STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSICK
Learn about brain biology, mental health conditions and what it’s like to experience a mental illness when NAMI offers its free Family-to-Family education course.
The course is designed for spouses and partners, parents, siblings, adult children and others with a relative who’s dealing with the challenges of a mental health condition.
It involves eight 2.5-hour sessions with instruction, discussions and interactive exercises. The classes will be offered twice a week from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for four weeks beginning Jan. 28. Call Roger Olson at 208-309-0979 for more information.
The course was developed in 1991 by psychologist Dr. Joyce Burland, who had a family member dealing with mental health challenges. She designed the course to help family members cope with crises, find self-care and advocate for better treatment and services for their loved ones. It involves course handouts and a crisis file that families can refer to upon completion of the program.
It is taught locally by Roger Olson and Sally Hanson, who not only co-founded NAMI-WRV but are long-term Family-to-Family trainers and Family Support Group facilitators.
The curriculum is reviewed annually to ensure the science, language and policy information are current.
A scientific evaluation of the course nationally has demonstrated that participants not only gain a greater understanding of mental illness but cope better with the strains of illness, worry less and feel empowered to navigate the health care and political systems.
The program is sponsored locally by St. Luke’s Wood River.