NAMI course offers families both hope, resources

By DAVID GUNTER

Feature correspondent

SANDPOINT — NAMI Far North has a message for families and friends of people living with mental illness — you are not alone.

Starting in mid-April, the group will bring that home by offering a free, 12-week course designed to identify resources, build networks and develop coping skills for those who care for individuals with brain disorders.

The curriculum, written by medical professionals, will be taught by peer teachers Amber Snoddy and Bev Chapman, both of whom have personal experience in caring for loved ones with mental illness. According to Chapman, the course — called the Family-to-Family Education Program — was one of the first things the local National Alliance on Mental Illness chapter offered after the organization formed here about 13 years ago.

The upcoming course will mark the first time Family-to-Family has been offered in Sandpoint since 2012, though the program has been given in both Bonners Ferry and Coeur d'Alene during that time.

“When I took the class, I was trying to help my loved one, but didn't realize how much help I needed,” Chapman said. “When you're in the midst of a crisis and you can back off into this group, you find new ways to cope and survive the situation.”

The course is directed toward those who care for a relative or friend who lives with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, anxiety disorders or borderline personality disorder. The sessions do not cover material related to Alzheimer's disease or autism, the instructors noted.

Although the weekly curriculum is very specific, the way in which it is taught feels less like a class than it does a meeting of friends who face similar challenges.

“The course is written in the vernacular of the everyday person,” said Snoddy. “It's really designed as a family discussion.”

Over the 12 weeks, the peer teachers said, course participants will build a support network as they learn communication and problem-solving techniques, delve into current brain research, get introduced to medication issues and treatment options and find ways to cope with worry and stress. Taken together, these newfound skills will lead to “insight, understanding and empowerment,” the instructors said.

This access to professionally vetted information stands in sharp contrast to the reality many family members face as they struggle to deal with how mental illness affects their everyday lives.

“You get a lot of advice from people that really isn't any help,” said Chapman, listing common suggestions such as the individual just needs to toughen up or get a job to set things right.

If it were that easy, every family would be able to address its particular situation without help or support. According to Snoddy, too many attempt to do that very thing.

“A common mistake a lot of people make is to try to fix it themselves,” she said, adding that even the medical community faces challenges when dealing with brain disorders. “The brain is the only thing that is diagnosed without actually seeing it.”

The Family-to-Family course was updated in 2014, the peer teachers pointed out, giving attendees the latest findings available. More important, the class sessions allow families and friends to share with others who understand what they are going through and to come up with solutions in a confidential setting.

“We'll be brainstorming ways to go from the stressful to the successful,” said Snoddy. “You're with peers who are experiencing the same thing. There's a lot of comfort in that.”

Through the efforts of groups such as NAMI, mental illness has been brought out of the shadows. Public awareness — albeit spurred by sometimes negative situations — also has been raised by media coverage of mental health crises. In that new environment, families have the opportunity to advocate for loved ones with brain disorders — something the 12-week course addresses in the next-to-last class session.

Other sessions will focus on family response to the trauma of mental illness; diagnosis and dealing with critical periods of schizophrenia, major depression and mania; the biology of the brain and emerging scientific discoveries; medication reviews; understanding the inner experience of having a mental illness; communication and problem-solving skills; self-care for the caregiver; and available resources for families and friends.

The Family-to-Family Education Program will start the week of April 18 — the exact starting date and class times will be announced after NAMI Far North has a chance to structure those details to accommodate the schedules of interested participants.

Sessions will take place at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2453 Hall on the corner of Pine and Division. There is no cost to take the course.

“All of the NAMI Far North classes are free to the community,” Snoddy said.

To register or for more information, call 208-597-6573. To learn more about NAMI Far North, visit online at: www.namifarnorth.org.