We offer peer-led classes to help program participants actively manage their social, emotional, and physical wellbeing. The classes encourage better living through good choices, goal setting and building healthy support.

For class schedules and additional information, contact:

Michelle Rigling, Education Coordinator: 423.702.8010 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Barbara Johnson, Education Specialist: 423.702.8008 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Recovery plans

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP):

WRAP is a class created for and taught by people who have experienced mental health difficulties. You will develop your own WRAP that will help you in a practical, day-to-day way identify and relieve difficult feelings and distressing behaviors.

WRAP includes:

• Tools, strategies and skills to help maintain emotional wellness
• Ways to maintain physical and emotional stability, and help with motivation and goals when you’re experiencing symptoms
• Ways to recognize and plan your responses to external triggers
• A plan for learning the subtle signs that tell you that you may need to take further action to maintain your wellness
• A plan for recognizing and responding to severe symptoms that may cause a crisis
• Crisis planning that addresses your preferences for treatment, medication, family involvement and care in a crisis
• Post-crisis planning to help you recover and transition back to your work, family and other responsibilities.

Managing and understanding emotions

Building Recovery of Individual Dreams through Education and Support (BRIDGES): schedule varies

This ten-week, peer-led class includes courses on recovery and a support group. The class helps participants understand mental illness, treatment, medication, self-help skills, and the philosophy of recovery. Ongoing support groups talk about the emotions and stigma associated with mental illness, and the reality of living with it.

Decision-making and advocacy

Self Determination:

Self Determination classes teach participants to be self-advocates by teaching them and allowing them to practice the skills of expressing what they want and need. It is taught in two sections.

The first section focuses on self-advocacy. Classes include:

• Becoming a Self-Advocate
• Making Choices
• Making Responsible Choices
• Deciding What I Want
• Determining If I Can Have Anything I Want
• Getting People to Listen to Me
• Changing My Mind
• Handling Disagreements

The second section concentrates on directing advocacy efforts through the community, state, and nation. It discusses issues facing our community, the process of change, and how to communicate effectively.

Physical health

Topics and schedule varies

Physical health classes are led by peers or health professionals and are offered weekly on a range of topics, including:

• Making healthy lifestyle choices
• Health risk assessments
• Smoking cessation
• Heart health
• Diabetes prevention and management
• Walking
• Feeling and looking better with exercise
• Reducing stress with yoga breathing techniques
• AIDS, TB, STDs, meth, and substance abuse
• Teeth and mouth health
• Eye health
• Healthy eating