Whole Mind Symphony
Cause Area
- Advocacy & Human Rights
- Children & Youth
- Health & Medicine
- Homeless & Housing
- People with Disabilities
Location
4065 McLaughlin Ave apt 6Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA 90066 United StatesOrganization Information
Mission Statement
We envision that people with chronic serious mental health issues can experience a meaningful life when they are living in the safe, beautiful environment of a long-term supportive home with same age range peers with common interests and diagnosis in the schizophrenia spectrum. A true home is the solution for homelessness. Music is at the center of our program for its brain healing qualities as well as promoting bonding and socialization. Just like a symphony is created through many musical instruments, harmony in the mind requires the recognition of each person’s uniqueness. Therefore we provide a therapeutic community with a lively positive social and learning atmosphere, supported by nutritional psychiatry, innovative therapies and treatments, recreational activities, vocational training, family and community integration so each resident can feel whole again. We envision this innovative model being replicated and multiplied all over the US helping families finally feel at peace.
Description
The founders are Moms of young men with schizophrenia who had enough seeing their sons cycling through hospitals, jails, locked facilities and unsafe board & cares. They belong to the Mother Advocates for the SMI who wrote the Failure & Solutions Report about the Mental Health System and have presented it to the LA County Board of Supervisors. They teamed up to create the change now and prove it is possible. Anna's background as a filmmaker led her into investigating all holistic treatments that help mental illness. She lectured for 2 years on how Nutrition has played a fundamental role in the recovery of her oldest son, and how cooking and gardening is a crucial stabilizing factor of his life. Cheryl has 20 years as an educator, and is the owner of a licensed home for the developmental disable. They have consulted with successful housing models such as the Lighthouse Project in Arizona, which started with one home in 2016 and today has 13 homes. In their team is also Sanjeet Sihota, a Social Worker graduate from UCLA, owner of PeerCoach which works in collaboration with the top UCLA psychiatrists on psychosocial rehabilitation. He is also a certified LEAP trainer and a member of Dr Amador's faculty, and a featured speaker for NAMI throughout California.