Jacky's Dance Towards Recovery
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About 15 years ago, I found myself in a psychiatric hospital for both mania and psychosis for over 30 days. I was diagnosed with bipolar I alongside of substance abuse. Then along came the depression. The recommended treatment was, of course, medication. And when the meds didn't work, along with several hospitalizations, it was suggested that I do electro convulsive therapy. This was something I did while I was hospitalized and also as an outpatient client. These were some of the scariest days of my life.
It's been a long road battling mental illness and substance abuse but I believe I'm a fighter for recovery. And I intend to share this fight with the folks in recovery in my community. I believe that many other things can help in recovery and movement is one of them. And dance is what I plan to introduce as a tool for recovery and overall health.
In my professional career, I co-created a program model that uses JourneyDance to address mental health, specifically among young people. The program was successful and I plan to work to implement it again in the Bucks County community. See attached video.<iframe media_type="0" media_id="DuVz-6rZVuI" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DuVz-6rZVuI/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe>
These funds will help me take my own journey in dance and to become certified to teach JourneyDance - a holistic and therapeutic fitness practice that incorporates yoga, visualization, theater, affirmations and improvisation. The teacher training is for international teachers and takes place in Costa Rica, April 2-14. And I can't even begin to imagine the lengths it will take me in my own recovery.
I believe a program like JourneyDance can uniquely and creatively raise awareness of the epidemic we are facing in our communities when it comes to mental illness and substance abuse. Whereby, the suicide rate is at it's highest... it is the 2nd leading killer of young adults ages 14-25!
Upon return from the International Teachers Training, I plan to volunteer my services and teach in local facilities that are working with individuals in recovery. I have made some inroads with some of these facilities and I am on the docket to speak with the Senator to gain his endorsement.
I have never been more ready to dive into a recovery process with the plan of sharing it with my peers. Please consider supporting me in this journey.
xoxo, jacky
It's been a long road battling mental illness and substance abuse but I believe I'm a fighter for recovery. And I intend to share this fight with the folks in recovery in my community. I believe that many other things can help in recovery and movement is one of them. And dance is what I plan to introduce as a tool for recovery and overall health.
In my professional career, I co-created a program model that uses JourneyDance to address mental health, specifically among young people. The program was successful and I plan to work to implement it again in the Bucks County community. See attached video.<iframe media_type="0" media_id="DuVz-6rZVuI" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DuVz-6rZVuI/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe>
These funds will help me take my own journey in dance and to become certified to teach JourneyDance - a holistic and therapeutic fitness practice that incorporates yoga, visualization, theater, affirmations and improvisation. The teacher training is for international teachers and takes place in Costa Rica, April 2-14. And I can't even begin to imagine the lengths it will take me in my own recovery.
I believe a program like JourneyDance can uniquely and creatively raise awareness of the epidemic we are facing in our communities when it comes to mental illness and substance abuse. Whereby, the suicide rate is at it's highest... it is the 2nd leading killer of young adults ages 14-25!
Upon return from the International Teachers Training, I plan to volunteer my services and teach in local facilities that are working with individuals in recovery. I have made some inroads with some of these facilities and I am on the docket to speak with the Senator to gain his endorsement.
I have never been more ready to dive into a recovery process with the plan of sharing it with my peers. Please consider supporting me in this journey.
xoxo, jacky
Organizer
Jacky Mcdonough
Organizer
Doylestown, PA
