Free NAMI Class for Caregivers of Mentally Ill Staff Reports

Waist-high silk flowers decorate the lawn of Mission Hospital, St. Joseph’s Campus during NAMI’s “Celebration of Courage.”

Staff Reports

The Asheville and Henderson chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will cosponsor the NAMI Basics Education Program, specifically for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents with brain disorders.
The free six-session series will be held in downtown Asheville on Tuesdays and Thursdays, June 9-25, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. (Dates are Tuesdays, June 9, 16, and 23, and Thursdays, June 11, 18, and 25.)

The course will cover information about ADHD, Conduct Disorder,
Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive
Disorders, Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and
Substance Abuse Disorders; coping skills such as handling crisis and
relapse; basic information about medication use in the treatment of
mental illness in children; listening and communication techniques;
problem solving skills; and an overview of the mental health and school
systems’ roles in treating children with mental illness.

The curriculum was written by an experienced family member
mental health professional. The course will be taught by two volunteers
who are parents or other caregivers of individuals who developed brain
disorders as children. These volunteers have taken an extensive
training as course instructors.

“This course is a wonderful experience!” enthuses Jennifer
Rothman, NAMI Basics state director. “It balances basic
psycho-education and skill training with emotional support, self-care
and empowerment. We hope parents and other caregivers of children and
adolescents with mental illness will take advantage of this unique
opportunity.”

To register for the series, call day or evening (828) 684-5477 or (828) 664-1146.

Ask for the NAMI Basics contact person. The class size is limited, so early
registration is important.