“Evolutions of Us”: An Art Exhibition

“Evolutions of Us”: An Art Exhibition
By Laura Anne Walker
Making Art After the Fall of HAI

2016 was a difficult year for many people, especially because of the presidential race. In addition to the political atmosphere, those of us who attended the Healing Arts Initiative (HAI) Art Studio (created by Francis Palazzolo and directed by him from 1994 to 2016) lost the Art Studio and HAI, which went out of business. Many people, including staff and participants, were displaced. Palazzolo took that devastating loss as a magnificent opportunity to charge forward, fill the void, and create Being Neighborly, an independent art collective, comprised of former HAI Art Studio members and new artists as well. Ever hopeful, Palazzolo has kept it together for us and has given it to us to be active participants in Being Neighborly: We each contribute our gifts, talents, resources, connections, and time.
The Being Neighborly art collective has already had two exhibitions in its short existence: “Bring da Beach ta’da Hood” at the Open Source Gallery; and the recent exhibition, “Evolutions of Us,” at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in collaboration with the SVA MPS Art Therapy Department, interns, students and staff at 132 West 21st Street, 5th floor Studio, by appointment. 
The opening reception for Evolutions of Us was on Saturday, February 18, from 2:30-4:00PM, and was well attended. The artists in the exhibit were: Jenny Chan, Michael Johnson, El Kuumba, Ray Lopez, Linda Moses, Girl Negron, Georgia Redd, Aracelis Rivera, Vincent Salas, Cynthia Timms, Laura Anne Walker (myself), and Lawrence Willoughby. A number of us spoke about our art.
I read my original poetry from my art, and spoke about the content, which explores my journey from psychiatric hospitalization to stabilization and how I came to terms with the diagnoses I’ve been labeled. Others spoke spontaneously. For example, Cynthia Timms described her love-letter artwork to Rosa Parks and, in doing so, tried to put herself in Rosa's shoes, hoping that she would have had the same courage as Parks on that bus. El Kuumba spoke of his paintings, one of which had both Mr. and Mrs. Obama, and Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Martin Luther King in the same painting. Ray Lopez spoke of his work, which is often provocative and controversial. Vincent Salas talked of the Shamans in his work and other themes. He also played a hand-beaten drum, which he invited others to play with him. Lawrence Willoughby spoke of his paintings, which depict everyday scenes in the city, such as the New York City skyline, and an MTA bus. Speaking about art is an exciting new feature of the exhibitions. Having a supportive, art-loving audience continues to be an amazing experience.
The MPS Art Therapy Students, led by Supervising Art Therapist, Sheila Fontanive, LCAT, are: Yi-Chien Chang, Saeideh Goiji, Laura Hetzel, RJ Huguenard, Andrea Juliano, Rebecca Rodas, and Gabby Simpson. They creatively helped us to get to the point of exhibition. The entire staff was overseen by Special Projects Coordinator Val Sereno, LCAT ATR-BC, who, overall, was instrumental in assisting us to put on this exhibition. We thank them.
We have coverage on the SVA blog: http://arttherapyblog.sva.edu/?p=2211 and in a press release. On Facebook, search “Being Neighborly.” If you want more, you can view profiles, spread the word, and help us reach our goals at http://beingneighborly.yolasite.com.

Expressing Emotion and Experience

Expressing Emotion and Experience
By Lisa Roma and Reginald True Coleman
The “Evolutions of Us” Art Exhibit

