from touchstone mental health

Kind Words

2829 un iver s i ty avenue s esu i t e 400

m inneapol i s mn 5 5 4 1 4 - 3 2 3 0

The Neurobiology of loNeliNessKevin Turnquist MDTouchstone Mental health

“The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no other inspiration.”– Pearl S. Buck

How strange that Ms. Buck’s view of loneliness would turn out to be true on a basic neurological level many decades after she wrote these words. For neurobiologists are now learning that loneliness does, indeed, have profound effects on brain structure and functioning.

Human beings are troop primates by nature. When we are faced with prolonged loneliness it goes against our primal impulses to be a part of a group. The brain reacts to loneliness as an emergency situation. The hormones of our stress response- the glucocorticoids- are kept at an elevated level. On an unconscious level we essentially prepare our bodies to travel in search of other humans.

Those glucocorticoid hormones have widespread effects on our brains and bodies. The stress hormones oppose the actions of insulin. Weight gain, abdominal obesity, and Type II diabetes become more likely. The resultant abdominal fat secretes hormones of its own and those hormones predispose people to anxiety and depression.

Researchers have also discovered that lonely people tend to sleep poorly. Adequate sleep is necessary for the healthy functioning of one of the most important brain areas involved in emotional wellbeing- the hippocampus. This crucial structure manufactures new brain cells every day in response to a protein called Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor ( BDNF). Our antidepressant treatments work though this pathway.

When people are depressed their hippocampi may shrink by almost 20% and recovery involves building new brain cells here. In the schizophrenic illnesses the hippocampi are often small and misshapen from birth. Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder also commonly have mal-structured hippocampi - often in response to traumas suffered while their brains were developing.

We’ve learned that both poor sleep and prolonged exposure to glucocorticoid hormones reduce BDNF levels. Interestingly, lack of physical exercise and living in unstimulating environments have the exact same effect. So if we truly want to optimize the mental health of citizens that have a mental illness we must find ways to provide them with the things that their brains require on a fundamental level. They need mentally stimulating activities, physical exercise, healthy diets, adequate sleep, and freedom from excessive stress hormones. And, most of all, they need to feel that they are connected with other humans.

Inside this issue

Neurobiology of Loneliness 1

Feeling Inspired 2

Donor Thank You 3

Healing Power of Quilting 5

Project Bright Stars 5

Otto Bremer Foundation 6

VOluMe 10

ISSue 3

WINTeR 2010

NeuROBIOlOgy continued on page 2

even a casual observer of our mental health system will immediately recognize that we have a problem here. Many of our clients cannot provide these essential commodities for themselves and we have not, historically, done a good job of helping them in these areas. Many people with a mental illness live extremely isolated lives. They have no sense of belonging to a greater community. And they are cut off from one of the single healthiest factors for their brains; laughter reduces those toxic stress hormones in ways that none of our medications can replicate.

like Ms. Buck, Mr. Vonnegut must have had a real intuitive sense for neurobiology. For this is exactly what we must accomplish as a society. There is a widespread tendency to believe that the advances in the treatment of persons with a mental illness will come in the form of new and improved medications yet the most effective pills for the major mental illnesses have all been around for decades. The real breakthroughs in treatment will come, instead, in the form of specially designed living environments that will provide our clients with

the things that their brains so vitally need- the very things that they have such a hard time obtaining for themselves. This is precisely what Touchstone is trying to develop with the creation of our proposed model community for persons with a mental illness, the Rising Cedars facility. We hope that it will serve as the beginning of a new era in mental health treatment. And we hope that you will support us in this effort.

feeliNg iNspiredThank you to everyone who helped launch our Rising Cedar Campaign on October 16th at Touchstone’s Notes of Inspiration. The evening helped us meet our mission to inspire hope, healing and well-being and raised funds to expand our health and wellness service offerings.

Special thanks to Patrick Hammer of Channel 5 & 45 for your inspiring message, to levi and all of Touchstone’s community members, clients and residents who participated in Touchstone’s video, to Marc Cohn for your musical notes of inspiration, as well as The Medica Foundation and Bremer Bank for your sponsorship and Seven Restaurant and The Pantages Theater for hosting our event.

Thank you everyone –you inspire!

