* 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 & adolescents with mental health issues.
Support Group for Family and Friends:
NAMI Santa Clara County offers two types of Family Support Groups:
- Support Group for Family and Friends ONLY: This group is for adult participants who are caring for someone with a mental health condition.
- Support Group for Peers/Consumers living with mental health condition and their family members or friends supporting them.
NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS
NAMI Family Support Group is for family members, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. In Santa Clara county, we hold several monthly support groups meeting from Palo Alto to Gilroy. We suggest you go to a few different meetings to find the ones that best meets for your family’s support needs. The list of support groups can be found on pages 2 & 3 of our current Resource Guide. Click HERE to find the list of online meetings during shelter-in-place.
NAMI FAMILY AND PEER SUPPORT GROUPS
These support groups are open to both family members and for individuals living with mental health conditions. You and your family member can attend together. Hearing the perspectives and experiences of both families and individuals with mental health issues can give hope 1) to families, who see individuals living in recovery and managing their lives and 2) to individuals, who find their own voices while expressing themselves to their families. Click HERE to find the list of online meetings during shelter-in-place.
NAMI SUPPORT GROUPS IN OTHER LANGUAGES
- Spanish: San Jose, Last Friday of month, 7-9:30 pm; 1150 S. Bascom Ave. Suite 24, San Jose. For more information, contact Erika at 408-453-0400 x3065. Meeting every Friday during Shelter-in-place. See Famliy support group list for details
- Korean: Cupertino, 1st Friday of month, 12:30 – 2:30 pm. Call for location: Kyo, 408-712-1149
- Mandarin / Cantonese: See NAMI Chinese Support Groups (pdf) for details. During Covid restrictions, contact Jen at jenhong1947@gmail.com
*Note: Due to COVID Restrictions, some support groups may meet more often. Click HERE to find the list of current online meetings, including instructions on how to register.
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 Consumers, Families and Friends.
In addition, we list related support groups from the following organizations:
- Parents Helping Parents – for families of kids with special needs, including mental health disabilities
- Suicide & Crisis Services – for suicide/mental health crisis and suicide prevention
- Centre for Living with Dying – for grief support
- Services for Brain Injury (SBI) – for individuals with traumatic brain injuries
- YWCA trauma support groups – for teens and adults dealing with trauma