What Will You Gain?

NAMI Metro Suburban classes, workshops and presentations provide information for families and community members.  Our Family focused programs provide education and skills for both families who have loved ones living with a mental health condition and for caregivers and other community members who want to learn more about mental health and promoting mental wellness for youth and teens.

Family to Family

Family to Family is a free 8-week program created by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  The course is designed for relatives and close friends of adults with persistant and severe mental illness.  The curriculum balances educational materials and skills training with self-care, emotional support, and empowerment.  Participants learn about diagnoses. treatment, recovery, communication strategies, crisis preparation and NAMI resources.  The course is taught by trained family members with lived experience of mental illness in their family.

Family and Friends

Family and Friends is a free two hour seminar based on Family to Family that informs and supports people who have loved ones with a mental health condition.  Participants learn about diagnoses, treatment, recovery, communication strategies, crisis preparation and NAMI resources.  Seminar leaders have personal expreience with mental health conditions in their families.

Practical Family Skills

Practical Family Skills is an interactive three hour workshop for families that have an adult loved one with a mental health condition.  The workshop focuses on communication skills, collaboration, emotional regulation and options for treatment.  It is appropriate for all families/friends/caregivers of an adult loved one with any mental health condition that affects daily activities (including those that expreience psychosis).  Workshop participants will learn and practice skills that can improve the relationship and encourage recovery oriented activity.  This workshop is offered quarterly by NAMI’s Family Support Specialist.

Supporting Student Mental Health

This 60 minute presentation for parents, caregivers and adults who work with youth to understand the warning signs and symptoms of a mental health condition or suicide in young people.  It also discusses how to talk to young people about what you have noticed.  The presentaion concludes with a young adult speaker sharing their lived experience with a mental health condition.  This presentation can be offered to adults at youth serving organizations, schools or parent groups.

Communicating with Your Teen without Money, Magic or Eyerolls

This 60 minute presentation for parents and caregivers of teens teaches communnication and other skills to help adults engage teens and helps teens to feel seen, heard and understood.  The presentation can be offered to parents/caregivers of participants in youth serving organizations, schools or community groups.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid is a 6.5 hour evidenced based training to learn and practice the ALGEE action plan for adults who interact with youth.  Participants will learn how to notice the signs and symptoms of a mental health challenge or crisis in a young person and practice the ALGEE action plan to assist them.  This course is effective for all parents/caregivers and anyone who interacts with young people.  This course is eligible for 6.5 CEUs.

For more information about any of our Family Education programs please contact familysupport@namimetsub.org