Mental Illnesses: Hope for Recovery course to take place August 10

Mental illness affects the whole family, not just the one with the diagnosis. No one is ever ready for the arrival of mental illness in a loved one. Family members can often feel overwhelmed as they try to learn more about the illness, treatment options, and how to adjust to this new reality in their lives.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Northeast Iowa is presenting a free one-day course, Hope for Recovery, designed for family members who have a loved one dealing with mental illness. The course is also open to the general public. Participants will learn about types of mental illnesses, treatments and recovery, coping strategies, communication tools, the mental health system, and local resources.

The course will be held Saturday, August 10 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in Cresco at Regional Health Services of Howard County, located at 235 Eighth Avenue West. Call Susan Friedrich at 563-422-7882 for more information and to register for this course.

Pre-registration is required and can be done up through the day before the event, either by phone or online at Hope4RecoveryNEiowa10.eventbrite.com. There is no charge for the course, and participants are asked to bring a sack lunch.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families. NAMI offers education, support and advocacy. For more information about NAMI, see nami.org and namiNEiowa.org.