Two pediatric psychiatrists from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Dr. Joan Daughton and Dr. Lindsey Corr, reported that these symptoms usually appear rapidly and dramatically, and seem to be caused when antibodies from the strep infection interact with the brain, resulting in compulsive behaviors. It is believed to be the body’s immune reaction to the infection, not the actual strep infection itself, causes the symptoms.

Several parents contacting The Kim Foundation asking for information about PANDAS prompted us to feature this topic on Not Alone. We were honored when Dr. Corr and Dr. Daughton agreed to be our guests. PANDAS has only been recognized as an illness since the early 1990s, so although there is slightly less than a 20 year history of research from which to glean information, we are delighted that PANDAS is being studied, and are hopeful that the resulting information will be reassuring to parents and to kids!

To learn more about PANDAS from Drs. Daughton and Corr, listen to the Jan. 31 Not Alone radio program by clicking on the play button below, or download the file and listen later. To listen to any of the past Not Alone broadcasts, visit The Kim Foundation Not Alone podcast page.

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January 31, 2012 – PANDAS

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Fresh Hope is a faith-based group sponsored by the Community of Grace Church in Elkhorn. Its membership continues to grow, in fact, support groups in several other states have begun, using Fresh Hope as there model. We knew listeners would appreciate the affirmation Fresh Hope members bring. We remind listeners that it is perfectly OK to visit several support groups before selecting the one (or two) that seem right for you!

Click on the button below to listen to the May 3 Not Alone broadcast featuring Fresh Hope or download the file and listen later. To listen to past broadcasts, visit The Kim Foundation Web site Not Alone podcast page.

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May 3 – Fresh Hope

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Dr. Steve Wengel, Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Stephanie Stockard Spelic, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Creighton University, and Theresa Barron McKeagney, Director of the Grace Abbott School of Social Work at the University of Nebraska – Omaha, shared a little history regarding changes in the provision of mental health care during their careers, and spoke with excitement about the changes yet to come. For consumers of mental health care, the good news will be that early detection, assessment, and links with treatment and supports will help prevent mental health problems from worsening. 

For today’s medical and social work students, these emerging leaders in providing and promoting top quality mental health care will understand and utilize new technology, new research,  new medications, and must be able to include a healthy mix of good, old fashioned care and compassion in future treatment plans. Because of today’s guests and their colleagues, we respect the excellence of the education opportunities available for students in medical school, nursing, and social work, and celebrate the expectations presented regarding their education and training. The provision of mental health care will be changing and improving; today’s students will be equipped to lead that change.

To learn more about the educational opportunities available today for students in mental health care professions, click on the play button below to listen to the January 17 Not Alone podcast, or download the file and listen later. To hear any past broadcast of Not Alone, visit The Kim Foundation Not Alone podcast page.

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January 17, 2012 – Training Mental Health Care Professionals

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Kathleen McCallister and Eunice Arant said that New Hope Life Center helps women understand that the past is the past and that women can build a new foundation and begin again with a new, healthier lifestyle. With the help of the New Hope Life Center, women learn to resolve some of their underlying trauma, pain, sin, and behaviors and become the women they were created to be, one day at a time, one choice at a time. This is a ‘home environment’ where women learn to be responsible adults, to understand and accept the life-long effects of their choices and learn to make wise investments in their own future. 

Four years after leaving New Hope Life Center, 75 percent of the women are safe and sober and they are responsible, working women. Finding a job that welcomes women with a ‘history’ is very challenging; if you know of employers that will give the women a chance to succeed, let us know!

To hear more about the New Hope Life Center, listen to the January 10 Not Alone program by clicking on the play button below, or download the file and listen later. To listen to any of the past Not Alone programs, visit The Kim Foundation podcast page.

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January 10, 2012 – New Hope Life Center

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Pat Callone and Connie Kudlacek reminded us that being a caregiver for a loved one is a special blessing and a challenging responsibility. One must balance personal life and identity as a caregiver, maturing into a willingness to do what needs to be done to protect and enhance a loved one’s dignity.

Our broadcast drew from books authored by our guests to help caregivers acquire the tools and knowledge to continue to nurture and sustain their loved one as well as maintain a healthy life style for themselves. One sentence from their book “Alzheimer’s Disease, The Dignity Within”, touched home with me: “Right now, we have no other choice but to keep muddling through, loving each other, and forgiving each other as best we can.” To the millions of family-member caregivers in our country today, thank you!

To learn more about taking care of caregivers, listen to the January 3 Not Alone program by clicking on the play button below or by downloading the file to listen later. To listen to past Not Alone broadcasts, visit The Kim Foundation Not Alone podcast page.

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January 3, 2012 – Patricia Callone and Connie Kudlacek from CaringConcepts, Inc.

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

After reading the book and working some of the exercises, we wished we could hand out copies of the book to everyone and remind you that you can break your cycle of negative thinking, you can beat depression, and you can learn to stay positive. This book will be your roadmap and your compass! We sometimes need to find our personal strengths. Even if procrastination has been a limiting factor in your life, there are practical ideas included for overcoming that as well.  We learned about paths to wellness through putting change into action, and even talked about the mindfulness path to help overcome depression.  

