NAMI Southwestern Illinois

NAMI Southwestern Illinois NAMI Southwestern Illinois provides free advocacy, education & support for those affected by mental illness. Follow us to learn more about what we do!

As part of the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, we serve 10 counties in IL.

08/18/2026

Hello Everyone!
I apologize we had some technical difficulties with our previous Pathways to Hope Art Contest voting post. We've reposted it so if you had already liked or reacted to an entry, please do so again.

Sorry again about this and thank you for supporting our lovely artists!

Check out our entries for the Pathways to Hope Art Contest! 🎨💚Want to help us choose the winners? Vote for your favorite...
08/18/2026

Check out our entries for the Pathways to Hope Art Contest! 🎨💚

Want to help us choose the winners?
Vote for your favorites by liking the entries you love! You can vote for as many entries as you'd like, so be sure to show some love to your favorites. And feel free to share this post with your friends and family so they can vote, too!

⚠️Please make sure that they cast their vote (in other words "like" the photo) on the original post on our social media. We will not be able to confirm any likes that are on a shared post on your own or other pages outside of the original NAMI Southwestern Illinois Facebook and Instagram posts.

⏰ Voting closes August 21 at 3:59 PM CST.

🏆 Winners will be announced at the Pathways to Hope Conference, happening August 21-22, and later posted on social media!

Haven't pre-registered for the conference yet? There's still time! Make sure you pre-register before the event.
https://namiswi.org/event/pathways-to-hope-2-day-seminar/

Good luck to all of our talented artists and thank you for sharing what hope, recovery, mental health and faith mean to you! 💚

✨ Meet the Speaker: Alida Kistler, CPRS, CRSS ✨Recovery can open the door to more than healing—it can create a powerful ...
08/18/2026

✨ Meet the Speaker: Alida Kistler, CPRS, CRSS ✨

Recovery can open the door to more than healing—it can create a powerful sense of purpose and a passion for helping others find their own path forward. We're honored to welcome Alida Kistler to the Pathways to Hope Conference, where she'll share her experience, expertise, and commitment to creating communities where people feel supported and empowered.

Alida Kistler is the Recovery Support Program Director at AMARE and holds both the Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) credentials. With lived experience in long-term recovery since 2011, Alida is passionate about helping individuals and families overcome barriers, build resilience, and achieve lasting recovery.

After entering recovery, Alida dedicated her life to serving others impacted by substance use and mental health challenges. She has worked extensively in peer support, recovery advocacy, program development, and community engagement.

In her role as Recovery Support Program Director, Alida oversees recovery support services, mentors staff, develops community partnerships, and works to expand access to recovery resources throughout the community.

Alida believes that recovery is possible for everyone and is committed to creating environments where individuals feel supported, empowered, and valued. Her leadership is rooted in compassion, authenticity, and the understanding that lived experience can be a powerful tool for inspiring hope and change.

💙 Come hear Alida and our other incredible speakers at the Pathways to Hope Conference! This is a two-day event centered on connection, learning, recovery, mental wellness, and hope. Whether you're navigating your own journey, supporting someone you love, or simply want to better understand the many pathways to recovery, there's a place for you at Pathways to Hope.

Date: August 21-22, 2026
Time: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Friday) and 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Saturday)
Location: 144 E. Ferguson Ave, Wood River, IL 62095
Pre-register here: https://namiswi.org/event/pathways-to-hope-2-day-seminar/

We’ve been busy! 👀Last week brought some great opportunities to connect with our community. We visited Carlyle High Scho...
08/14/2026

We’ve been busy! 👀

Last week brought some great opportunities to connect with our community. We visited Carlyle High School for an Ending the Silence presentation and joined Greenville Women's Alliance for their Back-to-School event.

We always love getting out into the community, meeting people where they are (literally), advocating for mental health and sharing resources. This is why we do what we do. ❤️

A big thank you to both Carlyle High School and the Greenville Women's Alliance for inviting NAMI SWI to be part of these events!

✨ Meet the Speaker: Jaime Mendoza, MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC ✨Compassionate mental health care starts with listening, unders...
08/13/2026

✨ Meet the Speaker: Jaime Mendoza, MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC ✨

Compassionate mental health care starts with listening, understanding, and meeting people where they are. We're honored to welcome Jaime Mendoza to the Pathways to Hope Conference, where she'll share her expertise and passion for supporting mental wellness.

Jaime Mendoza, MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner dedicated to promoting mental health and wellness across the lifespan. She earned her Family Nurse Practitioner degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree from Northern Kentucky University.

Jaime is passionate about providing compassionate, evidence-based mental health care that honors each person's unique values, goals, and beliefs. She believes that incorporating an individual's wishes, culture, and faith into treatment helps foster meaningful healing and empowers people to achieve their highest level of well-being.

Through her partnership with Koen Counseling and Wellness Center LLC, Jaime is committed to expanding access to high-quality mental health services and supporting the emotional wellness of individuals, families, and the community. She is honored to collaborate with organizations such as NAMI to reduce stigma, increase mental health awareness, and encourage hope, resilience, and recovery.

💙 Join us at the Pathways to Hope Conference to hear Jaime and our other inspiring speakers as we explore mental health, substance use recovery, faith, and the power of community. Whether you're seeking support, learning how to help someone you love, or looking to connect with local resources, this conference offers something for everyone.