Have you ever come across a piece of jewelry that caught your eye, and as you looked closer there was one thing about it that sold you? Then, after having it for some time, it seemed to be more attractive the longer you owned it. That is one way to describe the “Evolutions of Us” art exhibit. When we walked into the room we knew we had stumbled upon a jewel. But the longer we stayed the more interesting it became.
It was a mild winter day, Saturday, February 18th when we arrived. The brightly lit walls of the ample sized gallery were lined with quite a variety of art styles. The space was filled with guests and exhibitors. A spread of refreshments covered a table near one corner of the large square room at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) 5th floor gallery located at 321 West 21st Street in Manhattan. The exhibit featured the work of 12 artists, five of whom spoke.
Viewers listened intently while various artists stood in front of their respective exhibits and shared what their artwork meant to them and why they created it. Several exhibitors voiced how creating their art helped them to express their feelings and experience some level of healing. Others chose to express a political point of view. 
The artwork covered a range of topics. Some of the paintings were photo-realistic portraits, while others were surreal. Some combined retouched photographs with typed words. One artist combined dream-images that he described while beating an African hand drum. Some artists included controversial political content while other described their art as being an extension of their mental health journey.
Laura Anne Walker, the event’s host, opened the exhibit with a reading of her poetry before discussing her art, whose colorful drawings were prominently displayed. Her eloquent poetry and art spoke about her experiences with hospitalization and recovery. 
Guest viewer Steph Walker shared the words of photo-realistic artist El Kuumba: “He said he uses his artwork to express his pain, and that’s how he processes his pain. It also helps him connect to who he is.” 
Artist Cynthia Timms spoke about her art project, which revolves around her letter to Rosa Parks, and said she believes “in art and activism. What can I do as an artist, as a writer, as a citizen, as a woman, as a black woman?” Vincent Salas, whose art expressed his spiritual and shamanic phase, also played an African hand drum during his talk, explaining how he added paper from his prescription drugs as a background to some of his art. Artist Ray Lopez spoke of the controversial and political views expressed in his work. Artist Lawrence Willoughby talked about his New York City painting. The other artists whose work was displayed, but who did not speak, were: Jenny Chan, Michael Johnson, Linda Moses, Girl Negron, Georgia Redd and Aracelis Rivera. 
The “Evolutions of Us” art exhibit was curated by Being Neighborly, a not for profit organization, in collaboration with The School of Visual Arts art therapy program. Being Neighborly is directed by artist Francis Palazzolo, who formerly created and directed the HAI Art Studio. 

My Mental Health Journey: Mirroring Success Through the Eyes of a Relationship

My Mental Health Journey: Mirroring Success Through the Eyes of a Relationship
A Column by J. Alfreda
Success is Obtained by Letting Go of the Toxic Pieces
Our relationship has been strained at best, a really rocky road. It’s a love/hate relationship that borders on psychosis. But, in the final analysis, I am the one who knows her best. She is the closest person to me. She is me.
There was a pouring of rain on our already strained relationship. You see, I have schizophrenia, bipolar type, which onset at age 20. Many voices and much pain have infiltrated my mind over the past 35 years. I have just arrived at a place of readiness to accept this illness as mine.
You might possibly think it’s strange that it took me so long, but I have always thought of my illness as another entity, an alter-ego, an arch nemesis. I refused to see myself as a whole person. My war had an enemy though I couldn’t see that the enemy was unintentionally me. Success would start with forging my “selves” and attaining as much peace as possible. 
Schizophrenia is a different realm of reality. You realize what you go through intermittently. But, when you are there, it is real. It is marked by delusions, extreme paranoia, suicidal thoughts, steep highs and lulls of depression in my case.
In the beginning, it was like having my life, mind and soul hollowed out and strewn across the four corners of the Earth in scraps, feeling like I had to travel to each site and retrieve them piece by piece in a zombie state. The disease alienates you from yourself.
Schizophrenia is a useless, evil being who can’t stand in a church for fear of bursting into flames. It is a pimp that bids actions contrary to your will, turning you inside-out. That is, until you fix it.
I walked around in this nightmarish, delusional state for 24 years before a medication was created that I would respond to and not put me in the conveyor-belt-shuffle-mode.
When I was 20, I was sure that by now I would have an engineering firm, a great home, kids, and the whole nine yards, but that hasn’t been in the plan for me. I have barely been able to take care of myself. I did manage to finish college, though on the revolving door plan; one quarter in school, the next in the hospital and so on. I changed my major from chemical engineering to journalism because after the first break, with the tranquilizers I was taking (that was all they had for schizophrenia back then), I found I could not comprehend my coursework anymore. I was in my junior year before the break.
You can imagine why I would rebel against this entity. It has undermined my every opportunity and effort to gain success, but it is a part of me and I have resolved to make myself whole.
After some soul-searching prompts, my first stop was in the gratitude market. You can’t ask the Universe for more without thanking It for what you already have. It just wouldn’t be polite. I bought a gratitude journal in which I write daily those things I am grateful for: past, present and future.
The little things that I appreciate and make me happy fascinate me the most. In my first entry I always thank God for “waking me up this morning clothed in my right mind,” a phrase my grandfather used to say in his prayers, which has taken on a new meaning for me. You can guess why.
I’ve also created a gratitude board somewhat akin to a vision board, visually celebrating all of the things that make me happy, appreciative and that I am thankful for. It has things as frivolous as vintage clothing and jewelry, as marvelous as a multi-hued sunset or a cobalt night sky, and as welcoming as family and all that it entails. It helps me to embrace the positives of my life.
Some would say I lost everything in the deal. It may seem that way from one perspective if viewing my past, but it is far from the truth. In picking up the pieces for the umpteenth time, I discovered me, the whole of myself. I am coming from a natural place, a place of gratitude and love─not someone else’s definition of who I am, or even who I think I am; it is a place of true character.
My true character has been revealed by letting go of the toxic pieces and embracing the positive aspects of my true self. This is how I define success.

