NAMI

Dealing with loved ones' mental illness can be a repetitive cycle until you're on the 'same team'

jfbeck_99_272012 — May 31, 2023, 8:54pm

Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles for May’s Mental Health Awareness focus. Despite it being the last day of the month, no topic as important as mental health can be hemmed into such a short time span anyway, as Genesee County Mental Health Director Lynda Battaglia says. Besides, this kicks off June’s “Rebuild Your Life Month,” which will continue with additional articles.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

That’s how it felt for Sue Gagne when dealing with a family member struggling with mental illness, she said.

“I would say early in my career as a family member, I didn't know anything about mental illness. And when my loved one first started exhibiting symptoms, the rest of the family didn't really know what to do. So we would wait for a crisis; we would call 911. (Law enforcement) would come and either take them away or settle things down,” Gagne said during an interview with The Batavian. "And I always, when I do the (Crisis Intervention Team) training, I say, you know, it's like, wet, lather, rinse, repeat. It was just this continual cycle of, 'we don't know what to do.'"

Free 12-week course for families and caregivers of adults with mental illness

Billie Owens — Aug 27, 2015, 2:58pm

Press release:

National Alliance on Mental Illness, Rochester chapter, is conducting a free Family-to-Family course in Batavia every Tuesday evening from Sept. 15th to Dec. 8th. (There is no class on Tuesday, Oct. 20th.)

The NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program is a 12-week course for families and caregivers of adults living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder.

Each class will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Genesee ARC Community Center, 38 Woodrow Road, Batavia.

It is taught by family members who have lived similar experiences. NAMI Family-to-Family provides insight, information, resources, and empowerment for families who have a loved one living with mental illness.

You do not need to be a Member of NAMI to take Family-to-Family, however we encourage you to become a NAMI Member and receive full membership benefits, including quarterly newsletters, mailings, and important updates from NAMI Rochester, NAMI NYS and NAMI National. The Annual Membership is $35, made payable to NAMI Rochester. For those with limited income a $3 credit card payment option is available online: http://namiroc.org/get-involved/membership/.

Beth Winslow-D'Amico
Program Assistant
NAMI Rochester
320 N. Goodman St.
Rochester, NY 14607
Telephone: 585-423-1593
Fax: 585-423-0572
beth.winslow-damico@namirochester.org
http://namiroc.org/

Mental health experts to discuss depression and bipolar illness

Billie Owens — May 8, 2011, 3:27pm

A panel of doctors and other professionals will discuss the topic of "Managing the High and Lows of Depression & Bipolar" from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 9, at City Church Generational Center.

It's located at 15 Center St. in the City of Batavia.

May is Mental Health Month in Genesee County and this presentation is a partnership between City Church and the Mental Health Association in Genesee County.

Panelists are:

Dr. Beth Allen and Pat Sine, director, of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Rochester
Rosalie Sawyer, peer advocate
Dr. Joseph Langen, retired psychologist
Dr. Lawrence Guttmacher, clinical director, Rochester Psychiatric Center

This event is free and open to the public. Attendees will be able to ask the panelists questions.

The Mental Health Association in Genesee County can be reached at 344-2611.