Arlington Heights Chapter
Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
Call (847) 495-2574
E-mail dbsa.arlhts@gmail.com
DBSA Arlington Heights - Who We Are
DBSA Arlington Heights is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization founded by Leah and Naoki Nakamura as an outreach ministry of the First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights, and as a local chapter of DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance). We just celebrated our 15th year anniversary in October and have successfully started five targeted peer-led support groups. The resources of our groups have served nearly 6,500 persons. We were awarded the 2015 National Service Award for Small Chapters by DBSA national headquarters.
DBSA is the leading peer-directed national organization focusing on the two most prevalent mental health conditions, depression and bipolar disorder, affecting more than 21 million Americans, account for 90% of the nation’s suicides every year, and cost $23 billion in lost workdays and other workplace losses.
What Should I Expect?
We will start promptly at 7:30 pm in a large group for introductions and announcements. We will then break up into smaller groups of 5-8 people and will meet in separate rooms for small group discussions. A trained facilitator will facilitate the discussion. Each person will be given the chance to talk and share their story. The meetings will conclude by 9:15 pm.
Guidelines For Our Support Groups
Share the air
Everyone who wishes to share has an opportunity to do so. No one person monopolizes group time.
One person speaks at a time
Each person is allowed to speak without interruption or side conversations.
What is said here stays here
This is the essential principle of confidentiality; it will be respected by everyone.
Differences of opinion are o.k.
We are all entitled to our own point of view.
We are all equal
We accept cultural, linguistic, social, racial, and all other differences and we promote their acceptance.
Use “I” language
Because we don’t participate in discussion groups as credentialed professionals, we don't instruct. . For example, instead of saying “you should do X,” we can say “when I was faced with a similar problem, I found X to be helpful.” We try to frame our comments in the context of our own experiences.
It’s o.k. not to share
We don’t have to share if we don’t want to.
It’s everyone’s responsibility to make the discussion groups a safe place to share
We respect confidentiality, treat each other with respect and kindness, show compassion. AND WE HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR VIOLENCE OR THREATS OF VIOLENCE.
