October 10 is World Mental Health Day, but there are organizations working hard to provide support and resources for those struggling every day, year round. One of them is
NAMI Midland County, which recently expanded to include Isabella County in its programming.
“You’re not alone, and you shouldn’t feel that you need to navigate this on your own,” Lois Pittsley says, volunteer and board member with NAMI Midland County. “It’s really great to be able to identify and meet a group of individuals that are navigating a lot of the same challenges that you may be experiencing in life.”
The National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the country. The NAMI Midland County local chapter has recently expanded to provide programming in Isabella County as well. The new mental health support group provides peer-to-peer and family mental health resources and related services in the greater Mt. Pleasant community.
NAMI Midland County has been around for about 30 years, and the newly launched Isabella County support group began in January of this year.
Lois Pittsley is a retiree and volunteer within the organization.
“What we found over time was that the needs in mental health were growing, and we looked at individuals that were either participating in our support groups or our classes, we realized that we were drawing a fair number of people from Isabella County and other areas,” Pittsley says. “In our desire to expand and become more convenient to serve more individuals, we did an expansion to Isabella County.”
The organization’s network of volunteers aren’t certified health professionals, but rather, peers in the community who provide unique lived experiences of their own. Some of them have personal experience or have family members living with a mental health condition.
According to NAMI, one in five U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year, and one in 20 U.S. adults experience a serious mental illness each year.
Pittsley says the local chapter is seeing an increase in growing attendance, and a need for outreach in the community.
In Mt. Pleasant, there are family support and peer-to-peer groups that meet every third Wednesday of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at
Summit Clubhouse.
In Midland, the same support groups meet on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at
Community Mental Health for Central Michigan.
“The support classes are free, and are led by individuals with lived experience,” Pittsley says.
“We also have a class that we offer twice a year, the Family-to-Family class, an educational, evidence-based class meant for family members,” she continues. “It starts with teaching individuals about mental health, problem-solving, communication skills, and advocacy. We work on understanding mental health conditions, developing compassion and it helps family members become more resilient and helps in coping skills.”
Pittsley initially became involved in NAMI from the family-to-family support classes, and now volunteers her time helping other families.
“I felt the ability to no longer feel alone in navigating mental health for myself and my family. I decided that from there, I really wanted to give back and became more involved with the organization,” she says. “Ultimately, I became one of the individuals advocating for the expansion to Isabella County.”
Pittsley encourages folks to remind themselves that whatever it is they’re feeling, others can relate, and in turn, help.
“You’re not alone, and you shouldn’t feel that you need to navigate this on your own,” Pittsley says. “It’s really great to be able to identify and meet a group of individuals that are navigating a lot of the same challenges that you may be experiencing in life.”
Pittsley is happy to see different organizations, schools, workplaces, and society taking the right steps of breaking stigmas, barriers, and opening conversations around mental health.
“We still have a ways to go, but groups like ours in Midland and Isabella County are yet another way that we’re reaching out to individuals, and helping them find a place where they can find the support they need,” she says.
To learn more about NAMI Midland, call 989-948-3273 or visit their website.
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