New ABC TV Documentary on Mental Illness

SHADOW VOICES: FINDING HOPE IN MENTAL ILLNESS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stigma, recovery and hope: San Diego minister in mental illness documentary on ABC-TV

HARRISONBURG, VA. (Mennonite Media) – Susan Gregg-Schroeder of San Diego, an ordained United Methodist minister, will appear in a documentary, Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness airing Dec. 4 through Feb. 4 at the discretion of local ABC stations (check listings at www.shadowvoices.com).

Gregg-Schroeder founded an organization called Mental Health Ministries which operates in conjunction with the California Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church. She educates people in faith communities on mental health issues.

Rosalynn Carter, former first lady of the U.S. and longtime advocate on mental illness issues, and Dr. David Satcher, former surgeon general of the U.S., headline the program which includes: a brief historical look at the treatment of mental illness in this country; the stigma and isolation still experienced today; the use of prisons as defacto mental institutions; health insurance issues; today’s focus on recovery and rehabilitation, and responses of faith communities.

Gregg-Schroeder, who kept her depression secret for two years, eventually broke silence and says, “If you look out on a congregation on a Sunday morning, one in four families has a member struggling with a mental illness. That is something unfortunately that most of our churches do not address. Many of our parishioners are struggling in silence.”

Persons talking about their journeys with mental illness in addition to Gregg-Schroeder include:

Lyn Legere, who at one time self-medicated on heroin and alcohol, has lived for almost 50 years with mental illness. She recently earned her master’s degree at Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences of Boston University, and also works as a consultant on new Medicare prescription drug program.

Jerome Lawrence, Atlanta, Ga., struggles with schizophrenia, but through medication and hard work functions independently. He creates watercolor paintings and works for a mental health advocacy organization.

Kari Broadway, Rock Valley, Iowa, is studying in a pre-med program and receives regular treatment for depression, hoping that this time she won’t have to drop out of school because of illness.

Ramiro (Ray) Guevara, formerly head of the “In Our Own Voice” program for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) which encourages persons with mental illness to speak out and tell their stories, notes in the program, “Sharing my story almost normalized it. After awhile I said, ‘I don’t have a problem with having a mental illness. If you have a problem with that, I’m sorry, but I’m okay.’”

Additional experts in the documentary working in the field of mental health or advocacy include:

· Dr. Joyce Burland, Arlington, Va., director of educational programs for NAMI.
· Dr. Erik Roskes, Baltimore, Md., a psychiatrist specializing in working with prison systems and police officers on mental illness.
· Dr. Thomas Bornemann, director of the mental health program at the Carter Center in Atlanta.
· Evelyn Bussema, manager of the Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation program for Hope Haven, Rock Valley, Iowa.

Burton Buller, producer for the program and director of Mennonite Media says, “We want to challenge society to rethink the stigma that continues to follow diseases of the brain. We want the viewer to come away from the documentary saying, ‘I will never be able to look at or think about mental illness in the same way again.’”

The program was produced for the “Vision and Values” series for ABC-TV by Mennonite Media in partnership with the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission and the Communications Commission of National Council of Churches. For more information visit www.ShadowVoices.com

The program will be available on VHS and DVD for purchase after Dec. 15. The DVD includes bonus content.

Mennonite Media, based in Harrisonburg, Va., is the outreach media department of Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA.

Melodie Davis

Photos Available Upon Request or download from the website at http://shadowvoices.com/promotion/airdates.asp

Resources for educating congregations on mental health issues are available at
www.MentalHealthMinistries.net

Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder
Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries
6707 Monte Verde Dr.
San Diego, CA 92119
sgschroed@cox.net
www.MentalHealthMinistries.net