About NAMI
NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.
What is NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group?
- A confidential support group for adults living with mental health conditions
- Available free of charge to participants
- Support groups meet weekly, every other week or monthly (depending on location) for 90-minutes and follow a flexible structure without an educational format
- Led by trained leaders who make mental health and wellness a priority in their daily lives. Leaders are trained to guide participants, not to instruct or provide therapy.
- Participants can share as much or as little personal information as they want
- NAMI Connection groups add to, but do not replace, traditional treatment plans created by people and their mental health care providers
- NAMI Connection does not recommend or endorse any medications or other medical therapies
- NAMI Connection is copyrighted
What are the goals of NAMI Connection support groups?
- See the person first, not the condition
- Understand that mental health conditions are traumatic events
- Aim for better coping skills
- Find strength in sharing experiences
- Not judge anyone's pain
- Provide a safe place for participants to share resources and experiences
- Establish a sense of community
- Encourage empathy among participants
- Promote productive discussion so participants leave feeling better than when they came
How do I become a NAMI Connection Facilitator?
The application includes the following information about the jvolunteer requirements for NAMI Connection Facilitators:
1. Willingness to undergo all expense paid training
2. Adhere to fidelity to the NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group model
2. Commitment to perform weekly support groups for a minimum of one year
3. Ability to record and provide group participant data as required
4. Willingness to identify potential new facilitators from their support groups
5. Positive regard for, or personal experience with mutual support (lived experience with mental illness)
6. Be or become a member of NAMI Central Iowa
7. Must be age 21 or older
