What you can expect at a NAMI Maryville/Blount Support Group

Support Group. 

These two small words can evoke a range of emotions.  Nobody desires to require a support group.  This necessity can make us feel inadequate, reliant, fragile, exposed, and vulnerable.  However, those words can also offer hope.  Given that you are reading this, it is probable that the difficulty of caring for someone with a mental illness has surpassed the fear of attending a support group.

Attending a support group for the first time can trigger a lot of unease:  I won't know anyone there.  What if they expect me to speak?  Will I be required to adhere to specific steps or find a sponsor?

Let's address some of your concerns and try to make your initial NAMI meeting a bit smoother.

How much does it cost to attend?	NAMI support group meetings are free of any charge. We don’t pass a basket or take up contributions.
Are all NAMI groups the same?	Every NAMI support group has its own “personality,” so they are all a little different. There’s also a lot they have in common. We have 2 different types of NAMI Support Group meetings. NAMI Family and Friends Groups are for family members and friends of persons with or suspected of having mental illness.  They are facilitated by specially-trained family members who understand because they are care providers, too. NAMI CONNECTIONS are Groups provide support for persons with mental illness.  They are facilitated by people with mental illness, who are living in recovery.
Who will be there?	People who attend the Friends and Family meetings are often parents, spouses, siblings, significant others or adult children of persons with illnesses like Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Anxiety Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and other serious persistent mental illnesses.  People who attend Connections meetings are persons who live with these same illnesses.
Do I have to let someone know I’m coming?	No. But it helps if you do so you know all the latest details about how the meeting will be conducted. We try to do every meeting both in person and virtually.
Where are NAMI support group meetings held?	NAMI Maryville support meetings are held in person or virtual or both. In person are held at Maryville Housing Authority Community Room at 311 Atlantic Avenue Maryville, TN 37801. Virtual are held through Zoom. When you contact the facilitator they will let you know all the details.
How will I know how to find the meeting?	There will be signs at the location to let you know where in the building the meeting is held.
What happens first?	Someone will greet you and tell you a little about how the meeting is set up. They will ask you to put on a name tag just like they are wearing, so no one has to feel awkward about remembering or using wrong names. They will ask you to sign-in on a participant form.  The form asks for some basic information, but you are not required to provide any information you don’t want to.  The information you provide in support group stays with your local group.  Your information will never be given or sold to any other party (including NAMI’s national and state organizations).
Who leads the groups?	Our support groups are not led by mental health professionals, nor are they group therapy.  They are “peer-to-peer self-help” groups led by specially trained volunteers who also care for someone with a mental illness.  They understand because they’ve been there too.  They are there to listen, share resources, or to offer advice—but only if you request it.  They are willing to share what they’ve learned, what worked for them, and what didn’t.
What happens when the meeting begins?	The meeting facilitators will introduce themselves to the group.  Someone will read the group’s Focus Statement followed by the Meeting Guidelines and Affirmations.  Everyone in the room will be offered an opportunity to briefly introduce themselves to the group or decline.  After introductions, the facilitators will open the floor for discussion or offer a topic for discussion.
Do I have to talk/tell my story?	No.  Meeting Guideline #9 is: “Everyone is given the opportunity to speak, as well as the right to decline to speak.”  You do not have to talk unless you want to.
Why aren’t NAMI support groups held more often?	All NAMI support groups are managed and facilitated by volunteers.  They are held as frequently as there are facilitators available to lead them.  For urban areas that is more frequent, up to six times a month, while our rural affiliates may only have one meeting a month.

Please see our "Support and Education" or our "Calendar" pages for details of the day, time and who to contact for more information.