Kenosha In The News
Kenosha City and County commit 1.5 MM to Mental Health Care Facility!
February 24, 2017
The Gateway Mortgage building will be renovated by the city and the county to become an 18 bed adult mental health emergency crisis facility when it opens in 2018. See the full story below.
February 24, 2017
The Gateway Mortgage building will be renovated by the city and the county to become an 18 bed adult mental health emergency crisis facility when it opens in 2018. See the full story below.
Mrs. Wisconsin America winner a Bradford High School graduate
http://www.kenoshanews.com/news/mrs_wisconsin_pageant_winner_a_bardford_high_school_graduate_488609036.php
Published June 30 , Kenosha News
BY TERRY FLORES
tflores@kenoshanews.com
For Tiffany Konecko, the isolation of mental illness can be frightening.
But awareness is empowerment and as the winner of the 2016 Mrs. Wisconsin Pageant, Konecko, formerly of Kenosha now of Mount Pleasant, hopes to give a voice to those who suffer in silence.
“It’s opening the doors for people who have been (suffering),” said Konecko, who won the state-level competition at the regional pageant in Bloomington, Minn. She was crowned by 2015 winner Leana’ C. Grimm of Milwaukee.
Konecko will represent Wisconsin at the Mrs. America Pageant in Las Vegas on Aug. 16. The crown will be passed on by 2015 Mrs. America Madeline Gwin of Alabama.
The Mrs. America pageant celebrates married woman and will also be celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Mental health messageA spokeswoman for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Konecko, 35, is a 1999 graduate of Bradford High School. She believes addressing mental health can help people receive the help they need and prevent deaths due to suicide.“Many times people automatically assume you’re not good enough, that you’re crazy. But even the most successful people have battled mental illness,” said Konecko, citing entertainer Justin Timberlake and Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps among them.
The married mother of two boys, ages 4 and 14 months, said she has been there as well.
First, she was diagnosed with postpartum depression after her first child was born. Then, a year ago, after she gave birth to her second child, anxiety attacks overwhelmed her. She was also diagnosed with adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. “I was constantly having anxiety issues. But there was a feeling that (the medications) I was on were only masking the problem,” she said.
The correct diagnosis was crucial, but so was the medication. She had been on Xanax, as needed and had been on another drug until her doctor recommended Concerta. Prior to that, her anxiety would stop her cold in her tracks. One time, while shopping, she found herself doubled over, stopped in her tracks because of the anxiety. It came out of nowhere, she said. In her late teens and into young adulthood, she also struggled with ADHD.
“I was pretty much told I had a learning disability and no one could do anything about it,” she said.
Konecko believes while she could have continued to suffer in silence, she also wanted to be able to live her life without the bouts of anxiety that held her back. She believes that pageants, such as Mrs. America, give the issue much needed awareness. She said breaking down the isolation and the stigma is important and that there are people who have gone through the same experiences.
Model, fashion bloggerKonecko, a graduate of Marquette University with a degree in broadcast journalism, is a model, fashion blogger and self-described “stay-at-home mom.” She is also the founder of “It's Your Day Foundation,” which sponsors “Princess for a Day” events for girls, with the first event held in Kenosha in December. The foundation works closely with Ronald McDonald House at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee. Konecko was also the 2014 winner of the Mrs.Wisconsin U.S.A. pageant.“I think one of the strongest things for any human to do is to ask for help,” she said. “Having a mental illness doesn’t define who you are. It’s just part of who you are. Hopefully, I can help open the door and inspire people to get the help they need.”
http://www.kenoshanews.com/news/mrs_wisconsin_pageant_winner_a_bardford_high_school_graduate_488609036.php
Published June 30 , Kenosha News
BY TERRY FLORES
tflores@kenoshanews.com
For Tiffany Konecko, the isolation of mental illness can be frightening.
But awareness is empowerment and as the winner of the 2016 Mrs. Wisconsin Pageant, Konecko, formerly of Kenosha now of Mount Pleasant, hopes to give a voice to those who suffer in silence.
“It’s opening the doors for people who have been (suffering),” said Konecko, who won the state-level competition at the regional pageant in Bloomington, Minn. She was crowned by 2015 winner Leana’ C. Grimm of Milwaukee.
Konecko will represent Wisconsin at the Mrs. America Pageant in Las Vegas on Aug. 16. The crown will be passed on by 2015 Mrs. America Madeline Gwin of Alabama.
The Mrs. America pageant celebrates married woman and will also be celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Mental health messageA spokeswoman for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Konecko, 35, is a 1999 graduate of Bradford High School. She believes addressing mental health can help people receive the help they need and prevent deaths due to suicide.“Many times people automatically assume you’re not good enough, that you’re crazy. But even the most successful people have battled mental illness,” said Konecko, citing entertainer Justin Timberlake and Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps among them.
The married mother of two boys, ages 4 and 14 months, said she has been there as well.
First, she was diagnosed with postpartum depression after her first child was born. Then, a year ago, after she gave birth to her second child, anxiety attacks overwhelmed her. She was also diagnosed with adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. “I was constantly having anxiety issues. But there was a feeling that (the medications) I was on were only masking the problem,” she said.
The correct diagnosis was crucial, but so was the medication. She had been on Xanax, as needed and had been on another drug until her doctor recommended Concerta. Prior to that, her anxiety would stop her cold in her tracks. One time, while shopping, she found herself doubled over, stopped in her tracks because of the anxiety. It came out of nowhere, she said. In her late teens and into young adulthood, she also struggled with ADHD.
“I was pretty much told I had a learning disability and no one could do anything about it,” she said.
Konecko believes while she could have continued to suffer in silence, she also wanted to be able to live her life without the bouts of anxiety that held her back. She believes that pageants, such as Mrs. America, give the issue much needed awareness. She said breaking down the isolation and the stigma is important and that there are people who have gone through the same experiences.
Model, fashion bloggerKonecko, a graduate of Marquette University with a degree in broadcast journalism, is a model, fashion blogger and self-described “stay-at-home mom.” She is also the founder of “It's Your Day Foundation,” which sponsors “Princess for a Day” events for girls, with the first event held in Kenosha in December. The foundation works closely with Ronald McDonald House at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee. Konecko was also the 2014 winner of the Mrs.Wisconsin U.S.A. pageant.“I think one of the strongest things for any human to do is to ask for help,” she said. “Having a mental illness doesn’t define who you are. It’s just part of who you are. Hopefully, I can help open the door and inspire people to get the help they need.”