HelpNAMI Basics
NAMI Basics is a free, 6-week class for parents and caregivers of children and teens 17 and under who are showing signs of emotional and/or behavioral difficulties, or who have a mental health diagnosis.
Is your child anxious? Is your teenager skipping classes? Excessive anger, fighting, cutting, substance abuse, social isolating, issues around eating…? These are often symptoms of a mental health condition. If your child is showing any of these behaviors, NAMI Basics can help you help your child.
Whether your child is dealing with behavioral issues, undiagnosed emotional issues, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or other diagnoses such as major depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder (also called “manic depressive disorder”), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), substance use disorders, or more, NAMI Basics can help. You’ll learn facts about mental health diagnoses, and how best to support your child at home, at school, and when they’re getting mental health care.
The course is taught by a trained team with lived experience—they know what you’re going through because they’ve been there. The 6-session class teaches strategies for taking care of your child, and learning the ropes of recovery.
NAMI Basics covers a lot…
- How to manage crises, solve problems, and communicate effectively.
- How to take care of yourself and handle stress.
- How to develop the confidence and stamina to support your child with compassion.
- How to advocate for your child’s rights – at school, and when they’re getting medical care.
- How to help your child deal with the impact of behavioral and emotional difficulties, as well as help other family members.
- How the biology of the brain impacts mental illness.
- Review different diagnoses.
- Current treatments, including therapies, medications, and side effects.
- An overview of the systems you’ll need to navigate to help your child – school, health care, and maybe juvenile justice.
Class 1: It’s not your fault; Mental illnesses are brain disorders
Learn about the normative stages of our emotional reactions to the trauma of mental illness; our belief system and principles; recognizing that mental illnesses are biological brain disorders.
Class 2: The biology of Mental Illness; getting an accurate diagnosis
An overview of human development; specifics of brain development; current research on brain mechanisms involved in mental illness in children and adolescents; overview of the diagnostic process; and overview of the types and subtypes of major mental illnesses that can develop in childhood and adolescence (ADHD, ODD, CD, Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Schizophrenia, OCD, and Substance Use Disorders).
Class 3: Treatment Works
Tell your story; overview of treatment options available; explanation of evidence-based practice designations; review of various types of mental health professionals in the field; overview of medication as a treatment option for children and adolescents, including the current debate within the field on the subject of treating children and adolescents with medications, including black box warnings.
Class 4: Objective and subjective family burden
Acknowledge the strains of family burden and the impact of mental illness on each family member; learn various skills to improve day to day communications within the family as well as during episodes of crisis; communication skills, problem solving skills, tips for handling challenging behavior, crisis preparation and response, developing a relapse plan
Class 5: The systems involved with your child and the importance of record keeping
Learn how to keep records on your child; review a sample record keeping system; overview of the systems your child may be involved with including the mental health system, the school system, and the juvenile justice system; introduction to issues that will arise as your child reaches adulthood
Class 6: Advocacy, and Sharing
How to build an advocacy team for your child; meet people who are resources for you in advocating for your child; join NAMI in the fight to end discrimination and ensure access to appropriate treatment services; a graduation party!
What you’ll gain…
You’ll find out you’re not alone.
You’ll learn that recovery is a journey, and that there is hope.
The group setting provides mutual support and shared positive impact. Get encouragement from people who understand your situation—and help others with your own experience.
“Basics is…well, it’s a life-changer.” A parent who took Basics said this. Watch this video and hear more, from real people, about what a difference Basics made in their family.