Recovery is a journey for those with a mental illness

You look around the table and wonder how you ended up here and try to remember names but all you can recall are titles - psychiatrist, social worker, counselor, discharge planner. You are here because your loved one has been given a diagnosis - "mental illness." Days, and months and years of confusion, worry, anger have all culminated in this moment. You now have a name, or a label for what has been happening. But now that you do, along with a list of medications, doctor and counseling visits what do you do?

NAMI's Family-to-Family program is here to help you understand what you can do and its free! This program is for family, significant others and friends of people living with mental illness. The 12 sessions cover -

• how to manage crises, solve problems and communicate effectively
• taking care of yourself and managing your stress
• developing the confidence and stamina to provide support with compassion
• finding and using local supports and services
• up-to-date information on mental health conditions and how they affect the brain
• current treatments, including evidence-based therapies, medications and side effects
• the impact of mental illness on the entire family

Taught by NAMI-trained family members of loved ones who live with mental illness, the evidence-based classes include presentations, discussion and interactive exercises.

For more information on this class and support groups, contact Marianne Bithos at 708-335-4008 or namisouthsuburbsofchicago@gmail.com.