Peer-to-Peer is a free nine-week course for individuals with severe brain disorders. Each two-hour session is taught by a NAMI IOWA team of three trained "mentors" who are personally experienced at living well with mental illness.
Participants come away from the course with a binder of hand-out materials, as well as other tangible resources such as: an advance directive; a "relapse prevention plan" to help identify feelings, thoughts, behaviors or events that may warn of impending relapse; information on how to organize for intervention; mindfulness exercises to help focus and calm thinking; and survival skills for working with providers and the general public.
Class topics include: stigma and discrimination, relapse prevention planning, story telling, language, emotions, addictions, spirituality, medication, coping strategies, decision making, relationships, empowerment and advocacy.
“It was very encouraging, helpful, and empowering.”
— Peer-to-Peer graduate
Paid for by the Iowa Department of Human Services through its contract with
Magellan Health Services for Iowa Plan for Behavioral Health Medicaid Community Reinvestment funding.
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