Did you know? Most #suicide attempt survivors go on to lead happy, healthy lives. Resources from @scyspi and @afspnational can help you or a loved one get through a time of crisis. #WhileIBreatheIHope #stopsuicide #suicideprevention #beheretomorrow https://t.co/tX6lJFuhHQ
— Rader Ward Foundation (@RaderWardFound) July 17, 2019
you are important
17 Likes, 6 Comments - @raderwardfoundation on Instagram: "Do you need some gentle reminders in your life? That you're important and strong? That it's ok to..."
Follow @littlearthlings on Instagram for more inspiration like this!
Mario Monday: plant parenthood
30 Likes, 2 Comments - @raderwardfoundation on Instagram: "It's Mario Monday and I want to share another of my favorite Instagrammers with you: @casualbowser!..."
Posted @withrepost • @casualbowser“It’s fine. You’ll grow into it.”
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#myspoonistoobig #Bowser#Koopa #KingKoopa#pirhanaplant #supermario#mario #mariobros#supermariobros #nintendo#worldofnintendo #shfiguarts#figuarts #toyartistry_and_beyond#actionfigurephotography#toyphotography #toyartistry#toyart #jakkspacific#jakksnintendotoys#actionfigures #toys#igersnintendo #bandai#videogames #nintendogram#nintendoworldpow
become an upstander against bullying
I'm continuing to share resources recommended in Life After Suicide by Dr. Jennifer Ashton. This one I knew about, but had no idea the depth and breadth of their work against bullying: the Tyler Clementi Foundation.
Please follow them on social media and take a look at their website to see how you can be an Upstander, not a bystander. You can even take the Upstander Pledge. I'm going to quote the first part of it here for you. Powerful!
"I will stand up to bullying whether I’m at school, at home, at work, in my house of worship; whether I am speaking in the digital cyber world or out in the real world with friends, family, colleagues or teammates.
"I will work to make others feel safe and included by treating them with kindness, respect and compassion.
"I will not use insulting or demeaning language, slurs, gestures, facial expressions, or jokes about anyone’s sexuality, size, gender, race, any kind of disability, religion, class, politics, or other differences, in person or while using technology.
"If I realize I have hurt someone I will apologize.
"I will remain vigilant and not be a passive audience or 'bystander' to abusive actions or words."
moving forward, not moving on
get grief support from our house
know the five signs
things suicide loss survivors should know
it will get better
The podcast is Life After Suicide, the June 4 episode called Faith and Spirituality after Suicide
mario monday: art from the domino king
new mental health resource: change direction
I just finished reading Dr. Jennifer Ashton's book, Life After Suicide: Finding Courage, Comfort, & Community After Unthinkable Loss. I'll post a book review soon, but before that I want to begin to share some of the mental health and suicide prevention resources the book introduced me to.
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First is The Campaign to Change Direction. From their website: "The goal of the Campaign to Change Direction is to change the culture of mental health so that all of those in need receive the care and support they deserve. The Campaign encourages everyone to pay attention to their emotional well-being — and it reminds us that our emotional well-being is just as important as our physical well-being."
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Change Direction grew out of another excellent mental health organization, Give an Hour. "Founded by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area, Give an Hour seeks to develop networks of skill-based volunteer professionals capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions prevalent within society."
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I’ll add these two organizations to the resource page.
birthday fundraiser exceeds all expectations
My Facebook birthday fundraiser has ended and here are the details. (If you missed contributing, it's still possible any time via the donate button on our Facebook page and through our website at raderward.com/donate.)
Original goal: $3,000. Y'all generously exceeded that goal in two days.
Revised goal: $6,000 that my husband and I would match.
Total donated via Facebook: $4,930
Donated via the raderward website: $25
Total so far: $4,955!
One technical thing I learned was that if you set up a match via the Facebook donation platform, it only calculates the match on donations received after you set it up. Who knew? So since I made the match official on Thursday night, just the most recent $130 in donations were matched through the FB platform. We will write a check for the remaining $4,825. PLUS, though this fundraiser has ended, we will still match ongoing donations made through Facebook or here on the website up to the total of $6,000. The next $1,045 in donations will still earn matching funds!
Thank you all for being so generous in celebrating my 50th birthday. After recently awarding our first two Montessori scholarships at $3,000 each, I was hopeful and cautiously optimistic we could raise enough to fund the next one. You blew me away! Thanks again, so so much.
last day of my Facebook birthday fundraiser!
support prevention of veteran suicide
griever's bill of rights
brain pickings: suicide hotline
Mario Monday: nurturing!
26 Likes, 0 Comments - @raderwardfoundation on Instagram: "It's Mario Monday! Today I want to share one of my favorite Instagrammers with you: Curious..."
#bethe1to affirm
trusted contacts can help teens through crisis
birthday fundraiser continues!
My friend Kelly Hazel wrote what I’m sharing below when I announced my birthday fundraiser for the foundation last week. Her words are so insightful about the needs of creative kids. If you are moved to do so, please contribute on Facebook, or click here.
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(Susan Ward of the Rader Ward Foundation) is one of my dear friends. We met years ago when Jacob was in Taekwondo. We didn’t talk much, because she was IN class and I was on the side watching, but I admired her courage on the mats. We connected on Facebook, and I saw that her energy extended far beyond the Taekwondo mats. She was always doing: accomplishing, helping, caring, learning, and creating.
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When a battle against mental illness took her son Rader’s life, even her grief took the form of creating, helping, accomplishing.
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First, she wrote. I suppose her motive was to work through her own grief, but her words profoundly impacted many others, including myself, in a variety of ways.
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Then, she established the Rader Ward Foundation. This foundation celebrates Rader’s life and his unique character by providing opportunities for creative children like Rader to experience the joy of Montessori learning.
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Exceptionally unconventional and creative students often struggle in conventional schools despite high intelligence. Their inventive nature and unique perspectives open doors to solutions that conventional minds may never stumble upon, but when they are confined to a traditional standard that stifles that character, they are forced to focus so much on the difficult task of conformity that those opportunities for growth are lost.
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By donating to Rader Ward Foundation, you are not only helping unconventional students like Rader find an academic place where they can learn effectively, you are helping everyone who might someday benefit from the new and unconventional ideas, perspectives, and knowledge that will manifest because these unique spirits were embraced and allowed to thrive.
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It’s important.
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#bitsofpositivity #montessoriquotes#montessorischolarships #montessori#unconventionalstudents#creativekids #alternativeeducation#fundraiser