NeuROBIOlOgy continued from page 1

“What should young people do with their lives today? Many

things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” – Kurt Vonnegut

TOuCHSTONe MeNTAl HeAlTH | PAge 2

board MembersMerrie Kaas, Ph.D., Chair leslie Connelly Katie lichty, esq.Michaela Diercks JoAnn Meyerleigh erin Irons liz SjaastadDonna langer Darrel Washington

Management TeamMartha lantz, lICSW , MBAExecutive Director

Michelle Wincell, lICSWDirector of Operations

lynette AndersonFinance and Human Resources Director

Jennifer BaumgartnerDevelopment Director

Bharati Acharya, lPCCDirector of Case Management

glen Albert, lICSWDirector of Assisted Living

DeDe VanSlyke, lPCCTreatment Director, Residential Treatment

editorial staffJennifer BaumgartnerMartha lantz

programsAssisTed liviNg ApArTMeNTs

7376 Bass lake RoadNew Hope, MN 55428-3861(763) 536-8134assistedlivinginfo@touchstonemh.org

CAre CoordiNATioN

2829 university Ave Ste. 400Minneapolis MN 55414(612) 874-6409carecoordinationinfo@touchstonemh.org

iNTeNsive rehAbiliTATioN ANd CAse MANAgeMeNT serviCes

2829 university Avenue Se, Suite 400Minneapolis, MN 55414-3230(612) 874-6409intensiverehabilitationinfo@touchstonemh.org

iNTeNTioNAl CoMMuNiTies

310 east 38th Street, Suite 223Minneapolis, MN 55409(612) 767-3881intentionalinfo@touchstonemh.org

resideNTiAl TreATMeNT

2516 e. 24th StreetMinneapolis, MN 55406-1209(612) 722-1892residentialinfo@touchstonemh.org

pinnacle$5000 +Donors providing our

Culminated successleslie and Michael Connelly

Keystone$1000 – $4,999Donors providing our Cohesive stabilitylynette AndersonChristine ArenzRoss CarterTim and Holly CashinMerrie Kaas Collin KaasDonna langer-HansenMartha lantz and Kim MakieDebra lindellJoan C. NiedfeldtMartha Shippliz and John Sjastaad

pillar$500 – $999Donors providing our principle support(Anonymous)glen and Sandy AlbertTeri Berg-NelsonNoah BlyDeborah BohnDianne BrennenJane garvin and James JacobsonBarbara and Tom Kirby

Katie and Marshall lichtyJohn McDonoughJoann and Carl MeyerBarbara and gary MiltonKaren Palm and lynne SparksClare PouloseShelly and Steve RucksDiane and Bob SlaytonAmy Spartz Colleen Watson and Mary McDougall

Core$250 – $499Donors providing our

fundamental heartBharati Acharyalouise Andersoneric and Jennifer BaumgartnerKari BauneJonathan BurrisDavid CarlsonMarianne CarolanTerrence CrowleyPatti CullenCasey and Mishele CunninghamSarah and Fredrick DeschampsNancy DevittMichaela DiercksNichole FairbanksDenise D. FarrSharon HundleyMichael gardos ReidThomas and linda goss

lynn and Jean Hylandemily lagace and John FaughnanMarlee JansenMary B Jonesglade and lois lantzChris and Molly leeDana lindsay and Tim PabstTom MartineauKathleen MooreJulia and Brian PalmerKatherine PollockTonya RoweCarol RyndersSandra Shadleyleslie Sobiechlawrence StirtzKathleen Stockhaus-leeJim and Sarah StowellKen and Mary SutherlandKevin TurnquistChar VoightCarol WatzkeChris Wilson and Mille AcamovicMichelle WincellJames Woodburn

Cornerstone$100 – $249Donors providing our firm baseRoxanne AbbasDorthea and gordon AndersonSue AndersonRuth Baeumler

Cynthia Baier and Scott SwensonScott and Sara Barron-leerJodi and Andrew BensonJoan BlaceSara and Walter BroughtonJean BundtSusan Campionlinda Chlan and James grindleKatie and Mark CooneySara Ann and Daniel CurrellSteven and Peggy Delappgregg and Diane Dertingergrethe and Thomas DillonSigne and Maurice DyskenSara And James evansJeff gormanStarla HendricksJohn HillJohn HobdayNancy HoultonKathleen Hustadleigh erin Irons and Ryan Brauerleah and Mark JensenRonald and Cynthia JogodkaSharon T JohnsonMary M. KrakowKaren and William leeRenee levesqueScott and linda lichtyCindy and Paul lorahSusan Mallisongwen and Michael Martin

An Inukshuk is built in layers (foothold, cornerstone, core, pillar, keystone, and

pinnacle) with each layer serving an integral role in stabilizing the beautiful guiding structure. Just as an Inukshuk needs every layer to be complete, Touchstone Mental Health needs support at every financial level. Thank you for making it possible for Touchstone to serve as an Inukshuk, or stable guide, in the lives of those we serve. Without you, we are incomplete.

