WE ARE NAMI EASTSIDE
East King County Affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness
We are a community-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for those impacted by a mental health condition through Advocacy, Education, and Support.
EDUCATION
We provide NAMI signature educational courses to individuals affected by a mental health condition and to their friends and family. Volunteers present NAMI signature programs in schools, to law enforcement, and at local inpatient facilities.
SUPPORT
Join a confidential online mental health support group for peers, families, caregivers and loved ones. No need to RSVP. All groups are led by NAMI-trained facilitators who have lived experience with mental illness.
ADVOCACY
We empower our members in recovery to share their stories as we advocate for improvements to our mental health delivery system. We are working to improve access to care, standards of care, continuity of care, recovery, housing and rehabilitation.
WASHINGTON LISTENS
In response to COVID-19, Washington has launched Washington Listens, a support program and phone line to help people manage elevated levels of stress due to the pandemic. Callers will speak with a support specialist and get connected to community resources in their area. The program is anonymous.
The support line is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method.
FEATURED EVENTS AT NAMI EASTSIDE
EVERGREEN FORUM
Tuesday, October 19 @ 7 PM
Managing Negativity: Mindsets and Actions that Support Your Well-Being and Relationships
Tammy Fisher Huson, PhD.
It can be inordinately tough to stay positive and hopeful in a world that barrages you with bad news and a constant stream of complaints, difficult people, conflicts, and real challenges. Tough, yes. But critically important for your health and healthy relationships, according to psychologists.
Come join us in an interactive presentation where Dr. Tammy Fisher Huson shares insights, tools of positive psychology, and evidence-based strategies to help you step away from the natural (yes, we are wired that way!) negative pull of our emotional world by increasing our self-awareness, regulation, and adopting some concrete methods to support and model healthy emotion and behavior management. The struggle is real - but armed with a few new mindsets and practices, we can build greater resilience and capacity in ourselves and also with our youth, co-workers, partners, and even the grumpy neighbor J! Come ready to engage, laugh, practice a new idea out, and share.
Peer-to-Peer Class
Monday & Wednesdays 6 - 8 PM
Starting November 8
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 8-session educational program for adults with mental illness who are looking to better understand their condition and journey toward recovery. Taught by a trained team of people who’ve been there, the program includes presentations, discussion, and interactive exercises. Everything is confidential, and NAMI never recommends a specific medical therapy or treatment approach.
TAKING A STAND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
In the face of the recent killing of George Floyd and so many persons of color before him, we cannot carry on with “business as usual”. It is up to each of us, and all of us together, to express our solidarity and our support for the eradication of systemic racism.
Silence communicates acquiescence. We will not be silent. We will raise our voices to challenge the denial of human rights and basic decency. Our nation is in crisis and out of this crisis comes the imperative for structural change. We must work to significantly change our systems, institutions, and attitudes. As a community, we insist on the positive changes sought by the “Black Lives Matter” movement. It is simply not enough to make statements. NAMI Eastside board members and staff commit to educating ourselves more about systemic racism. As we learn, we will take an ongoing inventory of our mental health programs and communication systems in order to identify and eliminate racism and bias within our organization.
You are not alone. Black Lives Matter.
In solidarity,
NAMI Eastside Board of Directors and Staff
If you’re looking for ways to get involved, here are a few organizations looking for volunteers and donations: