NAMI offers several free educational classes. To find out about scheduling and signing up, please email
Peer to Peer Class
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is an 8 week recovery-focused course for adults with mental health conditions. The course is designed to encourage growth, healing and recovery among participants. Taught by trained leaders with lived experience, this program includes activities, discussions and informative videos
- The program is led by peers with mental health conditions.
- Information is included on conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and others.
- Participants leave NAMI Peer-to-Peer with a customized relapse prevention plan and a form they can use to create their own Advance Directive for Mental Healthcare Decision Making.
- Discussion and interactive exercises focus on mindfulness and meditation, relapse prevention, and healthy coping skills to help cope with life’s challenges.
- Classes are free and confidential.
- Classes are open to any adult living with a mental illness.
The Class includes:
- Current information about the major mental illnesses and the most current research available on the biological aspects of these illnesses, medications, side effects, etc.
- Information on recovery, including a variety of treatment strategies currently available.
- Skills training in the areas of problem solving, listening, communication techniques, and handling crisis and relapse.
- Understanding how symptoms affect thought, feelings, and behavior, and teaches coping strategies.
- Promotes stigma reduction through education and personal contact with individuals with a mental illness.
What Participants say about Peer-to-Peer
“The class is uplifting, life-saving and an eye-opening experience that changed how I see myself.”
“The biggest thing I gained from this class was to become my own advocate and best friend.”
“Seeing my peers’ strength and dedication to their recovery was personally meaningful.”
Family to Family Class
The NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program is a free 12-session course for family members, caregivers, and loved ones of adults (18+) living with mental illness, which balances skills-training with self care, and emotional support. The course is designed to facilitate a better understanding of their struggles, increase coping skills and empower participants to become advocates for their family members.
- The course is taught by trained family members.
- All instruction and course materials are free to class participants.
- Over 300,000 family members have graduated from this national program.
What Does The Course Include?
- Current information about schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, and co-occurring brain disorders and addictive disorders.
- Up-to-date information about medications, side effects, and strategies for medication adherence.
- Current research related to the biology of brain disorders and the evidence-based, most effective treatments to promote recovery.
- Gaining empathy by understanding the subjective, lived experience of a person with mental illness.
- Learning in special workshops for problem solving, listening, and communication techniques.
- Acquiring strategies for handling crises and relapse.
- Focusing on care for the caregiver: coping with worry, stress, and emotional overload.
- Guidance on locating appropriate supports and services within the community.
- Information on advocacy initiatives designed to improve and expand services.
Homefront
NAMI Homefront is a free, 6-session on-line program for family, friends, caregivers, and loved ones of
military service members and veterans with mental health conditions. The course is designed specifically to help these families understand those challenges and improve their ability to support their service member or veteran.
NAMI Basics
NAMI Basics Parenting Class is a free education program for parents, caregivers and other family who provide care for youth (ages 18 and younger) who are experiencing mental health symptoms. This class helps parents become better advocates for their child by teaching them how to navigate the health care and school system. Learn how AHCCCS works, and the school system’s IEPs and 5OUs. This course includes:
- Guidance of program by parents and family members with lived experience.
- Flexibility of participating in the course on your schedule.
- Connect with other parent and caregivers.
This class can be taken entirely online, or in a “blended” situation for a more personal experience. The blended class will meet once in a classroom for a discussion. Participants will be shown how to start the class online, and then will be able to continue and complete the class on their own.
To take the online version, click below.
To sign up for a blended class, please email info@namiseaz.org
Youth Mental Health First Aid
This 8 hour training gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to adolescents (ages 12 – 18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.
The class covers common signs and symptoms of mental health conditions in this age group, including: Anxiety, depression, dating disorders, ADHA, substance abuse, how to interact with and help an adolescent in crisis.
This course is recommended for teachers, school staff, coaches, camp counselors, youth group leaders, parents, people who work with youth.
“As adults, we sometimes forget how hard it was being an adolescent. When we see a kid who is just miserable at school, we might think they choose to be that way, or that it’s just part of adolescence. But in fact, they might be in a mental health crisis, one they certainly did not choose and do not want. When a teacher says, ‘How can I be helpful?’ that is a powerful question.”
-Alyssa Fruchtenicht, School-based Mental Health Counselor
Adult Mental Health First Aid
This one day (8 hour) class can enroll up to 30 people. It is designed to teach you methods of assisting a person who may be in the beginning stages of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.
The training course covers common sign and symptoms of mental illness and substance abuse. It gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support by instructing how to interact with a person in crisis, and how to connect them to appropriate care.
This course is recommended for employers, police officers, hospital staff, first responders, faith leaders, community members, and caring individuals.
Veterans Mental Health First Aid
This class is similar to the Adult Mental Health First Aid class, but with a specific understanding of the veteran community. It consists of a one day (8 hour) class for up to 30 people. It is designed to teach you methods of assisting a person who may be in the beginning stages of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.
The training course covers common sign and symptoms of mental illness and substance abuse. It gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support by instructing how to interact with a person in crisis, and how to connect them to appropriate care.
This course is recommended for employers, police officers, hospital staff, first responders, faith leaders, community members, and caring individuals.