August 21-22, 2026
Time: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Friday) and 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Saturday)
Location: 144 E. Ferguson Ave, Wood River, IL 62095

Pre-Register here: https://namiswi.org/event/pathways-to-hope-2-day-seminar/

Have you registered for Pathways to Hope yet? 👀If you’ve been meaning to… this is your sign. 🪧Pathways to Hope is more t...
08/12/2026

Have you registered for Pathways to Hope yet? 👀

If you’ve been meaning to… this is your sign. 🪧

Pathways to Hope is more than a conference. It’s an opportunity to learn, connect, ask questions, discover new resources in the community, hear different perspectives, and have meaningful conversations about mental health, recovery, faith, and hope.

Whether you’re a mental health professional, faith leader, peer, family member, community member—or simply someone who wants to better understand and support others—there’s something here for you.

And the best part? You don’t have to have all the answers before you walk through the door. That’s kind of the point.

✨ Learn something new.
🤝 Meet people who care about the same things you do.
💬 Hear perspectives you may not have encountered before.
🌱 Leave with new ideas, connections, and hope.

Already registered? Thank you! 💛 Consider sharing this post with someone who should be there with you.

Haven’t registered yet? What are you waiting for? 😉

👉 Pre-register today and save your spot at Pathways to Hope!

https://namiswi.org/event/pathways-to-hope-2-day-seminar/

✨ Meet the Speaker: Deliah “Dee” Ashbaugh, CPRS, CRSS ✨Recovery doesn't look the same for everyone and sometimes, having...
08/11/2026

✨ Meet the Speaker: Deliah “Dee” Ashbaugh, CPRS, CRSS ✨

Recovery doesn't look the same for everyone and sometimes, having someone beside you who truly understands can make all the difference. We're excited to welcome Deliah Ashbaugh to the Pathways to Hope Conference, where she'll bring her lived experience, compassion, and belief in the power of connection to the conversation.

Dee Ashbaugh is a Recovery Coach (CPRS, CRSS) and newly certified WRAP Facilitator who has been in long-term recovery since June 8, 2017. Drawing on her lived experience, she believes recovery is not one-size-fits-all and is passionate about meeting people where they are, offering support without judgment as they build meaningful lives.

Her own recovery journey was shaped through 12-step programs, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Celebrate Recovery. Her faith plays an important role in her life, and she strives to lead with authenticity, hope, and honesty.

Known for her sense of humor and compassionate approach, Dee believes encouragement, connection, and even a little laughter can make a meaningful difference in recovery.

Come hear Dee and our other incredible speakers at the Pathways to Hope Conference! This is a day for connection, learning, encouragement, and discovering the many pathways that can lead toward mental wellness, recovery, and hope. Whether you're walking your own journey or supporting someone you love, there's a place for you at Pathways to Hope.

Date: August 21-22, 2026
Time: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Friday) and 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Saturday)
Location: 144 E. Ferguson Ave, Wood River, IL 62095

Pre-register at: https://namiswi.org/event/pathways-to-hope-2-day-seminar/

🎨 No one sees the world quite like you do.Every artist brings a unique perspective shaped by their experiences, memories...
08/11/2026

🎨 No one sees the world quite like you do.

Every artist brings a unique perspective shaped by their experiences, memories, challenges, and hopes. That's what makes art so powerful—there's no one "right" way to tell a story or express an idea.

The Pathways to Hope Art Contest is your opportunity to share what hope means to you. Whether your inspiration comes from resilience, recovery, community, nature, or a moment that changed your life, your perspective matters.

We welcome artists of all ages and experience levels to participate.

🖌️ Submission Deadline: August 16, 2026

Submit your artwork at: https://namiswi.org/pathways-to-hope-art-contest-submission/

Your perspective could inspire hope in someone else. 💙



Imagine being part of a community where...💙 People know how to support someone experiencing a mental health challenge.💙 ...
08/10/2026

Imagine being part of a community where...

💙 People know how to support someone experiencing a mental health challenge.

💙 Conversations replace stigma.

💙 Resources are easy to find.

💙 Creativity inspires hope.

💙 Faith communities and mental health advocates come together with a shared purpose.

That's what Pathways to Hope is all about.

Join us for this free, interfaith mental health conference as we come together to learn, connect, and build communities where no one has to face mental health challenges alone.

📅 August 21–22, 2026
📍 NAMI Southwestern Illinois | Wood River, IL

✨ Free to attend! Pre-registration is encouraged.

🔗 Register today: https://namiswi.org/event/pathways-to-hope-2-day-seminar/

💬 What kind of community do you hope to see in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments—we'd love to hear from you.



Every piece of art begins with an idea, a feeling, or a story.The Pathways to Hope Art Contest is an opportunity to shar...
08/07/2026

Every piece of art begins with an idea, a feeling, or a story.

The Pathways to Hope Art Contest is an opportunity to share what hope, resilience, recovery, or healing means to you through your creativity.

Your artwork could inspire conversations, encourage others, and become part of a community-wide celebration of hope.

🗓️ Entries are due August 16.
Submit your artwork at: https://namiswi.org/pathways-to-hope-art-contest-submission/

Address

144 E Ferguson
Wood River, IL
62095

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when NAMI Southwestern Illinois posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to NAMI Southwestern Illinois:

Shortcuts

Share

Category