For over twenty years research findings have been consistent and clear, educating family members about the serious mental illness of their loved one makes a huge difference, both to the families and their ill relative. The disgrace is that only 2% of agencies in the U.S. are providing this education! This workshop covers what families go though; looks at the abuses and uses of confidentiality; and then goes through the content and process of providing psycho education for families. The main goal is that you leave the workshop knowing how to provide this education.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understanding the impact of significant mental illness on families

• Definition of psycho-education

• Impact on various family members: spouses, grandparents, extend family, siblings, children with mental ill parents, and parents of children with mental illness

• Benefits of psycho-education

2. Exploring the uses and abuses of confidentiality- learning ways to navigate confidentiality

• What families want to know about family member and why

• Issues influencing confidentiality

3. Rationale behind psycho-education for families

• What is it that families need

• Ways to begin to develop partnerships with family members

4. Understanding the barriers to implementation of psycho-education 

• Defining common barriers to implementation

• Ways of overcoming barriers to implementation

• Positives and negatives in implementing psycho-education into practice

5. Planning strategies to put psycho education programs into practice

• Difficulties for professionals

• Difficulties for family members

• Audience discussion on experiences in their practice

Faculty:

Mona Wasow, MSSW

Mona Wasow, MSSW, has worked in the area of serious mental illness for twenty-five years, wearing three different hats: as a professor and field supervisor, a researcher and a family member. She reports these three hats often fight with each other, giving her varied and unique perspectives on the topic. She has been active in The National Alliances for the Mentally III, written three books and many articles on the topic, and has respect for the very different perspectives of people with mental illnesses, families, and professionals.