The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is a very helpful resource for mental health consumers. It is a great support for the mentally ill in Modesto, CA. It offers information on various disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality, disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Perhaps most important is their Peer to Peer class. For information on support for family members and friends of mental health consumers, please see my article The mentally ill and their family members get support in Modesto.
On the NAMI Stanislaus website, under the Programs link, this class is described as: "Peer-to-Peer is a unique, experiential learning program for people with any serious mental illness who are interested in establishing and maintaining their wellness and recovery. "
Additional information is provided. This program was "...written by Kathryn Cohan McNulty, a person with a psychiatric disability who is also a former provider and manager in the mental health field and a longtime mutual support group member and facilitator." as described under the Programs link on the NAMI Stanislaus website here.
The Peer to Peer class offers, according to the NAMI Stanislaus website:
- Nine 2 hour classes that are led by three trained people who live with mental illness and are managing it well.
- Advice on creating an advance director
- A relapse prevention plan
- Mindfulness exercises that help in dealing with stress
- Skills for working with mental health providers and the public
You can visit NAMI Stanislaus at the following address:
500 N. 9th Street, Suite D
Modesto, CA
Mailing Address:
NAMI Stanislaus
P. O. Box 4120
Modesto, CA 95352-4120
(209) 558-4555
Another part of NAMI Stanislaus is Friends in Recovery. Under the Beth & Joanna Friends in Recovery link on the NAMI Stanislaus website it states, "Friends in Recovery is a unique program that is ran
by consumers for consumers that are in need of mental health services."
It goes on to explain that they pair up Pals and Peers who are looking for support in managing their mental illness. Pals are people that are managing their mental illness and are active in their recovery. They agree to meet up with their Peer once a week for 6 months. The Pals are also trained in peer counseling through attending the NAMI Peer to Peer class or some other peer counseling program.
In this way, Peers are not alone and get the support they need to learn to manage their mental illness more productively. If you have more questions or need help they offer the following contact:
"Ask Bill…
Cell: 209 469-4014"
Both the Peer to Peer class through NAMI and the Friends in Recovery are very helpful resources for the mental health consumer here in Modesto, CA.
Comments
Welcome from a fellow Modesto examiner. I will be watching your page, as I think you are providing a valuable service to those whose lives have been touched by mental illness one way or another.
Puts my beats of railroads, politics, and Oakland Raiders football in perspective.
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