The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Kane County North today announced the upcoming, eight-session Family-to-Family Education Course — an evidence-based course for adult family members and friends of someone with a mental illness.
NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 8-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. It is a designated evidenced-based program. This means that research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition.
NAMI Family-to-Family is taught by NAMI-trained family members who have been there, and includes presentations, discussions and interactive exercises.
Sign Up For A Class
The course takes place from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays from Feb. 5 to March 26, 2022, at New Life Community Church, 1580 E. Chicago St., Elgin.
A Spanish-language version of NAMI Family-to-Family, De Familia a Familia de NAMI, is available in a limited number of states.
The course is free of charge, with all materials provided, but registration is required.
What You’ll Gain
NAMI Family-to-Family not only provides information and strategies for taking care of the person you love, but you’ll also find out that you’re not alone.
The group setting of NAMI Family-to-Family provides mutual support and shared positive impact — experience compassion and reinforcement from people who understand your situation. Sharing your own experience may help others in your class. In the program, you’ll learn about:
- How to solve problems and communicate effectively
- Taking care of yourself and managing your stress
- Supporting your loved one with compassion
- Finding and using local supports and services
- Up-to-date information on mental health conditions and how they affect the brain
- How to handle a crisis
- Current treatments and therapies
- The impact of mental health conditions on the entire family
What People Are Saying
“The course gave me hope that it will be okay, that I am not alone and reduced a lot of shame, guilt and hopelessness.”
“I wish I’d known about this seven years ago when the problem began. I felt safe in this class. I was able to talk about things I haven’t been comfortable expressing elsewhere.”
“Before I took the course, I felt alone and overwhelmed dealing with my daughter’s mental illness. By taking this course, I have met others who are going through the same things I am and have learned about many resources that I never knew existed.”
“I thought my wife and I knew just about everything there is to know about the system and the illness. Boy, were we wrong. Without a doubt, this is the best support course I have had the privilege of taking part in, bar none.”