Resources

Mental Health resources

If you want help in the form of either outpatient services, general support, or residential services and you're on the West Coast, call our Clinical Director, Jim Piekarski, for a free phone consultation at 805-965-3434

Resources for family members of those with mental illness     Show     Hide

  • http://www.nami.org (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
  • http://www.iapsrs.org (International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services) - education about advocacy and social integration
  • http://www.suicide.org - site for immediate help. Also has information and support for people who are suicidal and their loved ones, as well as a forum for survivors.

Bipolar Disorder/Manic Depression     Show     Hide

Schizophrenia     Show     Hide

Depression     Show     Hide

Anxiety and Panic Disorder     Show     Hide

Addiction     Show     Hide

Eating disorders     Show     Hide

PTSD     Show     Hide

Personality Disorders, such as Borderline     Show     Hide

Multiple Personality Disorder (Dissociative Identity Disorder)     Show     Hide

General information resources on mental health     Show     Hide

  • http://artausa.org (American Residential Treatment Association) listing of various homes that provide residential mental health treatment.
  • http://athealth.com – offers information to people dealing with mental health issues and their families. Listing local physicians to answer questions people may have while they are exploring the website.
  • http://casra.org (California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies) education about advocacy and social integration.
  • http://www.dmh.ca.gov (Department of Mental Health) a state government run site offering information about legal rights and facilities available in California.
  • http://findthelight.net (Find the Light) support and resources for people suffering from mood disorders and substance abuse.
  • http://www.healthyplace.com – lists various agencies and phone numbers for people with mental illness.
  • http://www.mentalearth.com/– forums for people over 18 who are dealing with mental illness. This site has live chat and blogging and offers forums where adults can discuss different topics openly.
  • http://www.mental-health-matters.com (Mental Health Matters) offers support to people dealing with mental health and/or addiction and their families
  • http://www.mentalhelp.net - information about and resources for mental health and addiction issues. Has a forum.
  • http://www.mhac.org (The Mental Health Association in California) provides information about local legislation, support groups, and advocacy
  • http://mhavillage.org (Mental Health America of Los Angeles) education, support and resources
  • http://nami.org (The National Alliance on Mental Illness) information on mental illness as well as medication, centers for support and education.
  • http://www.narsad.org (The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression) information regarding various mental health disorders.
  • http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml (National Institute of Mental Health) information to help identify various mental health disorders as well as how they are normally treated.
  • http://nmha.org (Mental Health America) national and local resources and information on mental health and addiction.
  • http://www.samhsa.gov (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration) resources for mental illness and addiction prevention and treatment
  • http://suicidology.org – (American Association of Suicidology) –support to people who are suicidal and their friends and family

Mental health Support Group Mailing List Index

http://psychcentral.com/resources - mailing list for abuse, anxiety, divorce and other areas

Articles     Show     Hide

Books     Show     Hide

  • The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness by Lori Schiller, Amanda Bennett, Grand Central Publishing; 1 edition (January 1, 1996) - An enlightening memoir of a woman's experience with schizophrenia.
  • The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness by Elyn R. Saks, Hyperion; Reprint edition (August 12, 2008) - A great memoir of a woman with schizophrenia. Her life demonstrates how high functioning a person can be with this illness.
  • Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Second Edition by Carlos W. Pratt, Kenneth J. Gill, Nora M. Barrett, Melissa M. Roberts Academic Press ( 2002) Good introduction to psychosocial rehabilitation. Introduces the experience of psychiatric disorders from the client's perspective, covers symptoms and etiology of severe and persistent mental illness as well as treatment strategies. The book is simply written, using case illustrations; considered an excellent college textbook.
  • Schizophrenia: Cognitive Theory, Research, and Therapy by Aaron T. Beck, Neil A. Rector, Neal Stolar, Paul Grant The Guilford Press; 1 edition (October 29, 2008) This is a book our staff uses at Phoenix of Santa Barbara to help clients question their voices and their distorted thinking. It is aimed for the professional. There are numerous studies, particularly in England, showing that this type of therapy can be helpful for delusions and hallucinations.
  • The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns, Plume; Rev Sub edition (May 1, 1999) An excellent book that reviews the basic techniques to overcome depression and anxiety.
  • Reinventing Your Life: The Breakthough Program to End Negative Behavior...and Feel Great Again by Jeffrey E. Young Janet S. Klosko, Aaron T. Beck (Foreword), Plume; First Edition (May 1, 1994) A powerful self-help book. If you have read many self-help books and think that you can't learn much more, pick this one up and be surprised.
  • An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison, Vintage; 1 edition (January 14, 1997) An excellent memoir of a woman with bipolar disorder.