NAMI Finger Lakes News This Week- November 26, 2021

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NAMI Finger Lakes This Week- November 24, 2021

At National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Finger Lakes affiliate, we provide advocacy, education and support for families of people living with mental health conditions. In our weekly e-news, we share events and resources of interest to our mental health community. You'll find more resources and information at our website namifingerlakes.org

At NAMI Finger Lakes, we're thankful for the many ways our community comes together to help us meet the needs of families impacted by mental illness.

Our Program and Board Volunteers, Grantors, Donors and Participants help make NAMI Finger Lakes a trusted resource for families when they need it most.

Because of their efforts, you can find hope here.

The NAMI Finger Lakes Crisis File contains valuable resources for families in search of help during a mental health crisis. You'll find resources for emergencies, housing, mental health treatment, services and more.

Click to Find Crisis Resources

NAMI Finger Lakes Upcoming Support Groups

NAMI FL Family Support Groups are led by trained facilitators who have lived experience with loved ones who live with mental health conditions. At our support groups, we share concerns, coping skills, and compassion in a supportive atmosphere.

NAMI FL virtual support groups currently meet on Zoom.
To register, please contact us via email [email protected] or call 607-288-2460 with your name, preferred phone number and email and the date of the meeting you wish to attend.

**PLEASE NOTE- You must register for each group you wish to attend. Please contact us as requested above 2 hours prior to the meeting you wish to attend so we do not miss your request.**

NAMI Support Groups are for people 18 and over who have a loved one living with a mental health condition. Groups meet for 1&1/2 hours.

Family Support Group:

Tuesday, December 7th at 7:00 PM- Virtual Family Support Group
Monday, December 20th at 1:30 PM- Virtual Family Support Group

Partner/Spouse Support Group: (Please note, December's Partner/Spouse group will meet one week earlier than usual due to the December holiday.)

Thursday, December 30th at 7:00 PM– Virtual Partner/Spouse Group

Click to view our Support Group Materials

If you need support now, please call the NAMI Finger Lakes Help Line at 607-273-2462. Our Help Line is answered by local NAMI family members who have experience with loved ones living with mental illness.

Find Help, Find Hope with NAMI Family to Family

NAMI Finger Lakes would like to thank those who attended our recent Family to Family program.

In the final class, participants have a discussion about their roles in the lives of their loved ones who experience mental health conditions and develop a message to others who are experiencing the same. The message created by this Fall's class is:

You are not alone. You can’t know what you don’t know. You’re doing the best you can with what you have. It is important to have hope for your loved one and hope for yourself. Have the courage to seek what you need for your loved one and for yourself. In the darkest of hours there is always a light.

If you would like information about how to attend the free, 8-week NAMI Family to Family or other program, email [email protected] or visit our website at namifingerlakes.org

Help During the Holidays

The holiday season can be difficult. If you or a loved one need help, consider the following resources:

Crisis Line 800-272-1616- If you are feeling stressed, depressed, overwhelmed, having thoughts of suicide or are worried about a loved one, it helps to be heard. Call for free and confidential crisis counseling. Family and friends of people in crisis are also encouraged to call. You do not have to be considering suicide to use this resource.

Emergency 911- Injuries or medical conditions requiring immediate attention-downed trees or power lines that pose a danger- suspicious activity- malicious destruction of property . For a mental health emergency, alert the dispatcher to that need and ask for a CIT trained officer if police respond. (CIT=Crisis Intervention Team)

211- connects people in need with services designed to address that need. Callers are referred to service providers according to their situation. 211 may follow up with callers, when appropriate, to ensure that contact was made and to offer further assistance if needed. No question is too big or too small.

NAMI Finger Lakes at the Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair

Give The Gift of Hope- Through December 10th!

At NAMI Finger Lakes, we're grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair on November 20th- one day to find alternative holiday gifts for your loved ones that share hope with so many others. This year, we're extending this opportunity through December 10th! Make a donation using the link for this event (or by check received by 12/10) and we'll mail you a gift card to share with your recipient.

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for your loved ones during this gift giving season, please consider the gift of Support, Education and Advocacy for people impacted by mental health conditions in our community.

NAMI Finger Lakes is your local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, serving the Tompkins county area. Our classes and support groups provide a place to find compassion, information and resources in a non-judgmental setting. All of our programs are free.

Click To Give

How does your gift make an impact?
Here's what program participants are saying:

“My communication skills have improved and I'm continuing to work on that. Taking this course was tremendously empowering and has given me a lot of hope that my family will be able to navigate the path to wellness with our daughter.“

"I wish I'd known about this seven years ago when the problem began. I felt safe in this class. I was able to talk about things I haven't been comfortable expressing elsewhere."

“I now know that I can be an advocate for my loved one. I no longer feel like I'll be a helpless bystander watching my loved one have another crisis and not knowing what to do or where to turn for support.”

Your gift makes a difference every day!

Thank you for considering NAMI Finger Lakes for your holiday giving.

Looking For A Good Book?

Check out
Nobody's Normal:
How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness

by Roy Richard Grinker

A compassionate and captivating examination of evolving attitudes toward mental illness throughout history and the fight to end the stigma.

For more about this book, visit Author, Roy Richard Grinker online.

This book is also available through Tompkins County and New York Public Libraries in various formats.

It may also be available in the NAMI Finger Lakes lending library. Email help@namifingerlakes to arrange pickup. Visit our ONLINE LIBRARY to see what other great books NAMI FL has to lend.

To purchase, visit our friends at Buffalo Street Books in Ithaca.