NAMI Kansas Inc.

The few times I have been able to attend NAMI--Wichita meetings, I have been welcomed and treated graciously. I receive information about meetings and activities through both regular mail and email . I appreciate feeling included in the organization, even though I am not able to be active.

NAMI support groups are a great help. When my wife was having a break down and I heard about NAMI and located the support group in Johnson country, KS. It was a life line to connect with other people that understand the difficult situation I was dealing with. Mental health support with NAMI is very important and much needed service.

NAMI has been an instrumental part of my becoming who I am today. September of 2008, after 40 years of an unfulfilling marriage, I finally received the answer for the challenges I have experienced with my husband. It was like a light bulb for me that went on; and that enlightenment happened as I participated in the Family to Family class and recognized the presence of mental illness. It has not been an easy journey even with that knowledge, but at least I understand. Since that time I have been involved for two years in raising funds for the NAMI Kansas Walk and have brought in between $500 and $900 each year from my own efforts. I accepted the position of Community Communications Coordinator for Wichita NAMI and am in my second year of service. In that role I have distributed over 1,500 rack cards/posters to over 50 mental health agencies in the area. I also co-presented NAMI's supportive role to over 270 USD 259 school professionals. NAMI is available to provide support to both family members and the consumers who struggle with mental illness. I am most grateful for exposure to this valuable nonprofit public service organization.

My daughter was diagnosed with mental illness in 2000 after a suicide attempt. My husband and I were devastated, confused, and felt helpless. We didn't know anything about the condition, medication, or future expectations. Learning about the Family-2-Family twelve week class, we signed up in a hurry. As we began educating ourselves about mental illness, we began to feel empowered and hopeful again. The friends we made and the leaders who gave the class were family members too. They shared their experiences and we learned we were not alone. We could make a difference in our daughter's life with empathy and knowledge. It felt like the weight of the world was lifted and we began to enjoy the little things again and see that our path did not have to be the dismal, dark tunnel that we had found ourselves buried in . NAMI made all the difference and now is the time I've chosen to pay back this wonderful organization that saved us from ignorance and anger.

I've been Bipolar from the age of 12, I'm 52 now. When I was 35 I was told I was Bipolar, now I know what's wrong with me. I was put on mood meds anti depressive med, boy did things change. I felt I had control of me. I have 3 kids, and I was hell on them. Now I take my meds and with help I learned to be a better mother. Now I'm involed with NAMI. I now have a safe place to be my self. I'm still learning about my disorder, but know I feel stronger and wiser than I did at 35 years old. I'm not a lone any more.

When a member of my family was diagnosed with a mental illness and started spiralling down, I knew I needed help. NAMI was there for me, providing me with not only the factual information that I needed, but gave me the skills to interact with my loved one in a better way through one of their classes. The support groups were also invaluable to me. I received the emotional support that I needed. My experience with NAMI has been so positive that I have continued my involvement and now help out as a volunteer for NAMI. My loved one is now doing a lot better, I am coping much better, and I have NAMI to thank for that.

NAMI KS has helped me a lot to become the person that I am today, I was so depressed and out of it that I couldn't go any where. The meetings gave me courage to take back my life and to change the bad parts of it. Today, I have a part-time job, that I really love to do. I am trained through NAMI KS for Peer-to-Peer (P2P), In Our Own Voice (IOOV), and NAMI Connection. I'm also sit on the Consumer Council, Afflilitat Council and Membership Council. And now, am president of NAMI KANSAS CITY KS support group. It is a wonderful and helpful group.