Since having a psychotic break in 2008, I have built a website that brought in over $300,000 in sales, founded a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliate in the fastest time ever in NAMI Ohio history, and won the 2020 Ohio News Media Association Hooper award in the original columns division. When people hear … Continue reading Why a mental health warrior needs a creed
Author: Danei Edelen
Danei Edelen is a wife, mother, artist-in-residence at Edelen Acres, executive director of NAMI Northern Kentucky, and columnist for the Northern Kentucky Tribune. Danei won the 2020 Ohio News Media award for her original column related to mental health. Danei has 20 years of marketing experience working for technology companies like NCR, Nortel Networks, and Amdocs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from Malone University and a Certificate in Market Research from Northern Kentucky University.
God Bless America
Thank you for being a community that listens even if my experiences are different than your own. I want to just express my gratitude for people in my life willing to "start the conversation" about what is a divisive issue in our culture today.
Following in My Father’s Footsteps
“You definitely got your Dad's eye for detail and texture,” one relative said after I posted one of my pictures online. “ ... I give you art as a means of empathy and support for everyone suffering during these complex times... Perhaps then we will all begin to think creatively and bring about innovation and change.
Psychosis Diary: My Gift of Empathy and Support
I believe that psychologically, we are in shock as a nation. But, what can I do? Once again, I give you crude drawings as a means of connection of showing empathy and support for all those suffering.
Using Creativity to Express Empathy and Support
My name is Danei Edelen and I am President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Brown County affiliate. I am also a person living with a mental illness. As many of you know, I have been drawing daily as a coping skill for COVID-19 and as a part of my recovery for three … Continue reading Using Creativity to Express Empathy and Support
Catching the Sun
“To create is to make something that has never existed before. There’s nothing more vulnerable than that,” Brene’ Brown said. I felt it today. “What am I doing? What is an adult woman doing spending so much time coloring!!” I drew another sunflower today. Today’s challenge was the subtlety of the petals. In fact, I … Continue reading Catching the Sun
Why I Drew a Sunflower for a Stranger
“You are amazing,"one fellow artist wrote. “Hardly,” I thought. My husband and I had just been discussing my dissatisfaction with my most current artwork. “Maybe I should have started out in charcoal,” I said to my husband after I finished it. “You can do it again,” he said. He is right as usual. As I … Continue reading Why I Drew a Sunflower for a Stranger
ONMA Award!
I recently won 1st place in the Ohio News Media Association Hooper Weekly Newspaper Awards. I won for my three-part series, “What are the warning signs of mental illness?” According to the judges, “Danei Edelen’s three-part series on “What are the warning signs of mental illness?” provided a great community service. Her technique of telling … Continue reading ONMA Award!
How My Life Changed in 50 Days of Drawing
“That’s what you should blog about,” my first customer said. “How your life has changed in 50 days of drawing!” “She’s right,” I thought. To think, it all started with COVID-19. I was in a drawing class when COVID-19 hit. Our teacher gave us our virtual assignment, a drawing a day. For extra credit, we … Continue reading How My Life Changed in 50 Days of Drawing
Doing What I Can
“So gorgeous!” my friend Kim wrote. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had just posted her special-order sea turtle drawing on Facebook. “Would she like it?” I had been anxiously thinking. “You got it exactly right," she said. Now, onto the water lily! As I said in my previous post “My COVID-19 Coping Strategy … Continue reading Doing What I Can
Mental Health Warrior 