A group of local experts will discuss destigmatizing mental illness during a free lecture, 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, at Dick DeWees Community and Senior Center in Lompoc.
Three Lompoc Health specialists in mental health and counseling will discuss person experiences with mental illness, addiction and self-stigma.
The lecture, called De-stigmatizing the shame of mental health: A journey of hope, perseverance and resiliency, is presented by the Lompoc Hospital District Foundation.
Michael Dixon, Lompoc Health Behavior Health Program manager, will speak about his journey as a family member of someone suffering from serious mental illness while offering suggestions on how to use assertive communication and on setting good boundaries.
Melanie Tucker, LFMT and clinical counselor, will discuss her journey of compound grief and addiction, offering insight from both personal and professional viewpoints with cultural sensitivity and awareness.
LVMC Emergency Department patient navigator Emily Dixon, a peer support specialist, will discuss self-stigma and delays in receiving care due to shame about symptoms.