Kitt O’Malley

NAMI Week Seven

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NAMI Peer-to-Peer

This afternoon I attended week seven of NAMI Peer-to-Peer psychoeducational classes. In class seven we covered:

  • Understanding Emotions
  • Complete Relapse Prevention Grid
  • Focusing on Experiences of Joy
  • Spirituality
  • Physical Health and Mental Health
  • Mindfulness

The class was helpful and supportive, as always. Our material that covered understanding emotions was based on the work of Marsha Linehan, PhD, creator of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) which combines psychotherapeutic technique with the concepts of acceptance and mindfulness.

Tomorrow is my son’s first day of high school, so I am going to keep this post short so that I can enjoy the last evening with my son (and husband) before his big day.

Comments

10 responses to “NAMI Week Seven”

  1. Kitt O'Malley Avatar
    Kitt O’Malley

    Many of my high school friends went to UC Santa Cruz, and I even applied and was accepted as a transfer student from UCLA, but decided to go to Berkeley. I had an image of myself in a gauzy dress playing the flute and dancing through the redwoods on campus and I knew that I couldn’t go to Santa Cruz. I’m a bit edgier than that type of hippy. Yes, I copied and pasted my comment into a draft post, but haven’t had the chance to work on it yet. We have been painting the exterior of our house. I will post it, though, sometime this next week.

  2. Kitt O'Malley Avatar
    Kitt O’Malley

    His first day was a nightmare. He came home very upset because he didn’t know that he was supposed to have read a book over the summer. But his second day went far better, and he came home enthused.

    I am intrigued with hoe Linehan weaves Buddhist philosophy and practices into her work. I would like to study her technique sometime in the future.

  3. jaklumen Avatar
    jaklumen

    It’s a place to start. Thanks for the clarification. May the God of Abraham bless you and yours as well.

  4. Kitt O'Malley Avatar
    Kitt O’Malley

    Most therapists use a combination of modalities. The idea behind DBT, which I have never done as either a therapist nor as a patient until this NAMI peer-led class, is to hold opposing ideas together to learn acceptance and more nuanced thinking as opposed to black and white thinking.

    According to http://www.linehaninstitute.org/: “The treatment she [Marsha Linehan PhD] has developed combines the technology of change derived from behavioral science with the radical acceptance, or ‘technology of acceptance,’ derived from both eastern zen practices and western contemplative spirituality. The practice of mindfulness, willingness, and radical acceptance form an important part of her treatment approach.’

    I’m no zen master. I attended a Christian seminary, but did not complete my studies. I would like to learn more about contemplative practices (both eastern and western) and more about DBT.

    You may benefit from DBT concepts presented online and discuss them with your new therapist without your therapist having DBT specific training.

    I will continue to hold you and your family in my prayers. God bless.

  5. jaklumen Avatar
    jaklumen

    So tired, hurting, but wanted to at least muster that I think this sounds really great. Wish I knew more about DBT– CBT is all I’ve ever gotten. I’m seeing a new therapist in about a week.

  6. dyane Avatar
    dyane

    Your exercise helps me because I need to do many of the same things you list (Wait a minute – not NEED – but MUST do them!) I love all of this info. and when you have time I hope you MIGHT make it into a post because it will inspire your followers to do the exercise. As you and I know, we sometimes read the comments and sometimes don’t, so a post would get the ultimate attention of a worthy topic.

    For your vacation home I strongly suggest Santa Cruz or, even better, the Santa Cruz Mountains! 😉 It really is gorgeous here. I’m not suggesting you do that in say, Reno. (Sorry to anyone who loves Reno!)

  7. Kitt O'Malley Avatar
    Kitt O’Malley

    Dyane, here’s my more detailed response (I needed my NAMI P2P binder): We did an exercise with a target, inside is MUST, then MIGHT, then CAN, finally WANT. Here’s mine: MUST take rx, not overdo it, sleep. MIGHT walk, blog, write, read, eat healthier. CAN volunteer, speak publicly, take classes to further MFT training (ie, DBT/Buddhism, CBT, I have depth training). WANT to be on stage again (actress or orator at heart), become expert public speaker, travel internationally, buy vacation home (not as important to me as making a difference by speaking out loud). I may make this comment into a post. For now, I share it with you. 🙂

  8. Kitt O'Malley Avatar
    Kitt O’Malley

    Thank you, Dyane.

  9. dyane Avatar
    dyane

    Today’s the day! I hope your son’s first day of high school goes very well, Kitt!

    Also, this past week’s NAMI course content looked particularly interesting and I wish I could have been there to soak it all up.

    I am SO PROUD of you as you continue on this path of recovery; you aren’t just helping yourself, but you are going to be helping others IRL. You already help people virtually through your blog. You know me – your “gushaholic friend” – but I just can’t help it with you because you’re truly doing important work by having committed to the Peer-to-Peer program!

    I wish you a wonderful day & I’ll “see” you later virtually, that is!
    Dyane 🙂

  10. Tertia Avatar
    Tertia

    Linehan’s work is wonderful. I find her “coping in the moment” techniques very useful. She began her work primarily with cutters and such, but it has broadened, and with good reason. Hope your son’s first day went well!

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