National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Porter County) will sponsor the NAMI Family to Family Education Program specifically for families and friends of a person diagnosed with a serious mental illness. The 12-session series of classes will start in Valparaiso on June 23 from 5:30 to 8:00. The class is open to anyone who lives in northwest Indiana.
The course will cover information about schizophrenia, the mood disorders (bipolar disorder and major depression), panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); coping skills such as handling crisis and relapse; basic information about medications; listening and communication techniques; problem solving skills; recovery and rehabilitation; and self-care around worry and stress. The curriculum has been written by an experienced family member mental health professional and the course will be taught by NAMI Porter County family member volunteers who have taken extensive training as course instructors.
“This course is a wonderful experience!” says instructor, Barbara Layton, “It balances basic psychoeducation and skill-training with emotional support, self-care and empowerment. We hope families with relatives who have a serious mental illness will take advantage of this unique opportunity.”
The course is designed for parents, siblings, spouses, teen-age and adult sons and daughters, partners, and significant others who are caregivers of persons with a severe and persistent mental illness.
The NAMI Family to Family Education Course is free. For more information or to register call NAMI Porter County at 219-764-2958. Class size is limited so register early.