Our Daily Show Live From Centerstone's Resource Fair: NAMI
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WOOD RIVER - The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southwestern Illinois chapter helps community members take care of their mental health.
In an interview on “Our Daily Show!” with C.J. Nasello at Centerstone’s recent resource fair, Heather shared her lived experience and the resources available through NAMI. An outreach specialist for NAMI, Heather’s entire career path was changed because of her lived experience, and she is proud that she can now help others who need help.
“I lived a year of my life recently, within the last five years, completely agoraphobic. I had so many panic attacks that I wouldn’t leave my house,” Heather shared. “Sometimes when I’m talking to people, they’re like, ‘Ooh, that’s uncomfortable. Like, you’re telling your story?’ Yeah, I am, and it is a little uncomfortable, but I’m doing it with a purpose so that other people are like, ‘Hey, it might be okay for me to say I haven’t been feeling so good lately and just kind of break that barrier down.’”
Heather believes that “it’s okay to not be okay” — in fact, she thinks it’s “part of the human experience.” She sees major value in normalizing mental health challenges and support so people can reach out and get help before they find themselves at a crisis point.
As an organization, NAMI offers several free support groups and classes. The Southwestern Illinois chapter is based in Wood River. They regularly provide presentations to schools and nonprofits. In her role as an outreach specialist, Heather works hard to teach people about NAMI’s work in the region and the resources that are available.
“People don’t know who we are. That’s the biggest hurdle that I come across on a weekly basis,” she said. “I just explain to them that we’re a national organization. We’ve been in this area since the 80s, and here’s what we do. We have free support groups, we have free classes, we have free education. People are shocked to know that it exists.”
To raise awareness and funds for their free services, NAMI will host their annual Walk for Mental Health Awareness on Sept. 20, 2025, at Moody Park in Fairview Heights. In addition to the walk, families can enjoy a picnic lunch, face painting, bounce houses, a tie-dye station, a silent auction, a raffle, and plenty more fun.
In the meantime, Heather and the rest of the NAMI team will continue telling their stories and sharing mental health resources with the community. Heather concluded that her agoraphobia peaked during a six-week period that she spent in her closet. One day, she called EMS, convinced she was having a heart attack.
“The paramedic sat on the floor next to my closet, and I was like, ‘I’m just so afraid to die,’” Heather remembered. “And he was like, ‘Okay, can I give you some advice that you might not like? If you stay here in this state, you are going to die because you're not moving, you’re not eating healthy, you cannot live a healthy life in your closet. So choose your hard. It’s going to be hard to get out of the closet, or it’s going to be really hard to continue to live here. Which one do you want?’”
This “aha moment” helped push Heather into recovery. She explained that she tells her story because she wants to help others who might be struggling to realize that they aren’t alone and recovery is possible. Resources like NAMI can help you.
For more information about NAMI Southwestern Illinois, visit their official website at NAMISWI.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
