ACC’s Psychology Club has scheduled five open-to-all programs scheduled for those who may need help, or those who know someone who might.

“People who don’t know about illnesses or know someone with an illness can come learn and talk about what’s happening,” Allison Hagood, psychology professor, said.

Guest speakers will be teaching at each panel. They are experts in their areas and will be able to provide resources for those who need them, she said.

“They [students] can talk to someone with bipolar or an eating disorder,” Hagood said.

The events are open to the community — not just for the Psychology Club or the students in Hagood’s classes. Everyone is welcome, she said.

All will be in the ACC Waring Theater, which has plenty of room, and all start at 10 a.m. on the dates listed below:

Wednesday, Oct. 28 – Cheri Bishop and Sheila Benentendi from National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) will discuss support services and advocacy NAMI offers for people with mental disorders and for their loved ones. NAMI is instrumental on a local, state and national level in advocating for changes in policy and treatment structure to better serve citizens with mental illness. In addition, Bishop will discuss her experiences as a parent of a child with a severe mental illness, and Benentendi will discuss her experiences living with schizophrenia.

Monday, Nov. 9 – Toni Saiber, executive director of the Eating Disorder Foundation, will discuss the EDF’s role in providing support services for people with eating disorders, and for their families. In addition, Saiber will share her personal experiences with anorexia, and her journey from an eight-day coma after years of hiding her eating disorder to her current process of recovery.

Wednesday, Nov. 11 – Kate Bowman will discuss her experiences with gender dysphoria. Bowman was born biologically male, but was aware from an early age that her biological sex and psychological gender were incompatible. She began transitioning in her early 50s and now lives full time as female. Bowman will share her journey of transition.

Wednesday, Nov. 18 – Lou S. from the Hospitals and Institutions speakers bureau of Narcotics Anonymous will speak of struggling with addiction processes, and his journey to recover using the 12-step model of NA. In the tradition of NA, he uses only his first name and last initial.

Wednesday, Dec. 2 – Jason Moore, vice president of ACC’s Veterans Club, will discuss his service during the Afghan war, his combat experiences and his current process of living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).