NAMI Wayne County helps mental health caregivers
Tri-County IndependentJan 13, 2021
Jan. 9—LAKEVILLE — The first NAMI Family to Family class in
Another series of classes is being planned for February for anyone interested in registering. There is no charge, she said,
Switching to ZOOM
The Family to Family class is separate from the NAMI caregivers' support group, which has been meeting regularly at the
NAMI is the
NAMI Wayne County is part of NAMI Scranton and Northeast PA.
Personal experience
"I started a mental health support group here for
She said that after her third support group meeting up in
Volunteering to teach a class, Van Tine was given training, and was to start the class in April. The Covid-19 lockdown postponed their plans till this fall.
She said they had eight people attend the class in person, and another nine joined in on the computer. There were eight weeks of classes, two and a half hours each time, and met weekly.
The classes, she said, cover all aspects of mental health. She said they serve to help the caregiver know how to deal with a family member who has mental illness.
No longer alone
Speaking from her own experience, she said the classes brings a lot of comfort to a family member. "They feel blame, isolated, with no where to go for help," she said. Taking the classes make them feel empowered, Van Tine stated. They find they are no alone, and better able to cope, conduct themselves, how to react and not to react.
The students also can bond with each other; new friendships can develop.
Feeling alone, she said, is a big issue. Mental health's stigma, which NAMI seeks to counteract, is a large obstacle for both the patient and caregiver.
The support group has seen participation grew since the Covid-19 pandemic, she observed. A lot more isolation has occurred, with people stuck at home, she noted, Depression and fears arise, and may affect both male and female.
Support group
The support group in
About 12 to 15 people attend.
Meetings are strictly confidential. She said they sit in a circle and first time introductions are given.
Anyone needing to speak first because of some urgent crisis they are experiencing, may do so. No one has to share on a particular evening, and can say simply, "pass" when his or her turn comes, she said.
Van Tine said when she started attending the support group in
The group brings "amazing accountability," she noted. People don't have to be embarrassed any longer. They find they are far from alone and others are going through things as well. They can learn from each other and encourage one another. She says she calls it, "group wisdom."
The various human service agencies in
How to register
Registration is needed for the Family to Family classes and the support group, although all services are free. Persons attending the support group sign in, with their name and contact information.
To register, or for more information about NAMI Wayne County, contact the NAMI office in
Custom coffee
Fundraisers help support NAMI. What would have been their 20th annual Evening of Hope dinner in November at the
More about NAMI
NAMI is a nonprofit, grassroots, self-help, support and advocacy organization of consumers, families and friends of people with severe mental illnesses. NAMI was founded in 1979 and has more than 1,000 local affiliates and 50 state organizations.
"The more we speak openly about mental illness, the more it encourages others to find the courage and the voice to tell their own stories," the website states.
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