The Northern Lakes Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI has long supported people with mental illnesses through peer-to-peer support and by connecting people to resources.
“It's been shown over and over again that the best way for people with serious or persistent mental illness to get by in this world is to have psychiatric care and counseling and peer support and family support,” said board member Mick Fiocchi. “If you have all of those things, there's still really difficult disorders, but that's kind of the best outcome for most people, if they have all of those things.”
To help with the family support aspect, Northern Lakes is starting a NAMI Family Support Group in Rhinelander. It’s had one in Woodruff for a couple of years now.
It’s a chance for loved ones and caretakes of someone who has a mental illness to meet with other people who know and can understand what they’re experiencing.
“These things are very isolating. The stigma against mental illness is a powerful, powerful thing, and so, you know, you might have not had anybody to talk to for years while you're helping your loved one. Well, this would be a great place for you too,” said Fiocchi. “
It is open to everybody. All NAMI programs are free of charge.
The first meeting will be Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the NAMI Northern Lakes Center in the lower level of Trinity Lutheran Church in Rhinelander. They plan to meet the second Tuesday of every month.
Fiocchi and NAMI Northern Lakes Vice President Lisa Miller are the co-facilitators of the support group.
“I would encourage people to come because it's a place where you can be understood. Not everyone understands this, and I think that is part of the support is knowing that there's at least two other people out there who understand,” said Miller.
There is also a NAMI Family Support Group that meets the first Tuesday of each month at Howard Young Medical Center in Woodruff.
You can learn more about NAMI Northern Lakes on its website.
People can also contact Fiocchi with questions at 715-362-6823 or mickfiocchi@gmail.com or Miller at lisa.miller1634@gmail.com.