To learn more about fighting depression and the book “Breaking Free from Depression: Pathyway to Wellness” from Dr. Wright and Dr. McCray, listen to the December 27 Not Alone podcast by clicking on the play button, or download the file to listen later. To listen to past broadcasts of Not Alone, visit The Kim Foundation podcast page.

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December 27, 2011 – “Breaking Free from Depression” Authors Dr. Jesse Wright and Dr. Laura McCray

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Mr. Courtnage asked listeners to reach out for help, to not be afraid. Diseases of the brain affect one in four families, so there is no place for stigma directed toward those with these illnesses. Mr. Courtnage reminded listeners that people do become very busy in today’s world with work, community, and family needs all vying for attention; he asked that parents don’t become so wrapped up in outside pressures that they overlook opportunities to open the doors of communication with their children.  

Mr. Gould congratulated Not Alone for promoting opportunities for wellness, for educating listeners regarding treatment options, and for addressing a public health issue that is too often over-dramatized, or ignored. Not Alone is grateful to KCRO and to Salem Broadcasting for encouraging Not Alone each week, enhancing public education, and reducing stigmas toward mental illness.

To hear more about Not Alone and The Kim Foundation, listen to the December 20 broadcast by clicking on the play button below, or download the file and listen later. To listen to past broadcasts of Not Alone, visit The Kim Foundation Not Alone podcast page.

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Not Alone Special Anniversary Program – Track 1

Not Alone Special Anniversary Program – Track 2

Not Alone Special Anniversary Program – Track 3

Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Today our conversation focused on opportunities addressing workforce shortages in Nebraska, as well as making better use of emerging technologies, such as telemedicine, that might help address the needs of this public health issue. Dr. Boust, under the auspices of UNMC, has led efforts to initiate telepsychiatry that would enable people living in rural communities, through secure video broadcasting, to have access to psychiatrists and therapists located at medical centers such as UNMC or the VA Hospitals without the long distance travel currently involved.

Dr. Boust also reinforced the importance of a healing team surrounding the client, and led by the client, in developing a plan of treatment that might include medications, therapeutic consultations, and peer support. According to MHA, fewer than half of adults and only 1/3 of children with a diagnosable mental health disorder receive treatment each year. By providing easier access to care, perhaps Nebraska can improve these statistics

To hear more from Dr. Boust, listen to the December 13 Not Alone radio program by clicking on the play button below, or download the file to listen later. To listen to past broadcasts, visit The Kim Foundation Web site Not Alone podcast page.

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December 13, 2011 – Dr. Susan Boust

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Older individuals must take charge of their own healing and learn to advocate for themselves. They must help others understand that mental illnesses are like other illnesses, they are treatable! Both Theresa and Ken feel that recovery came once they understood the need to be responsible and play a defining role in their own treatment. Theresa and Ken are highly trained, certified peer support workers, and both agreed that it wasn’t until they came in contact with trained peer workers that their own lives began to turn for the better.  

Yes, there is help, there is hope, and there is healing! Thank you Ken and Theresa for having such a positive impact on Not Alone broadcasts!

To learn more about the role of peer support workers, listen to the Dec. 6 Not Alone program by clicking on the play button below, or download the file and listen later. To listen to past broadcasts, visit The Kim Foundation Web site Not Alone podcast page. 

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December 6, 2011 – Mental Health Consumers/Peer Advocate

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Not Alone focuses on providing education, breaking down barriers to seeking help, increasing awareness, and promoting recovery. Not Alone addresses a broad range of topics and issues with discussion surrounding illnesses, effective treatment, and the hope for recovery. In addition to providing information on specific mental illness spectrum disorders, segments focus on related issues such as current state and national legislation, community support services for individuals and families affected by mental illness, emerging practices in the mental health field, and state responses to behavioral health system issues.

Throughout the years, Not Alone has hosted wonderful guests including local consumers, family members, mental health professionals, policy makers, and researchers as well as national experts, renowned authors, and recovery specialists. While every Not Alone broadcast is memorable, in celebration of the start of its fifth year, Not Alone will air a special program on Tuesday, December 20 featuring C&A founder Larry Courtnage for an extraordinary interview about the mission of The Kim Foundation. In addition, KCRO station manager Greg Vogt and Salam Broadcasting vice president Chris Gould will join Not Alone to discuss how the program has not only affected listeners, but KCRO staff. The celebration program will conclude with the tables being turned as KCRO’s Greg Vogt interviews Diana Waggoner, host of Not Alone and Director of The Kim Foundation on what the radio program means to her. It will be a broadcast like no other.

Be sure to tune in to KCRO on Tuesday, December 20 for this not-to-miss special program, or visit www.kimfoundation.org and click on the Not Alone tab to listen to the podcast which will be available the following day.