Pinnacle

Pillar

core

Foothold cornerstone

Keystone

ThANK you doNorsyour support helps Touchstone serve as a guide and supporting presence for our clients as they travel their paths of hope, healing and well-being.January 1, 2010 – October 31, 2010

PAge 3 | TOuCHSTONe MeNTAl HeAlTH

Connie MastersonJuliana and Dwight MaxaStacy McClendonMary Ann Mcleodlynda and Peter MichieluttiCarolyn MuskaChristine MuellerTodd MyersPeggy Matthies NelsenSusan MatthiesMarshall MeierJudith NassarDiane Ollendick-WrightJulie and lee ProchnowHelen RaleighConnie and William RiggsTimothy and Melissa RidleyMark and Julie RitterJennifer RoeserKarin RoofDanielle SalusJudi SaterenTamra SchmalenbergerHeidi SchreiberKaren ShipmanJohn ShrewsburyJB Smileygregory SpartzRebecca SpartzBeth St. JohnKathy SwansonDavid and Carol ThersleffKirk and Suzanne ThompsonSue ToweySarag TruesdellTracy van der leeuwMarjorie Van SlykeKara VangenJeanne VoigtHolly and Donald WeinhaufTheresa and Douglass WilliamsSharon M WilsonMichelle Wincell

footholdup to $99Donors providing our Chief foundationAnonymous (11)Sue AbderholdenMarshall and Drucilla AndersonSteven and Mary Austinlaura BaleCindy and elliot BerlovitzRobert BirkBirgit BirkelandIngrid BloomAnn and Stephan BurgesonRoxanne BurkeKelli Carlson-JagersmaKathleen Carongwen Carlsonlupe Castillo

Kathleen Confer and Charles Campbelllydia Connlisa CurtinAmy DicksonNancy and Robert DillonJoanne DischMary Ann and lee Fabellisa Fay and gregory CardinalJudith and Richard FehnWasil FiedorowMathew FlannerySherri and Wayne FullerFay galluslyn gerdisScott and Candace gislasonAnn and Brian gleesonKate goodrichCheryl gradyCynthia grossMolly grove and Jeff BaileyDeb gruelAlicia grundDan and Mary Jo HaagMichael Haddadlinda HalconKeith HansenSue HansonChristine HarnackKathryn HartleyMary and Terry HearstAndrea HendelDebra HolmgrenCindy and Bruce IdelkopePenelope JonesKim Klose and Sara FordMJ KolodjskiKatherine KovarBob KumagaiJan lanssenAnn lee and Robert BarbeauRobert leglerBonnie lingbeck and Charles lingbeckgloria livingstonCynthia long and Allan WilliamsPeg lonnquistDebra lundellJeffry and Rebecca MaciejHeidi MalatKatey and Mark McCabeJames McleanMargot McManuslouise and John McNamaraJacqueline and Salem MizeMelanie MoggJason and Tami MuhlsteinBeth and Joseph NaughtonPamela Neuenfeldtgeorgia and Donald NygaardMaureen and Dale Waldeleslie and Kevin O’laughlinJacqueline OelfkeThomas and Marilyn Page

Marian and Curtis PalmAbby and David PintoJamie PfisterMark PricePatrick QuinnBarb Radtke and Julie RyanDebbie RingdahlKent RobbinsKathy RothsteinJanet Schmittlea Seaquistlaura SennIssatta SheriffRosemary ShetkaRobin StubblefieldKaren TarrantPeggy TrezonaJoAnn VerweijBarbara and Joseph WaselakHolly WeinkaufBonnie WeismanRachel WittrockMaureen Wosepka

in-Kind supportAster CafeJill g.Dawn W.Betsy HautleyChannel 45The Carter CenterFashionistaSanderson CreativeAdam Bale ProductionsKathy and Peter PolgaJohn and Mary ShearenStudio laguna PhotographyScott and Jen McKinnonHenry emmonsBroadway AmericaSeven RestaurantMN Wine Merchantselite Destination HomesWe Fest Inc.you Moving ForwardHansen MusicBarefood Catering Michael A. Schaeffer and Olive BrooksThe House BoardshopHennepin Theater TrustMN WildAndrew Zimmernlydia Conn

foundation & Corporate support Bremer BankBarton School FoundationgiveMN.orgHealthcare InteractiveThe Fredrick and Margaret Weyerhauser

FoundationMcQuillan lahti Associates Inc.

