Programs at NAMI Cape Ann
NAMI Basics Program
NAMI Basics is a six-session educational program that provides a nationally acclaimed curriculum, within a supportive context, for the parents and primary caregivers of children and adolescents living with emotional or behavioral concerns.
Support Groups
Our support groups help people living with mental illness (peers) and their family or friends. People learn from one another’s experiences, share coping strategies, and offer encouragement and understanding.
Please refer to the Calendar tab for the Support Group schedule.
All groups are for adults (18-years-old-plus).
Family & Friends
Second and fourth Tuesdays: 7 – 8:30 p.m.
All groups take place at the NAMI Cape Ann office, Room 2A, Scott Business Center, 43 Gloucester Avenue, Gloucester. Enter the door under the canopy that says “Main Entrance” and follow the arrows to the second floor. There is an elevator.
Note: Support groups for family and friends and peers are also offered on other days of the week in Beverly and Middleton by the NAMI Greater North Shore affiliate. Check their website for details.
NAMI Cape Ann Social Club
Members age 18 and older who are active in recovery from living with mental health challenges meet for friendship, recreation and self-help activities on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 12:00pm-4:00pm. For more information, please leave a voicemail message for Yvonne, the Director, at 978-281-1557, or you can email her at yvers@yahoo.com. Visit the Social Club tab on this website for more information.
Arts and Minds
A program unique to NAMI Cape Ann, it encourages our artistic members to submit their works for inclusion in local shows and sales. We reproduce art work on greeting cards and tiles and market jewelry, knitted goods, and other hand crafted items. Artists receive 80% of the sale price.
Arts and Minds meets the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, 1-3 p.m.
If you are interested, give us a call at 978-281-1557.
NAMI Family-to-Family (F2F)
NAMI Family-to-Family (F2F) is a free, 12-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people living with mental illness. The course typically meets one night a week for 12 weeks.
A new session will be held Saturday mornings, starting February 9.
Note: Participants need to preregister. If you are interested in signing up, please contact us, either by email to namicapeann@verizon.net, by regular mail to NAMI Cape Ann, 43 Gloucester Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930, or by leaving a voicemail message on our office telephone 978-281-1557.
F2F is a designated evidenced-based program. Research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to an individual living with a mental health condition. NAMI Family-to-Family is taught by NAMI-trained family members who have been there, and includes presentations, discussion and interactive exercises. NAMI Family-to-Family not only provides critical information and strategies for taking care of the person you love, but you’ll also find out that you’re not alone. Recovery is a journey, and there is hope. The group setting of NAMI Family-to-Family provides mutual support and shared positive impact—you can experience compassion and reinforcement from people who understand your situation. You can also help others through your own experience. In the program, you’ll learn how to manage crises, solve problems and communicate effectively, taking care of yourself and managing your stress.
NAMI In Our Own Voice (IOOV)
IOOV unmasks mental illness, using speaker stories to illustrate the individual realities of mental illness and helps change attitudes, preconceived notions and stereotypes regarding mental illness as listeners gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with mental illness and stay in recovery. NAMI Cape Ann offers In Our Own Voice at various times through the year.