacles mental illness tries to put in our way.

15. For me, mental illness is a gift with a price. It has
given me much, but has come with a cost. No gift is
free. It comes with conditions. The challenge for me
and others like myself is to accept those conditions
and thrive, letting our gifts shine as we give to our
communities and our world.
Richard Gardner
President
NAMI of Berks County, PA

16. “NAMI of Berks County, PA’s mission is to
champion justice, dignity and respect for all
people affected by mental illness (biological
brain disorders). Through education, advocacy
and support, we strive to eliminate the
pervasive stigma of mental illness, affect
positive changes in the mental health system,
and increase the public and professional
understanding of mental illness.”
From our bylaws

17. “Recognizing that many of the people affected
by mental illness are often gifted and talented
members of society, we will strive to gain
recognition for those so gifted and seek ways to
use their gifts for the betterment of them and of
society,”

18. “Actively work to remove the stigma mental
illness often carries with individuals, families,
friends and society in general.”

19. We are WELLNESS oriented. We want to
help people integrate the eight
facets of wellness –
emotional,
environmental,
financial,
intellectual,
occupational,
physical,
social, and
spiritual
– so we can each be complete and whole people.
(https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/wellness/what-is-wellness)
physical
financial
social
spiritual
complete
person
occupational
environmental
intellectual
emotional

20. At this time we are providing two
programs:
Connections
Family Support
with
Family to Family in the planning stages

21. Connections – “peer-led support group for
adults living with mental illness. You will gain
insight from hearing the challenges and
successes of others. The groups are led by
NAMI-trained facilitators who've been there.”
Thursday evenings 6:30-8 p.m. at the United
Church of Christ, 640 Centre Avenue.

22. Family Support Group – “a peer-led support
group for family members, caregivers and loved
ones of individuals living with mental illness.
Gain insight from the challenges and successes
of others facing similar circumstances.”
Second Wednesday evening of every month
7:00-8:30 p.m. at United Church of Christ, 640
Centre Avenue.

23. NAMI Family-to-Family – “a free, 12-session
educational program for family, significant others
and friends of people living with mental illness. It
is a designated evidenced-based program.
Research shows that the program significantly
improves the coping and problem-solving abilities
of the people closest to an individual living with a
mental health condition.”
The next class is still to be determined depending
on community interest and available trained
facilitators.

24. Famous mentally ill people:
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Franklin
John Paul Jones
Sylvia Plath*
Vincent Van Gogh*
Ernest Hemingway*
Margaux Hemingway*
Virginia Woolf*
Isaac Newton
Leonardo da Vinci
Ludwig van Beethoven
Edgar Allen Poe
Thomas Edison
Winston Churchill (the black dog)
Buzz Aldrin
Robin Williams*
John Denver*
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Charlie Sheen
Alexander Graham Bell
Art Buchwald
Charles Dickens
Connie Francis
F. Scott Fitzgerald
George S. Patton
Georgia O’Keeffe
Abraham Lincoln
Graham Greene
Carrie Fisher
Leo Tolstoy
Pablo Picasso
Patti Duke
Ray Charles
Tennessee Williams
Woodrow Wilson
Jane Pauley
Brian Wilson (Beach Boys)
Nikola Tesla
Kurt Gödel*
Kay Redfield Jamison
Jack Kerouac
John Nash
Edvard Munch

25. Contact Information
Office Hours
M,T,Th, and Fri - 9:15am to 1:15pm
Wed - 5:00 pm to 8:00pm
Calvary United Church of Christ
640 Centre Avenue
Reading, PA 19601-2827
http://www.namiberkspa.org/
https://www.facebook.com/NAMIBerks
berksnami@gmail.com
(610) 685-3000
Richard Gardner
President
rtgardner3@yahoo.com
410.726.3045
We are here to help Individuals, Families, and Supporters of those experiencing Mental Illness.
(610) 685-3000 berksnami@gmail.com

26. NAMI National programs:
NAMI Basics – a 6-week education program for parents and family caregivers of children
and teens who are experiencing symptoms of a mental illness or whom have already been
diagnosed. NAMI Basics is offered in a group setting so you can connect with other people
face-to-face.
NAMI Ending The Silence - Helping middle and high schoolers understand mental illness
makes a big difference. We can teach them about the warning signs for themselves and
their friends. NAMI Ending the Silence helps raise awareness and change
perceptions around mental health conditions.
NAMI Family-to-Family - a free, 12-session educational program for family, significant
others and friends of people living with mental illness. It is a designated evidenced-based
program. Research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-
solving abilities of the people closest to an individual living with a mental health condition.
NAMI Homefront – a 6-session educational program for families, caregivers and friends of
military service members and vets with mental health conditions.
NAMI In Our Own Voice - is presentations which change attitudes, assumptions and
stereotypes by describing the reality of living with mental illness by people with mental
health conditions sharing their powerful personal stories.
NAMI Peer-to-Peer - a free, 10-session educational program for adults with mental illness
who are looking to better understand their condition and journey toward recovery.
NAMI Parents & Teachers As Allies - empowering teachers and school personnel to make a
lasting difference in the lives of their students, opening the door for schools to make a
difference.
NAMI Provider Education - introduces mental health professionals to the unique
perspectives of individuals living with mental illness and their families. You’ll develop
enhanced empathy for their daily challenges and recognize the importance of including
them in all aspects of the treatment process.