Metropolitan Health PlanMinnesota State FairThe Medica Foundation

donations in honorlynette Anderson

In Honor of Helen RaleighSara Barron-leer

In Honor of Richard A Barronlupe Castillo

In Honor of Communities of Colorlinda and James Chlan

In Honor of Dr. Merrie KaasKaren S Fink

In Honor of leeJeff gorman

In Honor of liz Sjaastadlinda Halcon

In Honor of Ingrid SittlerSue Hanson

In Honor of Will geertz-larsonChristine Harnack

In Honor of Jeff Haas and Colleen Haas

Deborah Holmgren In Honor of John Trautman

Amy Spartz In Honor of David Jacobs

Rebecca Spartz In Honor of Amy Spartz and David Jacobs

Mary and Ken Sutherland In Honor of Kathy Ann Cashin

Sue Towey In Honor of Jim Pappas

Colleen Watson and Mary McDougall In Honor of Joseph Watson-Tracy

donations in MemoryDonations in Memory of Justin Jogodka

Steven and Mary AustinRoxanne Burkelee and MaryAnn FabelFay gallusDan and MaryJo HaagTom and linda JogodkaRonald and Cynthia JogodkaPenelope JonesCharles and Bonnie lingbeckgloria livingstonAllan and Cynthia longJames McCleanSalem and Jacqueline MizeBarton School Foundation

Donation in Memory of Cynthia RiggsMichael gardos ReidConnie and Bill Riggs

leah and Mark Jensen In Memory of Alvina Striedel

Colleen Watson and Mary McDougall In Memory of Dr. Richard McDougall

TOuCHSTONe MeNTAl HeAlTH | PAge 4

PAge 5 | TOuCHSTONe MeNTAl HeAlTH

heAliNg poWer of QuilTiNgSometimes to create something beautiful, you must first tear it apart. Quilters not only understand this, but thrive as they cut pieces of fabric then sew them together creating a healing piece of art.

According to Dr. Susan Delany, psychiatrist, quilter and author of Rx for Quilters; quilting offers several important health benefits including:

• lowering heart rate and blood pressure • Improved sleep

• Quickened healing process • Time and space to think and dream

• Calming rhythms allowing each person to process whatever challenges they face

Because quilts are often created with intention as a gift for someone else, they are also about love and relationship.

Thanks to the generosity of a Touchstone donor; Cheata, a Touchstone client and Renee, a Touchstone nurse practitioner are working together to piece together a warm, comforting piece of art to last generations.

To see photos of Cheata and Renee’s quilt, visit www.touchstonemh.org.

each day at Touchstone we work with hundreds of men and women living with mental illness. They are our shining stars. We support their efforts so they can continue to shine bright.

It can be hard to shine, if you are struggling to stay warm at night or trying to determine when or if you will be able to eat. This is why Touchstone created Project Bright Stars.

Project Bright Stars helps make the lives of our clients a little brighter by providing:

basic Needs including sheets, towels, blankets and toiletries

energy bill support during the harshest months

groceries to help maintain consistent and healthy meals

Coats for cold winter days

As 2010 comes to a close we invite you to join us in filling the winter sky with light. One $25 donation makes a difference in the quality of life for a man or woman in the Twin Cities’ community. It helps keep our stars in the sky and off the streets.

With a simple $25 donation you can sponsor one of our 600 stars. To keep a star in the sky, simply visit Touchstone’s Project Bright Stars Page at http://givemn.razoo.com/story/project-bright-stars and sponsor 1, 2 or 4 of our shining stars this holiday season.

** Shining Stars can be given as a gift in someone’s honor. If you are sponsoring a star in honor of a holiday gift, Touchstone will send you a commemorative card recognizing the gift in their honor. Please e-mail the development department at jbaumgartner@touchstonemh.org with the address and contact name to send the commemorative card.

Thanks for making lives brighter!

2829 un iver s i ty avenue s esu i t e 400

m inneapol i s mn 5 5 4 1 4 - 3 2 3 0

oTTo breMer fouNdATioNTouchstone Mental Health has added reason to be thankful this season. The Otto Bremer Foundation has awarded our Rising Cedar Campaign a $100,000, dollar-for-dollar matching grant to support the program and capital development of our supportive housing and health and wellness center project. For information on how you can help Touchstone meet our matching grant challenge, please contact the development office at 612-767-2161. you can also find details about the first-in-country complex on our web site at www.touchstonemh.org.

MissionTouchstone Mental Health inspires hope, healing and well-being.

VisionTouchstone Mental Health is a center of excellence, providing quality programs, services and products to assure that people living with mental illness can enjoy the highest quality of life and achieve their greatest personal potential. Touchstone builds on its history of innovation to deepen, grow and sustain its programs to meet existing and emerging needs.

TOuCHSTONe MeNTAl HeAlTH | PAge 6