HelpFamily Match Program
Do you have a family member with mental health issues? Do you feel alone and overwhelmed? We can help.
Taking care of someone with a mental health issue can be isolating and overwhelming. We connect you with free, one-on-one support from one family member to another, by telephone. Our three-month program matches you with someone whose family member has a similar relationship and diagnosis. Our mentors have “been there,” where you are, and are ready to provide emotional support.
Over the course of 3 months, our Mentor will call you to:
- Provide emotional support.
- Listen to your story.
- Share experiences.
- Share ideas for taking care of yourself.
- Share ideas for advocating for your loved one across the mental health systems.
To get started, fill out the form below.
97% of participants are satisfied with their match experience, 86% are very satisfied.
“My mentor is awesome. When I needed the strength to get through the next 5 minutes, she would listen and say, ‘Yes, that sucks.’ She didn’t try to solve, or to minimize. She listened, and she talked about similar experiences, and how she got through them. There was nothing I could say that she hadn’t seen, done, or been through before…there was a lot of comfort in that.” — Karen, parent
Become A Mentor
Are you a parent, sibling, partner, or adult child of someone with a mental illness? Use your valuable lived experience to support another family member.
A Family Match Mentor provides one-to-one support over the phone for 3 months. You are paired with someone in the same relationship, loving someone with similar symptoms or diagnoses.
Through your good instincts and training in active listening, you’ll help other family members:
- Feel less alone and more hopeful
- Understand resources at NAMI-NYC and beyond
- Consider realistic expectations and relationships with their loved one
- Prioritize their own health and needs
This role is for family members of someone living with a mental health condition ONLY.
What qualities do successful mentors have? They…
- Value support and educating themselves
- Enjoy connecting with a variety of people
- Can balance sharing with privacy
- Are solid communicators and organizers
- As a bonus, speak Spanish fluently
With your experience of loving and being supported, you can provide empathy in the most meaningful way – because you’ve been there.
If this role sounds like a fit, please submit this application.