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Family to Family
FREE 12 week course

NAMI’s Family-to-Family Education Program is a 12 week course for families of individuals with severe mental illness brain disorders. The course is taught by trained family members and is free to all participants.

The curriculum focuses on the major mental illnesses, especially clinical depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), schizophrenia, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The course discusses the clinical treatment of these illnesses and teaches the knowledge and skills that family members need to cope effectively.

Family-to-Family Course Topics - 12 Topics in 12 Weeks

1. Learning about feelings, learning about facts.
2. Schizophrenia, major depression and mania: diagnosis and dealing with critical periods.
3. Subtypes of depression and bipolar, panic disorder and OCD; diagnosis and causes; sharing our stories.
4. The biology of the brain and new research.
5. Problem solving workshop.
6. Medication review.
7. Empathy workshop — what it’s like to have a brain disorder.
8. Communication skills workshop.
9. Self-care and relative groups.
10. Rehabilitation services available.
11. Advocacy — fighting stigma.
12. Review and certification ceremony.

Comments from Previous Family to Family Class Attendees...

"Finally, concrete information about biological brain disorders.
It changed my life".

"I have attended many family education courses and this, by far, is the most pertinent, informative, and family oriented of them all".

"My overall feeling is I wish every one could take it".

"As an engineer, I admit I was skeptical, but it really helped me deal with these problems better ... the most logical choice I ever made".

"It helped me save my son’s life".

Basics
FREE 6 week course
NAMI Basics is the new signature education program for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses.  The NAMI Basics course is taught by trained teachers who are the parent or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of 13 years. NAMI Basics gives parents/caregivers basic information necessary to take the best care possible of their child, their family, and themselves; helps parents/caregivers cope with the impact mental illness has on the child living with the illness and the entire family.; provides tools for parents/caregivers to use even after completing the program that will assist in making the best decisions possible for the care of the child.

What does NAMI Basics - 6 week program include?

1. Introduction to the stages of emotional reactions of the family to the of mental illness; including crisis, shock, denial, grief and acceptance.
2. Insights into understanding of the lived experience of the child living with the mental illness, including learning to separate the child you love from the illness that alters their behavior and abilities
3. Current information about Attention Deficit Disorder, Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Childhood Schizophrenia and Substance Abuse Disorders
4. Current research related to the biology of mental illness and the evidence-based, most effective treatment strategies available, including medications used to treat mental illness in children and adolescents
5. Specific workshops to learn problem solving, listening and communication skills
6. Examples of strategies that have been found helpful in handling challenging behaviors in children and adolescents
   AND Information about the systems that are major players in the lives of children and adolescents with mental illness – the school system and the mental health system
   AND Exposure to personal record keeping systems that have proven to be effective for parents/caregivers in their interactions with the school and healthcare systems ... And much more

Help NAMI SFV provide for this underserved population.  Take the teacher training that will be held at the lovely Serra Retreat in March 2010.  Fee for training is $100 for the whole weekend including room and food. Callfor more information or to register for the training, hosted by NAMI Westside LA 310 889-7200

Or, if you are a parent and would like to take the BASICS class in the future, contact usat NAMI SFV 818-994-6747 to pre-register. The NAMI BASICS course consists of six classes, each lasting for 2 ½ hours.   Classes may be offered weekly for six consecutive weeks, or may be offered twice per week for three weeks to accommodate the hectic schedules of parents.

Peer to Peer
Free 9 week course

Peer-to-Peer is a unique, experiential learning program for people with any serious mental illness who are interested in establishing and maintaining their wellness and recovery. NAMI-SFV offers Peer to Peer classes periodically and invites you to Contact Us to let us know you are interested in taking part in our next Peer to Peer training or class session.

• Peer-to-Peer classes are taught by a team of trained “Mentors”
  who are personally experienced at living well with mental illness.
• The classes are conducted in nine two-hour sessions.
• NAMI Peer Mentors are trained in weekend-long training sessions, supplied with teaching manuals, and are paid a stipend for each
  course they teach.
• Participants receive a binder of hand-out materials, as well as many other tangible resources: an advance directive; a “relapse prevention plan” to help identify tell-tale feelings, thoughts, behavior, or events that may warn of impending relapse and to organize for intervention; mindfulness exercises to help focus and calm thinking; and survival skills for working with providers and the general public.
• See the video (http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=Peer-to-Peer)

 

In Our Own Voice
FREE NAMI Public Education Presentations

In Our Own Voice allows the community to learn about mental illness from people who have been there. Moving and informative presentations available for your group, club, organization, community, faith or civic meeting. Learn from men and women whose lives have been interrupted by mental illness and who are now role models for hope and recovery.

Trained NAMi In Our Own Voice speakers share compelling and personal testimony of living with and overcoming the challenges of mental illness.

In Our Own Voice presentations are FREE and last 60 – 90 minutes. Presentations can be adapted to your specific audience. Contact NAMI-SFV to schedule an In Our Own Voice presentation.

 

PTA : Parents and Teachers as Allies

NAMI-SFV offers important information to parents. NAMI-SFV offers this valuable information through an informative booklet available at NAMI meetings or by mail (simply complete the online form to order or call us 818-994-6747).

Parents and Teachers as Allies

Recognizing Early-onset Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents

NAMI created Parents and Teachers as Allies to help families and school professionals identify the key warning signs of early-onset mental illnesses in children and adolescents in schools. It focuses on the specific, age-related symptoms of mental illnesses in youngsters. The publication is intended to provide an educational tool for advancing mutual understanding and communication between families and school professionals.

The publication includes:

• Becoming allies: Reckoning with different perspectives;
• The heart of the matter: Children robbed of childhood;
• Keys to early recognition and treatment;
• Learning and working together as allies;
• Signs of early-onset mental illnesses in children and adolescents;
• Understanding family reactions to mental illnesses and guidelines
  for helping families;
• Navigating the referral process as allies;
• Strengthening the alliance: How NAMI can help;
• Resources for parents and teachers; and
• References: Basic books and Web sites.

Parents and Teachers as Allies makes clear that families and school professionals are natural allies in working to ensure  youth with early-onset mental illnesses receive timely and appropriate treatment. NAMI looks forward to working with and supporting school professionals and families to improve the lives and educational outcomes of children with mental illnesses.

Order Form for Parents and Teachers as Allies
To order copies of Parents and Teachers as Allies, please complete the form and send with your credit card payment for safe secure online processing.

Or, if you prefer to order by mail, simply print out this page and return with your check, money order, or credit card information to the following address:

NAMI-SFV ATTENTION: PTA booklet
14545 Sherman Circle
Van Nuys, CA 91415

 

Speaker Series

Click here for Calendar.

FREE Expert Speaker / Information Meetings

What happens? In an auditorium setting (usually attended by between 50-75 people), professional experts who have information that would be helpful to families speak briefly and then open the meeting to questions from the audience. These question and answer sessions usually last about two hours.

What kind of experts? Several times each year the expert is a community psychiatrist who specializes in the major mental illnesses. Other experts speak and answer questions about estate planning when disability is involved, government benefits (SSDI, SSI, Medi-Cal and Medicare), communication between family members and various mental health programs in the San Fernando Valley.

At all NAMI Speaker Meetings, you can also access our NAMI-SFV information rack with more than thirty free pamphlets and information sheets.

COMING UP:
September 16th Family Member Panel

 

Reading List

Click here for our Reading List.

 

Resources

Click here for our Resources page.

 

BLOG

Click here for our Blog.

 

RATINGS

Click here for our Blog.

 

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