NAMI Connections Support Group and Family-to-Family Class

“Honestly, the best thing I could ever hear from someone is

‘I understand, I’ve Been There.’”

Mental Health

Recovery

Support Group

Open to anyone regardless of diagnosis:

PTSD, Depression, Anxiety/Panic Disorder,

Bipolar, Schizophrenia, etc.

NAMI Connection Groups at DORN VA Medical Center Building 106 (Psychiatry Building), Room A201:

Mondays 12:00 - 1:00 (Women's Group)
Wednesdays at 3:00 pm

Other NAMI Connection Groups in Columbia, SC:

Mondays at 6:00
- St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, 119 N Church Street, Lexington
Tuesdays at 6:00 pm (except for the second Tuesday of each month)
- Trenholm United Methodist Church (TRUMC), 3401 Trenholm Rd.
Thursdays at 6:00 pm
- TRUMC
Thursdays at 6:00 pm (except the 2^nd Thursday of each month)
- Redeemer Lutheran Church, 525 St. Andrew's Rd.

Family Support Groups - Peer led support group for families/friends of someone with a mental illness

· Mondays at 6:00 pm (except the 2^nd Monday of each month)

o St Stephen's Lutheran Church, 119 N Church Street, Lexington

· Thursdays at 6:00 pm (except the 2^nd Thursday of each month)

o Redeemer Lutheran Church, 525 St. Andrew's Rd.,

· Thursdays at 6:00 pm

o TRUMC

Education Meeting - open to everyone at TRUMC

· Second Tuesday of each month

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What to expect at a NAMI Connection group:

1. Who leads the meetings?

NAMI Connection meeting are led by trained facilitators who are peer/consumers living in recovery.

2. Who attends the meetings?

Anyone over the age of 18 who lives with mental illness, regardless of diagnosis.

3. What are the goals of this type of meeting?

To provide a safe space for people to confront the challenges that are common to people living with mental illness. To share experiences as learning opportunities and to support each other on the path to recovery.

4. What is NAMI?

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots organization for people with mental illness and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has affiliates in every state and in more than 1,100 local communities across the country.

5. Will the people in this meeting tell me how to take medication?

In this group, we do not tell anyone what to do.

6. Do providers know about this kind of meeting?

NAMI support groups are endorsed by many well respected physicians and healthcare organizations. For more information, please visit our website at www.nami.org.

7. Are non-consumers/peers allowed to go in?

The group structure is designed to provide the greatest possible feeling of safety for all participants. For many that means that only people who have suffered psychiatric distress can possibly understand. Most groups do not want others to attend.

8. If not, are they hiding something?

Sometimes, yes. People are entitled to confidentiality. Their jobs, relationships or status in the community could be lost or seriously damaged if their illness is unwittingly revealed. Other than that, we have nothing to hide.

9. Do doctors take part in this?

They refer patients to us. Other than that, no.

10. Is there any help for family members?

Definitely. NAMI was founded by concerned family members and continues to offer family support groups, similar to this one, as well as a 12 week education course called Family-to-Family. For information on these and more NAMI programs, check out the website at www.nami.org, call the HelpLine at 1-800-950-6264 or Veterans and family members may contact Candy True at ext. 4116 or Louise Will-Wallace at ext. 6395.