Tag: Help

Midlife Mondays

Written by Maria Miller on January 16, 2026.

“Not perfect, but better” Midlife Mondays have become something I look forward to every week. Sean Stockman is a YouTube content developer whose work is grounded in “working hard and loving our neighbor.” He lives in Michigan and has relinquished his desk job to clean up overgrown and neglected properties in and around urban Detroit. He cleverly documents these makeovers using a variety of camera angles and shares them on his YouTube page “Midlife Stockman.” I first started watching...

Need More Information About Advocating For Your Family Member?

Written by Valerie Melroy on October 28, 2025.

Voice and Vision is pleased to announce that the first chapter from our 2015 book, Help and Hope: From Families Who Have Walked the Walk, has been updated and is now available free on our website. “Advocating for and Supporting Your Family Member” contains essential advocacy tips for families supporting loved ones with developmental/intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions, autism, addictions, and other challenges. Peer support, an integral part of Voice and Vision’s...

Using Communication to Drive Care: Supporting Your Loved One with a Disability in a Medical Crisis

Written by Maria Miller on August 6, 2024.

Photos of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Device sample pictures.

Supporting your loved one with communication challenges can be a daily stress: caregivers use strategies to meet basic needs, grow social skills, and encourage authentic relationships. Sustaining everyone’s mental health is also a key consideration, because when a person struggles with communication, their behavior can reflect their frustration and complicate fruitful interactions. Patience and knowledge of the person’s communication style are always necessary. During a health crisis,...

MORE THAN BULL’S-EYE RASH AND JOINT PAIN: LYME DISEASE AND NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS

Written by Susan Benzie on May 17, 2024.

May is both Lyme Disease Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. What is the connection? The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 476,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme Disease each year in the US. In 2022, the states with the highest number of Lyme disease cases were New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently alerted individuals, providers, and caregivers that reported Lyme disease cases have increased this spring and...

Paris: Hearing Voices Conference

Written by Mary Angela Yancy on January 17, 2024.

Thirty years ago, I minored in French as an undergraduate at Temple University. I have been dreaming of visiting France for decades. I decided to pursue an opportunity to lead a workshop at the 2023 World Hearing Voices Congress in Paris. However, I did not know how to fund this endeavor. About the same time my workshop proposal was accepted, a local organization awarded me a scholarship so I could go to Paris in October 2023. The blessing of being able to give a presentation on an...

Celebrate Spirituality

Written by Valerie Melroy on April 7, 2023.

Right now, three major world religions are celebrating some of their most important holidays: Passover/Pesach- Judaism; Good Friday and Easter – Christianity; and Ramadan – Islam. In less than a month, two other major world religions will celebrate holidays as well: Buddha Purnima – Buddhism and Ram Navami – Hinduism. Just think – billions of people in the world around the same time are celebrating holidays that help to shape their beliefs and traditions and relationships with their God and...

Black History Month – Equality in Healthcare

Written by Valerie Melroy on February 25, 2022.

Voice and Vision wants to recognize Black History Month each February, yet we believe people who are Black or African American should be honored and recognized all year long for their gifts, creativity, talents, and contributions that helped to make America the great nation she is today. The list is extensive of those who are publicized, yet there are thousands more throughout the centuries whose creative gifts touched every sphere of influence, and countless numbers of people whose selfless...

June is PTSD Awareness Month

Written by Olga Antonyuk & Valerie Melroy on June 25, 2021.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. Often during these types of events, the person does not have any control over what is happening, and they may feel very afraid. In addition to a life-threatening event, a series of traumatic experiences can cause PTSD, such as with a child who experiences multiple Adverse...

The Importance of Family Involvement

Written by Amy Brower on May 7, 2021.

I recently completed an internship with Voice and Vision, which has been such an incredibly insightful and rewarding experience. I had the privilege of working alongside intelligent and compassionate individuals throughout my time with this agency. I acquired more knowledge and perspective about mental health and substance use disorder than I ever thought possible as a first-year intern. The following blog is written to share what I have learned throughout this past year regarding...

Welcome to a New Year- 2021!

Written by Valerie Melroy on January 3, 2021.

When contemplating what to write for the new year’s message this year from Voice and Vision, Inc., I looked back at 2020 and pondered the difficulties and all the blessings the Voice and Vision family experienced. A few of the difficulties: some co-workers were on furlough for part of the year, teams navigating the coronavirus rules and policies and virtual work mandates, and a few experienced the coronavirus either for themselves or their family. The blessings far...

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The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website and blog is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to inspire, educate, offer hope and in some instances challenge attitudes and beliefs promoted in our society. We also provide information about Voice and Vision’s services and connections to basic resources in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The information is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, counseling, or treatment or cannot be used for identification of a diagnosis. Please seek help from a qualified physician or professional with any questions you may have regarding a physical, emotional or mental health condition, disability, or addiction.
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