Note: NAMI does not offer support groups for people under age 18.  Normally, groups for children and adolescents must be led by a licensed professional, while NAMI groups are run by trained peers with lived experience. You can try contacting your insurance provider to locate a mental health agency that offers therapy groups for youth. NAMI does have support groups and an education class (NAMI Basics) for parents and caretakers of children and adolescents with mental health issues.

NAMI Family Support Groups

NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS are peer-led support groups for family members, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. NAMI Santa Clara County offers family support groups in English, Spanish, Korean and Mandarin.

Please note that the individual with a mental health condition may not attend family support groups; they are solely for friends and family.

These support groups are unique because they follow a structured model, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to be heard and to get what they need.

  • Free of cost to participants
  • Designed for adult loved ones of people with mental health conditions
  • Led by family members of people with mental health conditions
  • 60-90 minutes long and meets every other week or monthly (varies by group)
  • No specific medical therapy or treatment is endorsed
  • Confidential
  • See Video here: NAMI Family Support Group – 1 minute

What You’ll Gain:

By sharing your experiences in a safe setting, you can gain hope and develop supportive relationships. This group allows your voice to be heard and provides an opportunity for your personal needs to be met. It encourages empathy, productive discussion and a sense of community. You’ll benefit from other’s experiences, discover your inner strength and empower yourself by sharing your own experiences in a non-judgmental space.

NAMI Family Support Group will help you:

  • Aim for better coping skills
  • Find strength in sharing experiences
  • Not judge anyone’s pain
  • Forgive ourselves and reject guilt
  • Embrace humor as healthy
  • Accept that we cannot solve every problem
  • Understand that mental health conditions are no one’s fault and can be traumatic experiences
  • Watch Video Here: MHACC 2020 PSA – 1 minute

New! NAMI In-Person Family Support Group:

  • Meets every third Wednesday of the month from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at our office at 1150 S. Bascom Ave. Suite 24, San Jose CA 95128. Come to the entrance at the back of the building, where the parking lot is. We meet in the NAMI-SCC Education Room on the second floor (door to the right of suite 24).
  • No pre-registration is necessary.

NAMI Family Support Groups meeting online via Zoom:

  • 2nd and 4th Tuesday Family Support Group – Do you have a loved one diagnosed with a mental health condition? Are you trying to help a family member who doesn’t have access to care or doesn’t want help? Do you want to learn how to support and encourage someone who has been hospitalized or experienced a similar mental health crisis? Please join a Family Support Group to receive support and learn from others on a similar journey.
  • Families of Vision Family Support Group – This is a Christian family support group for families whose loved ones (of any age) are living with mental health conditions. This is a NAMI FaithNet Model group led by NAMI trained facilitators.
  • Transition-Age Youth (TAY) Family Support Group – TAY Family Support Group is a mutual support group for family members caring for loved ones living with mental health conditions in the transition age group (generally teens up to age 26).
  • Jail Family Support Group – When a loved one is arrested due to their mental health condition, it can be very upsetting; and trying to find out what to do next can feel overwhelming. Come join a supportive group to share and learn with other family and friends on navigating the process together.

You will need to pre-register to attend online NAMI Family Support Groups

  • To pre-register, click on the link in the calendar below to sign up ahead of time for the date you wish to attend.
  • You will immediately receive an automated email with the Zoom link. (If you do not receive it, check your spam folder, or call the Helpline for assistance.)

To learn more about any of our family support groups, please call the NAMI Helpline at 408-453-0400 option 1.

 

Please Note: Observers (e.g., media, researchers, students) are NOT PERMITTED to attend or audit any NAMI-SCC class or support group as the information shared in the group is confidential.

 

NAMI Family Support Groups in other languages:

NAMI also offers family support groups in Spanish, Mandarin, and Korean. For details on how to register, click on the link in the calendar below for the date you wish to attend.

    • Grupo de Apoyo para Familiares en Español  – 2nd, 4th, 5th Friday of month.
    • Mandarin Chinese  – 2nd Saturday of month.
    • Korean – 4th Thursday of month.

 

The Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities offers family and peer support groups led by NAMI-trained facilitators. Groups are targeted to the Chinese community and offered in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

See upcoming NAMI SCC Family Support Groups:

For other non-NAMI community support groups, check our Resource Guide (page 2) at Resource Guide Page 

OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUPS

Our current Resource Guide also lists meeting dates, times, locations and contact information for other local community organizations that offer free mental health support groups for peers, families and friends.

In addition, we list related support groups from the following organizations: