Your Input Welcome For 2012 Alternatives Keynote Speech – SURVEY

I was invited to give a Keynote Address at the 2012 Alternatives Conference in Portland Oregon, and I’m collecting your input on what I should say — I’m crowd sourcing my Keynote!

Please go to this Survey and take a couple of moments to share YOUR input on what my Alternatives Keynote address should cover: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YMH9B28

Alternatives is a federally funded annual SAMHSA conference that brings together more than 1000 peer specialists, advocates, policy makers, and people in mental health recovery to learn about and discuss new directions for mental health services. Thanks to everyone who organizes the conference and made my invitation possible!

I have lots of ideas for my hour long talk — you know me, once I get started I have a lot to say about recovery alternatives (and I’ve done just that at www.madnessradio.net). I plan to focus on practical recovery innovations that can be implemented immediately to improve recovery and end harm done by the system.

***And I want your input!***

Please go to this Survey and take a couple of moments to share YOUR input on what my Alternatives Keynote address should cover: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YMH9B28

And share this link with everyone you know who might also want to give input. I’ll take all the responses to heart as I write my Alternatives speech.

(You may remember that 2 years ago Robert Whitaker and I were both invited to Alternatives, and then Bob was un-invited and I was prevented from offering my coming off medications workshop as planned. A public outcry turned all of that around, and Bob gave his keynote — followed by a very strange rebuttal — and I gave my workshop — not quite listed correctly in the program, unfortunately. It was a living example of the recovery movement having its voice heard, and the flexibility and openness of Alternatives to taking risks that reflect changing times.)

Does my invitation reflect a genuine shift to more progressive, honest discussion of mental health reforms, including topics I’m closely identified with such as medication alternatives, ending force and diagnostic labels, and challenging Pharma influence? We’ll see. In the mean time, I’d love your input to make my Keynote Address a crowd-sourced reflection of community voices. The survey only takes a moment to complete, and I’ll take all the input to heart in my talk. And thanks to Alternatives for recognizing my ten years of recovery movement work in this invitation and opportunity.