Thoughts on a tragedy, with help from Jon Stewart and Dr. Walt Menninger

by Menninger Clinic January 12, 2011

It’s been four days since Jared Loughner allegedly took aim at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, critically wounding her and 13 others and killing six people, including a 9-year-old girl. Which means it’s been four days of non-stop news coverage and water-cooler conversation about the tragedy. Four days of what-ifs, whys and finger pointing. Everyone seems to […]

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Giffords shooting calls for measured, rational response

by Menninger Clinic January 10, 2011

Like most people, I had an intense reaction to this weekend’s shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and others in Arizona. I was angry and sad and confused and then angry again and then heartbroken when I learned that a 9-year-old girl had been killed. As we learned more about the gunman, 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner, […]

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Less talk, more listening: a New Year’s message from Dr. Walt Menninger

by Menninger Clinic January 4, 2011

Each year, along with my greetings of the season to friends and associates, I share a summary of significant events occurring in my life that year. And I conclude with some general thoughts about the state of the world. My closing thought this year prompted quite a few responses. My words: Divisive political rhetoric and […]

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Ron Artest 2, Stigma 0

by Menninger Clinic December 21, 2010

When last we left Ron Artest, he was thanking his psychiatrist for helping him relax enough to play basketball at a high level. He was so excited to have won an NBA Championship that he seemingly thanked everyone he’d met during his career, and nonchalantly slipped his therapist’s name in there for good measure. The […]

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It’s a funny thing about suicide

by Menninger Clinic December 17, 2010

First a disclosure: The title of this piece is stolen, word for word, from a journal article by a friend of mine, Dr. Susan Walen, who wrote courageously about her own close brush with suicide several years ago (Sue has a way with words, not to mention brilliant wit). Facing the facts But I thought […]

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For this CEO, the fight against stigma is personal

by Menninger Clinic December 10, 2010

As 2010 comes to a close, I find myself thinking a lot about the plans we had as we relocated to Houston from Topeka, Kansas, several years ago. One of our most ambitious plans: create a new setting for our work because we believed a new approach to advancing mental health care, education and research […]

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Are people with mental illness superheroes?

by Menninger Clinic December 2, 2010

At its core, the driving force behind the concept of the superhero is hope. It’s about underdogs (with ridiculous, over-the-top powers and costumes, of course) beating a larger, deadlier foe in the nick of time. It’s about good always triumphing over evil, no matter the odds. It’s about believing that a better, safer world is right around […]

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“Tis the season to be jolly…?”

by Menninger Clinic November 24, 2010

We have all likely walked through a shopping mall or grocery store this time of year and hearing the familiar jingle “Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la” piping through overhead speakers. If we are excited about the holidays and their promise of time spent with loved […]

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The face of hope: my encounter with a veteran battling depression

by Menninger Clinic November 19, 2010

This is about hope. Phil is a Navy veteran I met during a visit to The Gathering Place, a psychosocial clubhouse for individuals who are managing a mental illness. When I introduced myself as a fellow veteran, Phil asked, “What branch of the military?” I said, “Army.” He said, “Too bad!” We bonded immediately. The […]

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Attachment is the cradle of self-love

by Menninger Clinic November 9, 2010

Being a fan of attachment theory and research, I had one of those—unfortunately rare—“ah-ha” moments when I came across a phrase about self-love in New Zealand philosopher Christine Swanton’s fine book, Virtue Ethics. Swanton made the case that self-love is a virtue that entails bonding with yourself. “Bonding,” I thought, “That’s attachment.” Accordingly, we might […]

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