May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and the Lewis & Clark Library East Helena Branch is hosting a series of events to highlight the importance of awareness, support, and education about the impacts of mental illness.

Throughout May, the East Helena Library will host programs for adults, teens, and families focused on the Mental Health Awareness beginning on Saturday, May 5th with a presentation on anxiety from 11AM – Noon. Join Bob Funk, board president and co-founder of the Awareness Network, will discuss anxiety and services provided to improve mental health awareness and decrease barriers to care.

Teens are invited to attend movie night on Thursday, May 10th from 3:45-5PM to watch Disney’s “Inside Out.” The movie takes a light hearted but serious look at emotions and how emotions affect everyone in different ways. Emphasizing the neuropsychological findings that human emotions affect interpersonal relationships and can be significantly moderated by them, the animated movie focuses on how major life events, such as moving, impact ones mental health.

On Thursday, May 17th from 3:45-5PM, teen are asked to attend teenCHAT group and make cards for Shodair patients.

The National Guard Family Assistance Center and Military One Source will have information available for people all day on Saturday, May 19th. At 1PM. Juliana Hallows, the Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the VA at Fort Harrison, will guide participants on how to write a safety plan, and will present on the VA program Coaching into Care.

On Wednesday, May 23rd at 10:30AM, Laura Thomas, the area manager of Youth Dynamics, will provide tips on common sense parenting and discuss the free 12-week parent education program she provides.

Families are invited to attend Game Night with chair yoga on Thursday, May 24th at 5PM. Families will be guided in a quick session of chair yoga by Jennifer Hill-Hart of the Lotus Center, followed by an evening of fun games.

For more information on National Mental Health Awareness Month, visit nami.org.