Stay Updated on Latest News from the Well Community
A Well World: It is Well With My Soul
It’s an old hymn, but I found myself humming it at our annual Thanksgiving Dinner this week. The lyrics speak of difficult times of trials and troubles, but the chorus repeats that because of faith, through it all, “it is well with my soul.” Surely members of the Well have much to grieve over, much to bemoan, much to overcome. But as thankfulness poured from […]
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Fall 2022 Spiritual Retreat
Walks in the woods, cookie decorating, scavenger hunt, spiritual reflection, hayride, games, bonfire, prayer. That’s the quick overview of our fall spiritual retreat at Mt. Lebanon Camp in Cedar Hill, TX. Special thanks to Pam Spell with Norma’s Cafe for providing one of our meals and to our own Carl from Jacob’s House who led us in devotions. Click on the image below to see […]
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A Well World: Spooky Night in a Scary World
The fall season is in full swing, with Halloween just a week and a half away. This year’s Halloween festivities include a new event as we moved our Starry Night fundraiser to October 29 and built it around things that go bump in the night! Starry Night, Spooky Night will be more fun than scary, yummier than candy and much more important than tricks or […]
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Jubilee Bus Helps Celebrate the Well Community
For over two decades, the Well Community has enjoyed terrific support from the wider community in Oak Cliff and beyond. One way we have seen the interest of businesses and individuals is in their sponsorship of special events like the upcoming Starry Night, Spooky Night party. (To learn more, click here.) The Well talked recently to Brooks Igo who, in addition to serving on our […]
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Four Ways Spiritual Retreats Bless Well Community Members … And One Way You Can Help
Well Community members have long been anticipating the return of spiritual retreats, and we’re excited that on November 9-10, we’ll head back to Mt. Lebanon Camp for a time of rest, fun and renewal. Vacations and other getaways are a luxury that’s typically out of reach for individuals living with serious mental illnesses, and this overnight trip provides a rare opportunity for our members to […]
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Six Must-Know Facts About Suicide
September is noted as “Suicide Prevention Month,” though at the Well, every day we stay keenly aware of its ever-looming threat. Though suicide is often considered a taboo topic, the facts about it are too important to keep quiet. According the American Foundation for Suicide prevention, 4,193 Texans lost their lives to suicide in 2021. [1] Each life that’s cut short is one too many. […]
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A Well World: Mental Illnesses are Brain Disorders
Our society has chosen to distinguish mental health from physical health. It’s easy to understand why, but it also muddles our thinking a bit. After all, mental disorders are the symptoms of an unhealthy brain—a physical organ of the body. By categorizing mental health as a different thing than physical health, we perpetuate misunderstandings on various levels. For example, there is a huge disparity in […]
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Interconnected: The Trifecta of Mental Illness, Poverty and Physical Challenges
“It’s all very interconnected,” says Alice Zaccarello, Executive Director of the Well Community. “Our members have a trifecta. They live with serious mental illness, all live in poverty and many have physical health conditions.” Each of those things is difficult, but when wrapped together they become an interwoven struggle that makes it incredibly difficult to pursue stability and wellbeing. Dealing with a mental health struggle […]
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An Ingrained Desire to Serve
For Grace Pulis, serving at the Well had always been ordinary. Grace’s father, Joel Pulis, founded the Well Community in 2002, and she was born not long after. Her early memories are filled with Well Community members and with seeing her family interact with people in the Oak Cliff community who were dealing with serious mental illnesses. Grace clearly recalls her parents driving “daddy’s friends” […]
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A Well World: Crisis Care Access for All
A Well World: Crisis Care Access for All The Well has never served its members in a vacuum. Since our beginnings two decades ago, we’ve been grateful to be able not only to offer a place to belong for individuals dealing with serious mental illnesses but to point them to other resources and services that can help them pursue mental health stability. I’m excited that […]
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