NAMI Barrington Area - National Alliance on Mental Illness Barrington, Illinois chapter

Family to Family Classes

NAMI Barrington Area would like to extend the opportunity to attend a series of 12 weekly classes that are structured to help caregivers understand and support individuals with mental disorders while maintaining their own well being.

These NAMI classes are for family members, partners, and friends of individuals with major depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depression), schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, borderline personality disorder, the anxiety disorders of panic disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder; co-occurring brain disorders and co-occurring addictive disorders.

Topics will include current research in the biology of brain disorders, information about medications, and acquiring strategies for handling crisis and relapse. There will be special workshops for problem management, listening and communication techniques, as well as gaining empathy by understanding the subjective, lived experience of a person with mental illness.

"This course is a wonderful experience!" said one student, "It balances basic education and skill-training with emotional support, self care and empowerment." We hope families with relatives who have serious mental illness will take advantage of this unique opportunity.

There is no cost to participate in this NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program, but registration is necessary as class size is limited.

Please call Maryrose for more information 847-382-6623

NAMI Barrington Area will also be offering Visions for Tomorrow, an educational course designed for caregivers of children/adolescents with brain disorders.