A free 12-week course will be offered in Jefferson to help family members and caregivers cope with and understand loved ones who have serious mental illness.

Sue Wind, a National Alliance on Mental Illness-Iowa Family Educator, says this program will cover a variety disorders such as Schizophrenia, Post-Traumatic Street and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder along with handling crisis situations and relapse, medications, listening and communication techniques, problem solving, recovery and rehabilitation and self-care around worry and stress.

The classes will be taught for NAMI family member volunteers who have experiences with loved ones with mental illness.

The free workshops will start on Monday, September 8th at St. Joseph Parish Center in Jefferson from 7-9:30pm.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required by calling Wind at 386-3002 or Karen North at 386-2736.