education programs
NAMI NH offers educational programs specifically designed for parents and primary caregivers, family members with an adult loved one, individuals with a mental health condition, and older adults. Learn more about these programs below.
NAMI Basics
NAMI Basics is here to help. This free, online course is designed to empower parents and caregivers of young people (ages 22 and younger) with the tools, knowledge, and support needed to navigate the challenges of youth mental health.
NAMI Basics is a six-session course that provides:
- Guidance from other parents and caregivers who understand this journey.
- Advice for how to talk with your child about their mental health.
- Valuable insights into mental health conditions and treatments.
- Comprehensive, easy-to-understand resources grounded in science.
- Practical strategies for communication, crisis management, coping, and advocacy.
No matter where you are on your family’s mental health journey, NAMI Basics may help you take the next steps.
- Develop a community of support
- Provide practical, current information about mental health conditions
- Provide tools to effectively advocate for the child within school and mental health systems
- Develop problem-solving and communication skills
- Give participants the information they need to be more effective caregivers
- Help participants take care of their entire family — especially themselves
NAMI Basics classes are held in person and virtually throughout the year. Want to be notified of future classes? Sign up here. Do you have a question that is not answered here? Contact Deb Jurkoic to learn more.
NAMI Family-to-Family is a free class open to family members and friends of adults with mental illness. It is an evidence-based program that provides participants with a relaxed, trusting, and safe environment where they can develop the insight, skills, and emotional understanding they need to support the recovery of their loved one.
Family-to-Family education program leaders are volunteer family members with lived experience who have been trained and certified by NAMI NH. The 9-session course is offered virtually or in person throughout the year. Materials are provided free to participants.
- How to address problems and communicate effectively
- How to support your loved one with compassion
- How to take care of yourself and manage stress
- Mental health diagnoses
- Introductions to medications and treatment options
- How to access and advocate for mental health services
- How to cope with symptoms, support your loved one in a crisis, promote recovery, and manage the stressors that come with the caregiver role
Family-to-Family classes are held in person and virtually throughout the year. To indicate your interest in attending an upcoming class, please provide your contact information here. We will notify you when a new class is scheduled.
For questions, please contact Martha Dorey.
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 8-session educational program for adults with mental health conditions who are looking to better understand themselves and their recovery.
Facilitated by trained education program leaders with lived experience, this program includes activities, discussions, and informative videos. NAMI Peer-to-Peer does not include specific recommendations for treatment approaches.
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a safe, confidential space. The class provides an opportunity for mutual support and growth. Experience compassion and understanding from people who relate to your experiences. This is a place to learn more about recovery in an accepting environment.
NAMI Peer-to-Peer helps you:
- Set a vision and goals for the future
- Partner with healthcare providers
- Develop confidence in making decisions
- Practice relaxation and stress reduction tools
- Share your story
- Strengthen relationships
- Enhance communication skills
- Learn about mental health treatment options
Want to be notified of future classes? Sign up here. For more information email us.
Side by Side is a program promoting mental health for older adults, their families, and caregivers.
Providing care for an older adult can present many challenges. Caregivers – be they family, friends, or paid staff – face many complexities regarding physical and mental health. Caregivers can maximize their well-being and the well-being of their person if they understand these issues and know what to do.
The relationship between physical and mental health impacts medical conditions and vice-versa. Side by Side addresses the variety of issues that can be challenging to older adults and their caregivers.
NAMI NH is proud to present six modules to support the mental health and well-being of older adults, their families, and care partners. Each module is 1.5-2 hours in length. The content includes real-life situations, interactive exercises, handouts, and discussions in a relaxed learning atmosphere. Vital information is presented with a focus on practical, “what would you do?” situations.
- Self-Care
- Understanding Anxiety in Older Adults
- Understanding Depression in Older Adults
- Understanding Dementia
- Coping with Dementia-Related Changes
- Medical Care: Who Makes the Decisions and When?
To schedule or attend a workshop, email Meredith Kolodze.
Upcoming Classes
This NAMI Basics class is being offered online. Please register here. For more information, contact Deb Jurkoic at djurkoic@NAMINH.org or 603-568-3583
What is the NAMI Basics Education Program?
NAMI Basics is a free, six-session program designed for parents and other family caregivers of children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral difficulties. NAMI Basics helps parents and other family caregivers of children to understand the illnesses that are causing those behavioral difficulties and the critical role families play in the treatment of those illnesses. The program is taught by NAMI Basics Education Program Leaders who are also the parents or family caregivers of individuals who experienced emotional or behavioral difficulties prior to age 13.
NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 8-session education program for family, friends, loved ones, and significant others of adults with mental health conditions. NAMI Family-to-Family provides information about anxiety, depressive disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions. Other topics covered include communication, problem solving, treatment, and recovery.
The course is designed to increase understanding and advocacy skills while helping participants maintain their own well-being. The program is taught by trained family members who have a loved one with a mental health condition. NAMI Family-to-Family is an evidence-based program (EB). For information on the research base for the program, visit nami.org/research.
NAMI NH offers the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program free of charge to participants.
Tuesday evening classes begin October 7, 2025, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm and run for 8 weeks. This class will be held in Portsmouth, NH.Registration is required, please contact:
Sheila at shamwey617@gmail.com
