Support
In March 2022, immediately following the announcement of my son’s (Harry Miller) medical
retirement from college football due to mental illness, I received an overwhelming number of
messages from parents all over the country who were also walking beside their children living with
mental illnesses. Many of these messages came from local parents and neighbors who shared very
similar stories of fear, doubt, and loss, “My son”, “My daughter”, “My brother”, “My sister”, “My
father”, “My mother”, “My friend”. So many people suffering alone, in silence right here in our
community, this had to stop! How wonderful would it be for these people to hear each other’s
stories, to realize they aren’t alone, that there were people who understood what they were going
through? From this realization, the nonprofit “Don’t Make It Weird” was created in April 2023, and I
trained with the Georgia Department of Behavior Health and Developmental Disabilities to become a
“Certified Peer Specialist – Parent”. We started with billboards and banners, directing people to the
DMIW.org website for information and resources. Soon, I started looking for
places for this group to meet once monthly to share our “lived experiences” with one another. We
started to bring in speakers and advocates, but as the group grew, it became more challenging to
find a private space to meet. The idea of a place of our own took root and began to grow.
We are not counselors and DO NOT provide counseling services.
We are peers who walk this journey beside one another, together. What we hope to provide for the
community are resources, referrals, support, education, wellness classes, and positive
experiences in general, particularly for our young people who are struggling so terribly, so when
negative experiences occur, we are all better equipped in mind, body, and spirit. What we DO
provide:
- Quiet after school study space
- Free community wellness classes
- QPR Suicide Prevention Training – 2-hour class for everyone
- Youth Mental Health First Aid – 8-hour class for parents, teachers, coaches, school employees, all
- Guest Speakers and Advocates on a wide variety of topics
- Monthly Life Skills Club for Teens
- Monthly Student-Athlete meetings addressing their unique needs
- Peer support
- Classes and learning opportunities, and so much more
Mental health IS health. Mental illness IS illness. Just like any other illness, it can be chronic, it can
be mild or severe, it may or may not require medication, it can be life-threatening, it requires
monitoring, and it deserves the same amount of attention and support. We hope you will join us in
our mission to break the stigma while building a resilient, compassionate, and loving community.
Kristina Miller, CPS-P
Certified Peer Specialist – Parent
VP and Director, DMIW, Inc
QPR – Question, Persuade, & Refer – Suicide Prevention Class. This is a two-hour class for lay-people, first responders and professionals alike. In this training you will learn to spot the signs someone is considering suicide and how to respond. An instructor from Guideinc.org will come deliver this class in person to our group on January 10, 2024. We will try not to limit the class size of this important training. Please RSVP to [email protected] to save your seat.
