Have you ever been through a mental health crisis with someone you care about: a child who dreads going to school because of severe anxiety; a young adult who still lives at home and won’t leave the house; a sibling, spouse or parent who is so depressed he or she has lost the will to get out of bed? Maybe you have a lost a loved to suicide, or only feel that you have due to the changes brought about by serious mental illness.

More than half a million users visited www.rtor.org in the past twelve months. If you are one of the 2,097 users who reached out to us for personalized help in the last year you probably understand the challenges. One in five Americans experiences a mental health problem every year, but when it happens to someone you love, it can feel like you are all alone.

Every day, our two Resource Specialists receive requests from people across the United States looking for help and support. Many of them contact us in desperation about a loved one with a serious mental health problem.

In recent weeks, we have seen an increase in COVID-related requests for help in addition to the usual mental health crises and problems we are called to help with every day. Our Resource Specialists offer information, support, and guidance on how to access mental health help in the communities where callers live.

Many users tell us we were the first online resource they reached out to that responded with a live person they could talk to. Sometimes it is enough just to share their stories with a sympathetic listener who lets them know they are not alone in what they have experienced.

We can offer this website and the free services of our Resource Specialists because of the support we get from Laurel House, Inc., a nonprofit organization in Stamford, CT that provides resources and opportunities for people living with mental illness and their families.

Laurel House has produced a 4-minute video about Resources to Recover and a family’s journey from heartbreak to healing. Recovery, The Whole Family’s Journey features the stories of several families who thought they were alone and found guidance and support for their loved ones from Laurel House and rtor.org.

I invite you to join us at LaurelHouse.net to watch the film and help us honor our 2020 Champion for Recovery Anthony L. Rostain, MD, MA, a national expert on young adult mental health and co-author of the book The Stressed Years of Their Lives: Helping Your Kid Survive and Thrive During Their College Years.

See the Film

Finding Light in the Darkness: Coping with Grief and Loneliness During the Holidays

From Chaos to Calm: Strategies for Managing PTSD After Natural Disasters, Crimes, and Accidents

Mental Health and Physical Disability: An Experience with Psychotherapy and Spinal Cord Injury

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Jay Boll, Editor in Chief www.rtor.org

Jay Boll, LMSW, writes about mental health from dual perspectives: as a professional with more than thirty-five years of experience working with homeless youth and adults with mental illness, and as a family member who has witnessed the impact of mental illness up close and personal.
 
There are many sides to mental health recovery. Jay’s blog takes The Family Side.

Latest posts by Jay Boll, Editor in Chief www.rtor.org (see all)

• Silver Hill Hospital: My Family’s 35-Year History with a National Leader in Quality Mental Health Care - February 7, 2023
• Connecticut Mother Who Lost a Son to Overdose Shares Her Story and Hosts Wilton Fundraiser to Benefit Laurel House - November 9, 2022
• Laurel House Offers $10,000 Racial Equity Scholarship for a Black or Hispanic Student Pursuing a Master’s of Social Work Degree - June 8, 2022