NAMI Southwest Washington volunteer LaPointe putting compassion into action

Mar. 26—Every Monday morning since 2016, John LaPointe has walked through the doors of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwest Washington hoping to give back to at least one person.

It's been a part of his weekly routine since he first began volunteering with the organization after retiring eight years ago. Since then, LaPointe has become a board member and leads his own mental wellness social group for seniors in the area.

In August, the Vancouver-based organization celebrated LaPointe for reaching 1,000 volunteer hours, although that number represents only the hours officially counted.

"At some point, we all have a little bit of anxiety or depression. It's normal. When you're willing to recognize that, it makes a huge difference," LaPointe said. "They helped me so much, and I really appreciate what they do here. If I can help that person over there, and make their life just a little bit better, isn't that worth my time?"

Get in touch with NAMI

What: National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwest Washington

Where: 2500 Main St., Suite 120, Vancouver

Information: 360-695-2823; namiswwa.org/

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, LaPointe greets visitors and answers the phone for those looking for resources.

For LaPointe, his dedication to NAMI stems from his personal connection to mental health awareness. His son, who has bipolar disorder, began living with him again in 2016. According to LaPointe, that's when he saw firsthand the challenges his son faced. He was looking for resources and found NAMI.

He and his son began attending a family support group, which offers resources and education to those who have a loved one experiencing mental illness. Not long after, the organization asked if he wanted to start leading sessions.

"I learned that I wasn't the only one — that my son wasn't the only one. The really good thing about a support group is you get a chance to vent," LaPointe said. "You're talking to people that totally understand what you're going through because they're going through the same things, so nobody's judging you."

Increased visibility

NAMI is a national mental health organization with more than 600 offices across the United States. The nonprofit offers a wide variety of mental health resources, including individual and family support groups, educational workshops, and tools for crisis intervention. The Vancouver branch also hosts art workshops and writing classes in hopes of bringing the community together, according to Executive Director Kim Schneiderman.

The Southwest Washington groups began in Clark County in 1977 and in Cowlitz County in 1978, and the organization now also serves Skamania and Wahkiakum counties.

In 2019, NAMI Southwest Washington moved into a building at 2500 Main St., Suite 120, Vancouver. Schneiderman said the move to downtown was driven by a desire for increased visibility and accessibility for the community. The new office is located within the same building as the Vancouver Housing Authority and Council for the Homeless.

Schneiderman, who has been an active in NAMI for 18 years, said the organization thrives with the help of volunteers like LaPointe.

"It's very important that we have someone who actually is down in the trenches, like John, who is on the board of directors to share his knowledge of what's going on out there and how we function from a different viewpoint than I can," Schneiderman said.

Opening the conversation

Both LaPointe and Schneiderman said having open conversations about mental health is the first way community members can educate themselves.

"When we were younger, mental illness was that Alfred Hitchcock movie — padded walls and straitjackets and, you know?" LaPointe said. "There's a lot of stigma, I guess, in the boomer generation. The good news is that the younger generations are more in tune to understanding and realizing."

Schneiderman said NAMI works with local businesses to provide classes that educate people on how to assist someone going through a mental health crisis — without escalating to calling police.

The Listen, Empathize, Agree, Partner or LEAP workshop uses evidence-based strategies to help people help their own loved ones. WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) classes provide those in the recovery process with tools to relieve difficult feelings and maintain wellness.

Schneiderman said she also wants to decrease discrimination against those with mental illness, and recognize that we're all human beings.

"When I encounter somebody that's homeless or acting out, I try and visualize them as that small child they once were," Schneiderman said. "Thinking of them as a small child, as your small child, you know, kind of changes the whole paradigm."

This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.

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