NAMI Family & Friends

NAMI Family & Friends is a free 90-minute or four-hour seminar that informs people who have loved ones with a mental health condition how to best support them. It’s also an opportunity to meet other people in similar situations and gain community support.

What You’ll Learn

The seminar is led by trained people with lived experience of supporting a family member with a mental health condition. They will walk you through the following topics.

  • Understanding diagnoses, treatment and recovery
  • Effective communication strategies
  • The importance of self-care
  • Crisis preparation strategies
  • NAMI and community resources

What People are Saying

“Hearing personal experiences and how relatable my experiences are to them was very helpful. Hearing specific strategies to communicate and specific traits that people with mental illness have. Know that the illness is what can cause “cruelty” and poor decisions rather than the person.”

“I have a better understanding of how mental illness impacts the person affected…it was nice to hear the stories of the instructors and their paths. The handbook (eBook) given has a lot of helpful information which I did not know about.”

Additional Resources

NAMI Family & Friends Companion eBook

The NAMI Family & Friends companion eBook provides important information about mental health conditions including: conditions and diagnoses, treatment and recovery, crisis planning, resources and more. You can download it for free in multiple languages below:

The NAMI Family & Friends companion eBook is also available for direct download as a PDF in the following languages:

From Next Door To Across Erie County area

Become a Member

Become a part of NAMI! Subscribe to the latest mental health updates, participate in an online discussion group, learn how to advocate in your community and add your voice to the mental health movement.

Get Involved

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible donation. You are helping us provide support, education, and advocacy to thousands of people living with mental illness in Ohio.

Get In Touch

The families and members of NAMI Erie County Ohio are here to help! We offer understanding to anyone concerned about mental illnesses and the treatment of mental illness.

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