Growing Stronger, Together: Enhancing resiliency within families affected by mental illness and/or addiction.
Debby Sutton Farah ElnashiB.Sc., M.Soc.Sc., PGDipPsych (Com) B.A., PGDip. Counselling
Programme Manager Clinical Team Leader
A presentation for Cutting Edge, Nelson, September 2015
Children Of Parents with Mental Illness/ Addiction (COPMIA)
These children are 40-80% more likely to experience poor mental health.
(Hosman, van Doesum & van Santvoort, 2009)
COPMIA programmes reduce this risk by 40% and enhance treatment outcomes for parents.
(Siegenthaler, Munder, & Egger, 2012; Maybery & Reupert, 2008).
Aims1) Client Satisfaction2) Increased protective factors
A family holiday programme &
Optional after-school groups
Delivery to Date• 8 holiday programmes • 27 families • 51 children & teens
Interventions Provided
FormatPsycho-education groups Family activity day
ContentThe 3 R’s
FoundationPerson-centered
Whānau-centeredStrengths based
How can we strengthen families we work with?
How can we strengthen families through delivering COPMIA programmes?
The 3 Rs:
The 3 Rs:
How can we resource families?
How can we resource families to access our COPMIA programmes?
All images copyright to Asha Munn - Photographer, Artist and Art therapist
The 3 Rs:
How can we support families to develop stronger relationships?
How can we enhance relationships through delivering COPMIA programmes?
Recipe for an awesome family….
5 cups of love, 7 cups of respect, 2 cups of hugs, mix with laughter, bake in the oven for 25 minutes, then eat together!
-11 year old participant
Supporting Parents/ Caregivers Delivering COPMIA Programmes• Focus on strengths. • Develop a delivery framework.
• Link families up with information and resources.
• Enhance access to the programme.
• Support families to have fun. • Be inclusive and flexible.
Helping families to overcome stigma is key to strengthening families