September 2016 – Mental Health Affairs

By J. Peters Sep 22, 201624 Dec 2017

What is Recovery? Differentiating the Diagnosis from the Person

This article seeks to discuss, define, and set up an ongoing dialogue around what recovery means. As people, we all have our own eccentricities. Some of us are moody; others … Continue reading What is Recovery? Differentiating the Diagnosis from the Person

By J. Peters Sep 21, 201624 Dec 2017

Your Inner Guidance System: Tuning-in

This article seeks to explore more advanced self-care strategies. Tuning-in to the self, and/or self-awareness, is one of the quintessential skills for knowing how to self-regulate effectively in stressful, unknown, … Continue reading Your Inner Guidance System: Tuning-in

By J. Peters Sep 19, 201624 Dec 2017

On Self-Care: Monitoring our ADL’s

This article seeks to highlight the unquestionable importance of self-care in everyday life. Self-care is paramount to survival and this article will review the essential skills necessary to continue and … Continue reading On Self-Care: Monitoring our ADL’s

By J. Peters Sep 7, 201624 Dec 2017

Allies in Recovery: The “DO’s” and “DONT’s” of Radical Acceptance

This article explores symptoms that complicate interpersonal relationships and interfere with pro-social interactions. There are many diagnoses that have symptoms that further complicate our social lives when socialization is what’s … Continue reading Allies in Recovery: The “DO’s” and “DONT’s” of Radical Acceptance

By J. Peters Sep 2, 201624 Dec 2017

Surviving on the Unit

Have you lost all control in your life or does it feel that way? This article is intended to explore the feelings and thoughts associated with experiencing an in patient … Continue reading Surviving on the Unit

J. Peters

LMax Guttman is the owner of Recovery Now, a private mental health practice in Ardsley, New York. Max’s battle with schizophrenia began at Binghamton University in his last semester of college. Max was discharged from Greater Binghamton State Hospital Center in July of 2008, after spending six months there. His recovery was swift, but not painless, and certainly difficult. Max refers to his stance on recovery in his journal articles as “Too big to fail.” No obstacle too big, no feat out of reach, Max let nothing stop him in his path to recovery and healing. While Max’s symptoms began during his last semester, he successfully graduated from college, and his diploma was waiting for him at home after his discharge from the hospital. On one of the newest intramuscular injections (IM) available, and after learning the true meaning of adherence, Max later went on to publish articles about the use of injectable medications to overcome his own symptoms. Through paranoia, hallucinations, and other symptoms of schizophrenia, Max didn’t let anything stop him from his return to academia, and writing. In his childhood, Max was a lover of language. When schizophrenia tried to rob him of his academic ability, Max fought back. With the use of medications and therapy, he finally regained his ability to communicate and to pursue his passions and dreams for higher education. Through his work as a social worker, therapist, and disability rights advocate, Max fights for those without a voice in the system. He seeks to help those who are struggling with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses not just achieve stabilization but thrive. Max is relentless in his passion for helping people who find themselves vulnerable, and those without the ability to care for themselves. Today, Max teaches social work students at Fordham University to be leaders in their practice. Max is the author of University on Watch: Crisis in the Academy, which he published under the pen name J. Peters in 2019. Max writes on his lived experience, and also brings his story into his work. Max blogs daily on his site mentalhealthaffairs.blog and for other sites around the United States and Europe, bringing his passion for mental health to consumers everywhere.

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is Mental Illness a disability?
So, I want to pose a question: is a mental health disorder a disability? I suspect the answer to this question hinges on how disability is contextualized. There are several … Continue reading is Mental Illness a disability?
The Old, the New: The Next Steps in the Mental Health Movement
The system is broken. We all know it. We all preach it. When reflecting upon my experiences, both personal, and professional, I remember this short exchange between myself and a … Continue reading The Old, the New: The Next Steps in the Mental Health Movement
In Response to the Mighty
So, I read an article today on the Mighty titled: “I’m not high functioning- and I’m okay with that”. So, this is more complicated than it seems, to quote the … Continue reading In Response to the Mighty
From The Revisionist: Rise of the Prosumer
“In the future, further work should deconstruct categories of medicine, psychiatry, and social work and encourage strength based approaches that will supplant new-institutionalization and create a new gold standard in … Continue reading From The Revisionist: Rise of the Prosumer
Why we Adapt
Ever find yourself in the most perfect or seemingly perfect moment? You just want things to stay that way, right? Well, as a human, you probably have already discovered that … Continue reading Why we Adapt
The Benefits of Taking Inventory
We all know that staying positive is helpful in promoting good mental health. Well, this is getting harder and harder for some folks. Staying positive has become increasingly difficult when … Continue reading The Benefits of Taking Inventory
What exactly does it mean to be a peer?
The peer world is divided. Okay, so that’s not news. Either are the divisions within the mental health community on how to best advocate and push for better health care. … Continue reading What exactly does it mean to be a peer?
J. Peters has always been “Watching”
I want to make it very much known to all that read this, that J. Peters has always been watching, long before he put any University on Watch. Indeed, during … Continue reading J. Peters has always been “Watching”
Lost Chapter of UOW: Bombs over New London University
The next step in Contesting Admission seemed rather obvious to me. Pummel the English Department into submission. In the words of President George W. Bush, this will be “shock and … Continue reading Lost Chapter of UOW: Bombs over New London University
The Kindness Rocks Project
The Kindness Rocks Project, founded by Megan Murphy, is about discovering the beauty and profound possibilities of hope in acts of kindness, and has become a grassroots movement. Megan Murphy … Continue reading The Kindness Rocks Project

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