NAMI New York State

11/06/2026

Take a moment to stretch, breathe and restore at NAMI NYS EdCon 2026!🧘

Join yoga instructor, Cheryl Burton Murphy, for an inclusive, welcoming yoga session designed for every body and every experience level. Through mindful movement and breath, participants will have an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with themselves and find what feels right for their individual needs.

Whether you're a longtime yoga enthusiast or stepping onto the mat for the first time, there's a place for you!

Make time for yourself during EdCon, November 13–15 in Albany, NY.
https://whova.com/portal/registration/V7Ajfo3KN-/

11/05/2026

Take a moment to pause, breathe and let the music move you. 🎶

Join Hudson Valley-based duo Adriana Tampasis & Justin Geyer for a unique musical experience featuring piano and flute, blending original compositions, jazz standards, folk music and spontaneous improvisation.

Whether meditative or playful, their music invites you to slow down, get comfortable and enjoy a moment of musical connection.

Come experience the beauty of live music and let the melodies take you somewhere new!

Where: EdCon 2026!
When: Friday, November 13, 2026 | 7:30 PM

Get your tickets today: https://ow.ly/H7jv5103KBX

11/04/2026

Supporting veterans means more than addressing a crisis. It means creating opportunities for connection, purpose, and belonging.

At EdCon 2026, Gavin Walters will lead “From Crisis to Connection: Rebuilding Veteran Mental Health Through Community, Purpose, and Peer Support.”

Veterans and military families continue to navigate mental health challenges, including isolation, burnout, su***de risk, moral injury, and difficulties accessing coordinated care. This session will explore how peer-driven initiatives, grassroots advocacy, and community collaboration can help address these challenges and create meaningful pathways toward healing.

Drawing from his experience leading statewide Veteran initiatives, Gavin will share insights into the barriers veterans and their families face and highlight innovative approaches to strengthening long-term wellness beyond traditional clinical intervention.

Because connection, shared experiences, and a sense of purpose can play an important role in supporting veterans throughout their mental health journeys.

📅 November 13–15, 2026
📍 Marriott Hotel, Albany, NY
🎤 EdCon 2026: Mental Health for All: Uplifting Each Other Through Support and Advocacy

Join us at EdCon 2026 for this important conversation: https://whova.com/portal/registration/V7Ajfo3KN-/

11/03/2026

Missed our November Lunch & Learn? You can still catch the conversation!

This month, we explored the role of **Justice Peers** and how individuals with lived experience in the criminal justice system can help support others navigating similar experiences.

Justice Peers play an important role in providing peer support, connecting individuals with community resources, supporting reentry and recovery, and advocating for people involved in the justice system. Their lived experience can help build trust, reduce stigma, and bridge the gap between individuals and the services they need.

Watch the recording on our YouTube channel to learn more about the impact of Justice Peers and how peer-to-peer support can make a difference.

▶️ Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSMAOge-1MM

A Justice Peer is generally a person with lived experience of the c...

11/03/2026

Join NAMI New York State for our next Schizophrenia Comprehensive Care Initiative (SCCI) webinar, From Challenge to Thriving: Overcoming Schizophrenia Together! 💜

David Wilson, LCSW, will share his personal experience living with schizophrenia, his recovery journey, and how those experiences led him to become a practicing psychotherapist. Drawing on both lived experience and clinical expertise, David will discuss schizophrenia symptoms, treatment options, medication, coping strategies, family support, and the importance of connection in recovery.

📅 Thursday, November 19, 2026
⏰ 2–3 p.m. ET
📍 Virtual via Zoom, this free webinar is open to anyone.

Register to receive the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oxfTySO0RM-XspV5o74vcA #/registration

11/02/2026

Can AI support therapy without replacing the human connection that makes it meaningful?
At EdCon 2026, Nichole Cavallaro will lead “Can AI Support Therapy? Navigating Innovation Without Losing Human Connection.”

As AI continues to emerge as a tool in mental health care, this session will explore both its possibilities and its limitations. Nichole will share real-world applications of AI in private practice and managed care, including how it may enhance accessibility, support clinical efficiency, and help engage clients between sessions.

But innovation also comes with important questions. The session will examine ethical use, data privacy, bias, clinical accuracy, and the role of human connection in therapeutic work.
Attendees will learn how AI can be thoughtfully used as an adjunct to care—not a replacement for it—while preserving professional judgment, clinical standards, and the integrity of the therapeutic relationship.

📅 November 13–15, 2026
📍 Marriott Hotel, Albany, NY
🎤 EdCon 2026: Mental Health for All: Uplifting Each Other Through Support and Advocacy
Join us at EdCon 2026 for an important conversation about the future of AI and mental health care.

11/02/2026

What does it mean to pursue a future worth living? In her memoir, A Taste for Air and Water, Laura Kordowski shares a powerful story of resilience, higher education, recovery, and mental health advocacy. Swipe through these excerpts for a glimpse into Laura’s journey, then join us at EdCon for the opportunity to purchase her book and have it signed by the author!

📅 Saturday, November 14 | 10:15–10:30 a.m.
📍 Bookstore (Albany-Colonie Room)

Please note: Registration for EdCon is required to attend the book signing. To register, visit: https://whova.com/portal/registration/V7Ajfo3KN-/

10/31/2026

Eating disorders are mental health conditions. So why are they still so often left out of the conversation?

At EdCon 2026, Leah Stiles will lead “Why Eating Disorders Must Be Part of Every Mental Health and Su***de Prevention Conversation.”

Despite the serious impact of eating disorders, they are frequently misunderstood or treated as a niche issue rather than an important part of the broader mental health and su***de prevention landscape.

An Albany native who grew up in the child welfare system and later served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, Leah brings both lived experience and national advocacy expertise to this conversation. She will explore how stigma, weight bias, provider shortages, insurance barriers, and misconceptions can create obstacles to diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

This session will challenge advocates, families, providers, policymakers, and community organizations to think differently about how eating disorders fit into mental health advocacy—and how we can work together to ensure people affected by eating disorders are seen, supported, and included.

📅 November 13–15, 2026
📍 Marriott Hotel, Albany, NY
🎤 EdCon 2026: Mental Health for All: Uplifting Each Other Through Support and Advocacy

Join us at EdCon 2026 and help bring eating disorders into the mental health and su***de prevention conversation.

10/30/2026

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the signing of legislation aimed at protecting young people as they interact with AI-powered chatbots.

Speaking at Common Sense Media's Symposium on Kids and AI in New York City, Governor Hochul highlighted the importance of creating safer digital spaces for children and adolescents as artificial intelligence continues to become part of everyday life.

The AI Chatbot Bill for Youth represents an important step toward prioritizing the safety and well-being of New York’s young people.

NAMI New York State will continue advocating for policies that support the mental health, safety, and well-being of youth. 💙