Family Support

The Laing House Family Support Group meets monthly and offers a combination of educational presentations and peer support to families of youth with mental illness.

When a young person is diagnosed with a mental illness, family members, which include parents, siblings, partners, and caring others, often need support in their role. The group provides education on issues faced by youth as well as opportunities to share support.

Youth themselves, along with professionals and other community members, play a role in providing educational sessions to members of the group.

Through involvement in the group, family members:

Share with and learn from each other,
Reduce isolation, and the feeling that they are alone in experiencing certain issues,
Support each other & cope with stress,
Understand the mental health system,
Learn about the housing, employment and education options that support youth in their recovery from mental illness, and
Learn about mental illness, medications and other treatment, and new research in the field.

The Family Support Group has expanded this year to create a group specifically for siblings of those living with mental illness, the Sibling Support Group.

As a family member of an adolescent or youth up to age 30, who is living with a mental illness, you are invited to contact Judy Bell at jbell@lainghouse.org or 425-9018, ext 224 for more information.