The Healing Art of The Memoir

The Healing Art of The Memoir
By Ayesha 
Writing My Personal Story Has Been a Cleansing Experience
I want to write about how cleansing it was for me to write a 3,000-3,500-word personal narrative. This memoir is the beginning of what I hope will become a book-length personal narrative. I like to think of the benefits that I get from writing personal narrative as “narrative therapy.”
When I write about my experiences as an African American woman living with schizophrenia, I am writing my story which began twenty years ago. I have made progress simply by sharing my story with others. As I read the first two pages of my narrative with students and alumni at Memoirfest—a memoir-reading party that Dr. Giunta, the memoir class professor, holds every May and December at her house in Teaneck, New Jersey—I was being bolder than I have ever been before.
I have written personal essays and narratives that I have shared in safe spaces, but never as part of a college-level workshop or at a gathering of students as I did at Memoirfest. I felt so good after sharing the first two pages of my memoir with everyone and getting their positive feedback. One student told me she really enjoyed my piece, which I shared with her just before she left at the end of the night. She was doing her honors thesis and, although I cannot remember her name, her comment meant a lot to me. 
The first class that I shared my life experience as an African American woman with schizophrenia was English Composition II while doing research in the Guarni library for our final research paper; Dr. Alina Gharabegian was my instructor.
I had been encouraged by Dr. Hamburger to take ECI and ECII at the university level. I took the Advanced Creative Writing Workshop with him and did not do well, barely passing the course. Dr. Hamburger encouraged me to repeat ECI and ECII, which I did to improve my writing skills. 
Dr. Gharabegian had assigned the class a five- to seven-page research paper on the broad topic of love. We could approach the assignment in any way we liked. In her comments on my proposal, Dr. Gharabegian suggested that I write about schizophrenia and love. I felt like someone was opening a door for me. I was surprised by her suggestion, but also thrilled. I had not yet written a paper about my personal experiences with schizophrenia during my time at New Jersey City University. 
I was happy to be taking Memoir Workshop with Dr. Giunta, who taught me to avoid writing my story as a chronology or autobiography. When I nailed voice, it was like church bells were ringing at that moment, and I felt so accomplished, mature and independent. I am so glad I took Memoir Workshop and then Advanced Memoir Workshop during the spring of 2015. I graduated from NJCU in August 2015 with a BA in Creative Writing. 
I am fond of NJCU because of my experience in Dr. Giunta’s class. She was an amazing, supportive, caring and sweet person as well as a great teacher. I feel such an overwhelming debt of gratitude to her. I never thought I would have such an experience with a professor or as part of a class. It had such an amazing impact on me and on my life.
Now I am back at NJCU majoring in Early Childhood Education. I feel more a part of the university's community now than when I began in the fall of 2007. 

Bruni in the City: Number 100 is on His Way

Bruni in the City: Number 100 is on His Way
A Column by Christina Bruni
I Fell for a Pinhead
Readers: I broke the cardinal rule of dating.
Years ago, a woman gave me a psychic reading in her apartment on the waterfront in Sheepshead Bay. She told me: “Don’t throw yourself at a guy. Remember: you’re a diamond, not a rhinestone.”
Diamond, my ass. My brilliance hasn’t attracted a guy to me.
So, my curiosity got the better of me. I threw down a challenge to T.—the guy I have pined for since 2016—and sent him a short e-mail in these exact words: “I realize you don’t like me and that’s okay.” The cardinal sin. Then:
“You keep talking about your numerous ex-girlfriends. I’m a woman with a photogenic face and skinny body and I can’t get one guy to go on one date with me. What’s your secret?”
Since he was “date bait” himself with striking good looks and a kind heart, couldn’t he spare a few alluring ideas about how I could reel a guy in? Couldn’t he tell me this as one great friend to another? I clicked send on the e-mail and shut down my computer for the night. 
T. responded: “Most romances are played badly just on the surface level. Even the ones where people are happier are adolescent. Are you at the library this week? We can talk then.”
I responded to T: “Yes, I do attract guys—what a psychic called ‘turkeys.’ Like the guy with the screen name sexywomanneeded—adolescent indeed. How is a guy going to get a woman if he frames it in terms of what she can give him not what he can give her?”
Then I told T.: “I’m not going to wear a cleavage-bearing mini dress, yet apparently, that’s some guy’s sole criteria for a love match.”
Our conversation quickly sidestepped that he was the first guy I was madly and physically attracted to. He had conveniently deflected any reference to my comment that he didn’t like me.
That Sunday was the first time in my life that I ever felt like something was wrong with me. Having a diagnosis of schizophrenia doesn’t upset me and hasn’t upset me for decades. It only crushed me to know that a kind, sensitive and intelligent guy like T. didn’t like a kind and compassionate and elegant lady like me. 
“Pinhead!” I wanted to tell him. “By all means go out and get another chick that will treat you like shit all over again. Get going—Number 100 is on his way to me.”
It’s over—partly because T. has moved to Austin, TX where he found a job.
T. and I were a photogenic item out in public. I was confident people thought we were a romantic item. Thus, when we appeared together I wanted to wear a tee-shirt that proclaimed: He’s Not My Boyfriend. Try Your Luck.
The ending with T. reminded me of the Donna Summer song, lyrics about the cake left out in the rain. It took so long to bake the budding romance with him and I won’t ever have this recipe again either. The cake’s been soaked. That’s all there is to it.
On some days, I still pine for a guy. On other days, I’m happy to be alone. I miss the cake frosting.

