EI offices, 3941 SE Hawthorne at 12-2pm, Friday, October 21, 2011

Ron Coleman is a mental health trainer and consultant specializing in psychosis prevention and resolution. He has designed training packages to enable voice hearers to gain ascendancy over the negative aspects of the voice hearing experience. His own route to recovery after spending 13 years in & out of the psychiatric system has given him many insights into the many difficult issues facing today’s mental health services. Ron has published several books including “Politics of the Mad-house” and “Recovery: an Alien Concept?” He also co –authored “Working with Voices” & “Working to Recovery.”

“Anatomy of an Epidemic” – by Robert Whitaker

This is the book that spawned a movement…

The most fundamental assumptions of psychiatry are now being questioned:

• How effective are psychiatric medications?
• How reliable is the supposed science underlying our mental health care system?
• Has the truth been suppressed?
• Explore these questions and more…

Starting on Thursday, Nov. 10th

Every Thursday from 3:30 to 5pm

At Empowerment Initiatives,
3941 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, OR 97214

Bus lines: #14 & #75

If you need more information, contact:

Gina Hahn, (503) 249-1413, or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Our Book Club comes from the unique perspective of people with a lived experience of mental health issues. Our facilitators are Dianne James and David Green, who have both worked in the mental health field, and are persons with that lived experience.

Our first book will be “Anatomy of an Epidemic” by Robert Whitaker. Whitaker is an award-winning journalist. His amazing book has started conversations all around the world. Now, we invite you to join the conversation! Everyone is welcome – don’t worry about whether you feel the material is too challenging – we are all here to learn together.

Every week, we will examine one chapter, and have the opportunity to empower ourselves both with the information in this groundbreaking book, and also the thoughts of our fellow book club members.

We do have a limited number of copies of this book to lend, but encourage you to bring your own, or get one from the library.

view pdf flyer

“Critique of the DSM-5" – by Allen Frances

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association and provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders. It is used by clinicians, researchers, psychiatric drug regulation agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and policy makers. The DSM provides legal, medical, and ethical justification for physicians to diagnose and treat, judges to incarcerate, and insurance companies to pay – or not. There have been five revisions since it was published in 1952.

The DSM-5 has generated controversy right from the beginning:

• It would dramatically raise the numbers of people with mental disorders, thru new diagnosis that would be extremely common in the general population
• Children would be exposed to potentially dangerous medication side effects in larger numbers and at earlier ages than ever before
• Some new diagnostic criteria are not very reliable, and physicians will disagree about diagnosis, leading to inconsistent healthcare
• And much more…

Starting on Thursday, Jan. 24th

Every Thursday from 3:30 to 5pm

At Empowerment Initiatives,
3941 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, OR 97214

Bus lines: #14 & #75

If you need more information, contact:

Gina Hahn, (503) 249-1413, or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Our Book Club comes from the unique perspective of people with a lived experience of mental health issues. Our facilitators are Dianne James and David Green, who have both worked in the mental health field, and are persons with that lived experience.

Allen Frances was the chair of the DSM-IV Task Force and of the department of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine. He has been a leader in the effort to raise concerns about the flawed process of the development of the DSM-5, and the bad effects it can have on mental health care. In a series of articles in Psychiatric Times, he explores these issues.

Now, we invite you to join the conversation! Everyone is welcome – don’t worry about whether you feel the material is too challenging – we are all here to learn together, and have the opportunity to empower ourselves both with the information in these articles, and also the thoughts of our fellow book club members.

The articles we will be discussing are included in the document available by Clicking Here.

view pdf flyer

view reading material

Gallery 114 is proud to host, for the 25h anniversary of First Thursday Art Walk, “Through Our Eyes.” This unique show will feature work by local artists who have histories of homelessness and have historically had limited access to art making due to restricted incomes. This show is representing artists who utilize the Art Therapy program at Royal Palm Drop In Center, a mental health program through Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare. Bridging Old Town and the Pearl District, “Through our Eyes” will unite different economic communities to build a stronger sense of Portland partnership and culture. Featured artworks will span the spectrum of media, ranging from sock monkeys to paintings. Work will be available for purchase at reasonable prices and proceeds will go to support both the artists and the community programs for the arts. This will be a great opportunity to find one of a kind holiday gifts for your loved ones while making a contribution to a wonderful cause.

This show will be up at Gallery 114 at 1100 NW Glisan for the month of November. There will be a public opening reception on First Thursday (11/3/11) to meet the artists. All artwork is cash and carry at time of purchase.

view flyer as pdf