A new peer-led family support group spearheaded by the Marin branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will soon launch in Point Reyes Station. The group is designed for adults with a loved one with symptoms of a mental health condition, and will be the first of its kind in West Marin. Organizers hope it serves as a safe place for people to discuss the challenges and successes they’ve experienced, at no cost.
“The point of this group is to reduce isolation through families talking to each other,” said organizer Lou Enge, the interim executive director of NAMI Marin.
The support group will provide the opportunity for those with family members who are only recently struggling with mental health to talk with and learn from others who may be more experienced. “Families and peers share with each other what they’ve experienced so that no one feels alone in a process that can feel helpless at times,” Ms. Enge said.
Besides educating one another on coping skills, she said, embracing humor and forgiveness can be part of the group’s takeaways, helping members understand that everyone’s paths are different. No specific therapies or treatments are endorsed in meetings sponsored by NAMI, which was founded in 1979 amid the downsizing of state mental institutions of the ‘50s and ‘60s and the movement toward community mental health.
According to the organization’s most recent annual report on the state of mental health in Marin, 21 percent of adults in the county need help with mental, emotional or substance abuse challenges. The report shows that storytelling events and general meetings like the one being introduced to West Marin are among the most impactful resources.
The support group will be held at the West Marin Health & Human Services building, and the schedule will depend on participants’ availability. Ms. Enge hopes to start by the end of September. Family members and service providers interested in joining can email her at [email protected].