Supplemental Needs Trusts and Government Benefits

Supplemental Needs Trusts and Government Benefits

By Joe Rosenberg, Professor of Law, CUNY School of Law

What You Need to Know

Who Needs a Supplemental Needs Trust?

·         Miguel is 50-years-old and receives SSI, Medicaid, and SNAP (Food Stamps). Miguel is about to receive a $50,000 settlement from a discrimination lawsuit against a former employer who fired Miguel after the employer learned he had schizophrenia.

·         Sonja is 35-years-old and suffers from depression. She receives SSI, Medicaid, and a Section 8 housing subsidy. Sonja’s mother died recently, and left a will that gives Sonja $100,000.

·         Ella is 60 years old and became eligible for Social Security Disability due to mental health problems after many years of employment. Ella receives Medicare, but now needs a level of home care that is available from Medicaid. Ella is not eligible for Medicaid because she has excess monthly income above the Medicaid level.

These are a few examples of when a supplemental needs trust (“SNT”) can be used by a person who receives government benefits:

·         If Miguel transfers his settlement money into an SNT, he will remain eligible for SSI and Medicaid. Miguel will also be eligible for SNAP, whether or not he uses an SNT, because in New York, SNAP does not count a person’s assets.

·         If Sonja transfers her inheritance money into an SNT, she will remain eligible for SSI and Medicaid. Sonja will be able to keep her Section 8 benefit, but may have to pay a small monthly increase in rent.

·         Ella can transfer her “excess income” each month into a supplemental needs trust to satisfy her “spend down,” become eligible for Medicaid, and have the extra income used for her benefit by the trustee.

How Does the SNT Work?

The trustee manages the trust, which directs how distributions are made to improve the beneficiary’s quality of life. The trustee usually makes payments directly to providers of goods and services to the beneficiary. The trust is used to pay for basic needs not covered by government benefits and anything else that will improve the beneficiary’s quality of life (for example, “extra” health care, housing, travel, personal care, computers, and education).

The trustee does not make payments directly to the beneficiary. If the beneficiary needs services beyond what Medicaid covers, the trustee pays the provider directly. The SNT is not considered an “available” asset and the beneficiary maintains eligibility for government benefits.

If the trustee pays money directly to the beneficiary, it would be counted as income, which might affect the beneficiary’s eligibility for government benefits.

What is the Difference Between “Pooled” & “Individual SNTs?

There are two main SNT “structures”:

·         A “pooled” SNT is for people with disabilities of any age. A nonprofit organization establishes and manages the trust. Each beneficiary has an account within the “master” pooled trust.

·         An “individual” SNT is limited to people with disabilities under age 65. An individual trust document must be drafted. Unlike the pooled SNT, a responsible person or bank/trust company must be selected to serve as trustee.

Who Funds the SNT? “Self-Settled” & “Third Party” SNTs

There are two main types of SNTs:

·         A “self-settled” SNT is funded with money or property that is owned or controlled by the beneficiary (for example, a settlement from a lawsuit, or an inheritance). The beneficiary is considered to "own" the money that will fund the trust, so it is necessary to use a self-settled SNT. A transfer of money or property into the SNT does not create a “penalty period” of ineligibility for SSI or Medicaid, unless the beneficiary is over 65 and applies for Medicaid nursing home coverage within 60 months of the transfer.

·         A self-settled SNT can be created by the beneficiary (if the person has enough decision-making capacity), or by a parent, grandparent, legal guardian, or a court.

