Oakland County Mental Health Resources
By Monica Drake
Guest Writer
“I’m so sad. Life doesn’t feel worth living anymore.
I don’t know where to go to get help.
Help is too expensive.
I don’t want my parents to find out I’m suffering from depression.”
Have you ever thought any of these thoughts?
I can honestly say I have thought all of these thoughts at one time in my life. I wish more than anything that I would have known about the Pontiac-based organization Common Ground, and I wish they would have offered all that they do today.
At Common Ground, crisis lines are free. Those who call will be offered confidential counseling, information and referrals. Just having someone to talk to can mean the difference between life and death.
But those who work at Common Ground know that this might not even be an option. After all, when you were a teenager, how many times can you say you’ve been talking on your phone in your room, only to have a parent ask you, “Who are you talking to?” The unfortunate stigma still surrounding mental illness and the fear of being judged often holds people back from seeking the help that they need.
So Common Ground has taken it one step further. In addition to their 24/7 Resource and Crisis Hotline (800-231-1127), they also have a crisis text service. Just text “Hello” to 800.231.1127, and you will receive a text message back from a trained volunteer.
Also, from 4 – 10 p.m. weekdays, the nonprofit offers online chat services on their website at http://commongroundhelps.org/. Volunteers are available to speak with anyone experiencing depression, anxiety, relationship problems, family stressors, abuse, bullying, etc.
The Common Ground Crisis Resource Center is located 1200 N Telegraph Road Building 32E, Pontiac, Mich.
Another great Oakland County resource is WillowsEdge, a nonprofit counseling and healing arts center which is set to move to the 208,000-square-foot Legacy Center, 925 N Lapeer Road, Oxford, this fall.
WillowsEdge provides counseling (individual, group, couples, family for all ages), healing arts services (art, recreational and cinema therapy, nutrition, life coaching and much more), workshops (therapeutic and educational), and educational support (study skills, screening, and interventions).
The goal of the organization is to reduce barriers to treatment by providing professional counseling and healing arts services at an affordable rate to residents of Oakland County.
During construction, WillowsEdge’s temporary location is at 51 S Washington St. Suite F, Oxford. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 248-834-0614, email WillowsEdgeCounseling@gmail.com or visit www.willowsedge.net.
About Author:
Monica Drake works as the Communications Representative for the State of Michigan’s Office of Good Government and was previously a reporter and editor for the Michigan newspaper The Oakland Press. Her passion is raising awareness about suicide and working to erase the stigma associated with mental illness. She started the blog Meant To Live four years ago to help others by sharing signs of depression, reasons to live, resources, suicide and bullying prevention groups, other people’s stories and memorials. She especially wants to show people that they are not alone. For more information, visit www.meant2live.net.
Hi there! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with
us so I came to give it a look. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to
my followers! Outstanding blog and terrific design.
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful article. Many thanks for supplying this information.
Please let me know if you’re looking for a article
author for your blog. You have some really good articles and I feel I would be a good asset.
If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d really like to write some
content for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine.
Please send me an e-mail if interested. Cheers!
Thank’s great post.
Awesome article.
Great information. Lucky me Recently i found your internet site by accident (stumbleupon).
I’ve book marked it for later!
This is my first time go to see at here and i am really impressed to read all at one place.
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Thanks for providing this
info.
Thanks very interesting blog!
Appreciate this post. Will try it out.
I am just actually grateful towards the owner of the website having shared this impressive bit of writing at at this point.
Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority is funded, in part, by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority is funded, in part, by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.