NAMI Finger Lakes offers several education programs taught by experienced, NAMI certified leaders. All programs are free. If you would like more information about NAMI Finger Lakes education programs, please call 607-288-2460 or email help@namifingerlakes.org
Family to Family
This free eight session class will help family members understand and support their relatives living with mental illness, while maintaining their own well-being. Class size is kept small so that everyone can share their thoughts and emotions about their own family situations, and all information is kept confidential.
Parents, siblings, spouses, adult daughters and sons, partners and significant others who are dealing with persons with severe and persistent mental illness are encourage to attend.
The course is taught by trained volunteers who have relatives in their own families living with mental illness. Course participants will receive extensive materials on mental illness symptoms, diagnosis, and medications; caretaker “self-care”; and strategies for helping and communicating with our relatives.
You can learn more about the course through the NAMI national Family-to-Family website.
Family and Friends
NAMI Family & Friends is a free 90-minute or four-hour seminar that informs people who have loved ones with a mental health condition how to best support them. It’s also an opportunity to meet other people in similar situations and gain community support.
The seminar is led by trained people with lived experience of supporting a family member with a mental health condition. They will walk you through the following topics.
- Understanding diagnoses, treatment and recovery
- Effective communication strategies
- The importance of self-care
- Crisis preparation strategies
- NAMI and community resources
For more information about NAMI Family & Friends, visit the NAMI National site on this program.
Ending The Silence
NAMI Ending the Silence is an engaging presentation that helps audience members learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition.
NAMI Ending the Silence presentations include two leaders: one who shares an informative presentation and a young adult with a mental health condition who shares their journey of recovery. Audience members can ask questions and gain understanding of an often-misunderstood topic. Through dialogue, we can help grow the movement to end stigma.
Benefits of Ending The Silence
- Free of cost to schools and communities
- NAMI Ending the Silence for Students: 50-minute presentation designed for middle and high school students that includes warning signs, facts and statistics and how to get help for themselves or a friend. Research has shown that NAMI Ending the Silence for Students is effective in changing middle and high school students’ knowledge and attitudes toward mental health conditions and toward seeking help
- NAMI Ending the Silence for School Staff: 1-hour presentation for school staff members that includes information about warning signs, facts and statistics, how to approach students and how to work with families
- NAMI Ending the Silence for Families: 1-hour presentation for adults with middle or high school aged youth that includes warning signs, facts and statistics, how to talk with your child and how to work with school staff
NAMI Basics
NAMI Basics is a 6-session education program for parents, caregivers and other family who provide care for youth (ages 22 and younger) who are experiencing mental health symptoms. This program is free to participants, 99% of whom say they would recommend the program to others. NAMI Basics is available both in person and online through NAMI Basics OnDemand.
The in-person course is taught by a trained team with lived experience raising a child with a mental health condition. They know what you’re going through because they’ve been there too.
The OnDemand program is also guided by parents and family members with lived experience but is self-paced and available 24/7. OnDemand offers the flexibility of participating in the course on your schedule. Both formats provide identical information, strategies and the opportunity to connect with other parents and caregivers.
What You’ll Gain
By participating in NAMI Basics, you’ll realize that you are not alone. You’ll find support and shared understanding—compassion, reinforcement and empathy from people who truly get your situation. And don’t forget: Your experiences may also help others in the course. Together, you will all learn that recovery is a journey, and there is hope.
NAMI Basics covers:
- The impact mental health conditions can have on your entire family
- Different types of mental health care professionals, available treatment options and therapies
- An overview of the public mental health care, school and juvenile justice systems and resources to help you navigate these systems
- How to advocate for your child’s rights at school and in health care settings
- How to prepare for and respond to crisis situations (self-harm, suicide attempts, etc.)
- The importance of taking care of yourself
- Much, much more
To learn more about these programs and how to participate, Please call 607-288-2460 or email help@namifingerlakes.org .
