On Wednesday, February 8, 2023, DBSA WV, represented by Executive Director Mary Jane Simms and Office Manager Kathryn Madison participated in the WVU Volunteer Fair sponsored by the Center for Community Engagement. The event, which took place in the Mountain Lair, was a wonderful opportunity for our organization to meet many young adults who share our goals to help and support others living with depression or bipolar disorder. It was also an opportunity to network with other community partners and learn more about many other resources in our area. It was a great day!
DBSA WV staff and volunteers participated in The American Society for Suicide Prevention Walk on October 8th. Held at Krepps Park in Morgantown for the 5th year, the event provided an excellent opportunity to raise awareness and network. Pictured in the photos below from the event is Vance Soinski.
DBSA WV will be involved in American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Community Walk to Fight Suicide – “Morgantown Out of the Darkness”. The Out of the Darkness Community Walk is a journey of remembrance, hope, and support. It unites our communities and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about. The event will be held on October 8th at Krepps Park in Morgantown. You can register for the event online at afsp.org/Morgantown or in person beginning at 10 am on the day of the walk. There is no registration fee to participate and dogs on a leash are welcome to attend! The walk will begin at 11 am.
Whether you are a new facilitator or an experienced one, raise your facilitation skills up to the next level by attending DBSA’s free, interactive Virtual Facilitator Training. Taught by experienced support group facilitators, this 8-hour introductory training class includes 2 – 3 separate sessions featuring lecture, question and answer segments and mock facilitator practice.
Participants must attend all sessions of a particular class to receive a certificate of participation. Please note that these training sessions are intended for peers who are working with a DBSA chapter or DBSA support group.
Please let us know how we are doing by taking part in the short survey below about your support group experience with DBSA West Virginia! We are hoping that your anonymous feedback will help us improve our service and help illustrate the importance of our volunteer run groups for people living with mood disorders.
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) WV is pleased to announce the opening of its statewide headquarters at Mountaineer Mall, 5000 Greenbag Road in Morgantown.
Staff and volunteers will be available 11 am – 3 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Fully vaccinated community members are encouraged to stop by to learn more about DBSA WV free peer support groups (for people with mood disorders and the people who love them) and to pick up educational materials and wellness tools.
For more information, call (304) 241- 1862 or email dlkiss02@yahoo.com.
Whether you are a new facilitator or an experienced one, raise your facilitation skills up to the next level by attending DBSA’s free, interactive Virtual Facilitator Training. Taught by experienced support group facilitators, this 8-hour introductory training class includes 3 separate sessions featuring lecture, question and answer segments and mock facilitator practice.
Participants must attend all sessions of a particular class to receive a certificate of participation.
DBSA West Virginia will hold the annual conference this year on August 14th, 2021 at the Holiday Inn University Area in Morgantown. You can also join the conference virtually via Zoom. The admission fee is $25 for the general public and $10 for DBSA affiliates, support group attendees, and college students. A COVID-19 vaccination record is required to attend the conference in person. If you have any questions, please reach out to Marylou Neidig at mcn0001@mix.wvu.edu.
Ever feel the need to just “check-in” with others who understand living with depression and other mood disorders? The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance understands and wants to offer you a new source of support and encouragement.
Beginning Monday, January 3rd, we will be offering weekday check-in calls at 10 am EST. These calls are free and open to anyone who just wants to talk to and hear from others with similar concerns. You may call every day or just when you need an extra bit of encouragement on your way to making healthy choices.
Just dial into the free conference call at 602-580-9894, code# 6022958.
For more information, e-mail dlkiss02@yahoo.com or call 304-376-7438.
For more information on other services provided by the Depression and Bipolar Alliance, check out DBSA WV.
With COVID-19 still in full swing, human connection can feel elusive.
Sade Miller, a junior social work student, has recently organized a group to help those whose mood disorders may have worsened during COVID-19. Miller herself suffers from a mood disorder, and is the lead facilitator of the WVU Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
“We just talk; we introduce ourselves and what we personally go through, and then we just create conversation,” Miller said.
The goal of the WVU DBSA, one of more than 700 similar groups across the country, is to “improve the lives of people living with mood disorders.”
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