·         A “third party” SNT is funded with money or property from someone other than the beneficiary (for example, a family member or friend). The beneficiary does not own the money used to fund the trust. A parent creates a third party SNT when the parent includes the SNT in a will that takes effect when the parent dies.

Is There a Medicaid “Pay Back” from the SNT Remainder?

With an individual “self-settled” SNT, there is a required “pay back” to Medicaid from any remaining assets when the beneficiary dies (up to the amount paid by Medicaid for the beneficiary). With a pooled SNT, there is an option to keep any remaining money in the pooled trust when the beneficiary dies, instead of the “pay back” to Medicaid.

A third party SNT, because a parent or other person (not the beneficiary) creates and funds the trust, does not have a required “pay back” to Medicaid. The creator of a third party SNT can choose who gets any remainder after the beneficiary dies.

Does a Person Need a Lawyer to Create the SNT?

I recommend that a person work with a lawyer, who should be able to explain options and help the client make informed decisions.

For example, a lawyer can help under the following circumstances:

·         A parent or grandparent is doing “estate planning” and wants to provide for a child or grandchild (or other relative or person), but does not want to cause the beneficiary to lose eligibility for government benefits.

·         A person receiving SSI and Medicaid inherits money from a relative or friend, or receives a lump sum settlement from a personal injury, discrimination, or other case, and needs to protect the money without losing the government benefits.

The cost of setting up an SNT will vary, depending on the amount of money involved, the type of SNT, and if a person needs to create a new SNT or can establish an account with a pooled SNT.

Private attorneys who specialize in Elder Law, Disability Law, or Wills, Trusts & Estates, may have the necessary expertise. A private attorney may charge anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 (or more) for an SNT.

Local legal aid, legal services, and bar associations may have referral services for pro bono or more affordable attorneys.

The Aftermath of a Major Psychiatric Episode

The Aftermath of a Major Psychiatric Episode
By Kurt Sass
Coping Strategies for Dealing with Relapse Fears
Back in 1998, I began a two year, long-suffering battle with major depression, which included, among other things, daily suicidal thoughts, self-abuse (cutting myself up to 70 times a day), numerous hospitalizations, 22 ECT or “shock” treatments and a period of 11 months in which I could not leave my bed on my own—not even to take a shower or go to a doctor's appointment. 
Fortunately, I have not had to endure anything even remotely close to that in the 16 years since that two-year ordeal ended in the year 2000. 
One might think that it would be easy to be grateful that the “past” is behind me and that it is easy to go on. However, I think most people who have gone through the trauma of a major psychiatric episode would tell you otherwise. 
While I am extremely appreciative and grateful everyday that I have not returned to that horrible state, the fear of it recurring is always there. My belief is that most people who have endured a major psychiatric episode, especially a long-term episode, suffer from a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result. I still get flashbacks of when I cut myself and when I was hospitalized for attempting suicide. And when those flashbacks occur, the fear of the episode recurring also resurfaces.
This cycle occurs most often when my body is in a weakened state. A few years ago, I was confined to a bed for a number of days when I had a virus with a high fever. With my physical body feeling so weak, my thoughts began to shift. I started thinking that this was the beginning of a new depression and that I would not be able to get out of bed, even after the fever lifts. Another time this occurred was when I started a vigorous exercise routine and ran eight miles a day, without building up to that level. I wore out my body, and was almost too weak to fight my thoughts of oncoming depression.
I noticed that whenever I feel either tired or sad, I immediately start to panic and wonder if this is possibly the beginning of a major psychiatric breakdown.
The good news is that I have discovered many tools to successfully cope. The first is cognitive thinking. Whenever I start to feel any inkling or thought at all that I may be going into a deep depression, I sit back and analyze the situation. I ask myself questions: Are you physically sick at the moment? Are you tired because you didn't get enough sleep? Are you sad because of something that happened at work or with family? The answer to one of these questions is almost always yes, and that usually explains it. Meditation and yoga are two great ways to help get into a nice, relaxed state before asking yourself these questions.
Unfortunately, however, I sometimes go through unexplained periods of complete panic and fear which can last anywhere from a few hours up to seven to eight days. There seems to be no apparent trigger. When this happens, I must be continually cognizant that this is not going to end up being a two-year depression and that eventually it will fade away. It always does. 
Finding the right therapist, one you can trust, is an important piece of the puzzle, as well as finding close friends whom you are able to confide in.
If you have suffered through a major psychiatric breakdown, and you are often afraid that it may recur, you are not alone. If you think you see any signs of a possible recurrence, please take a moment to step back and analyze them first.