NAMI DeKalb is offering a free Family-to-Family 12-week course on mental health illness starting this Thursday.

Written By Sean Garvey – Entercom Atlanta (1380 WAOK News & Talk)

Are you a family caregiver who is dealing with an individual suffering from mental illness? NAMI wants to invite you to an upcoming program catered to families and their caregivers to help deal with mental health through empathy, communication, and understanding. NAMI DeKalb (better known as the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is hosting a free 12- week course for caregivers of people with serious mental health issues. The course is called Family-to-Family and it’s designed for trained family members to focus and teach others about the several mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, personality disorder, schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder.

Family members and individuals who suffer from these conditions could create the following:

  • Family Violence
  • Consume drugs and alcohol
  • Stress and tension levels towards family members
  • Gambling
  • Sexual Misbehavior
  • Obesity

NAMI DeKalb, the grassroots organization that helps promote and improve the quality of life of individuals suffering from mental illness, wants to reduce or decrease these issues in the household to help build a stronger family unit. The organization encourages all family members and caregivers to become apart of the Family-to-Family program before the mental conditions get worse.

The program will begin it’s education program this Thursday at 6 p.m. through 8:30 p.m. Participants will learn self-care, problem-solving skills, and communication skills to help deal with individuals suffering from mental health problems. Participants involved in this “life-changing” course will also get an opportunity to ask questions and express concerns about their family member’s health in a comforting environment.

The Family-to-Family program will run between Thursday, March 22nd until May 2018 and you can sign up to help volunteer. The course will take place on North Decatur Road in Decatur, Georgia. For more information, contact Dianne at namidiannehiltman@gmail.com or call 678.468.9430.