Resources for Parents & Professionals
For more information about Youth Services, please contact Leigh Nelson, Director of Youth Services, at l.nelson@namidupage.org, or by phone at (630) 752-0066.
For Parents
For Educators & Professionals
Mental health conditions often emerge in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood. Here, you’ll find a range of resources designed to support young people, educators, parents, and caregivers. From a free, downloadable coloring and activity book to a teen mental health education presentation and a guide on managing college with a mental health condition, this page offers valuable tools for youth. Parents, caregivers, and educators can also find practical information, like a quick guide on initiating mental health conversations and a sample wellness activity plan for use at home.
Parents & Guardians
Parent Roundtable
Join our supportive Parent Roundtable, designed for parents and caregivers who want to support their youth’s emotional and social well-being. Each month, a parent-youth team will lead engaging discussions on a fresh topic. No need to pre-register—just drop in and be part of the conversation!
Sample topics include:
- Making & keeping friends
- IEP & 504 plans
- School refusal
Day: 4th Thursdays of the month
Where: 117 N County Farm Rd., Wheaton
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Pre-registration not required.
¡Nuevo!
Padres en Conversación y Colaboracion
Para padres y cuidadores cuyos hijos jóvenes pueden estar teniendo dificultades con su bienestar emocional.
Facilitado por un equipo de padres/jóvenes. ¡Un tema diferente cada mes!
Algunos ejempios de temas son:
- Hacer y mantener amistades
- Planes IEP y 504
- Redes sociales
- Problemas completando y/o asistiendo a la escuela
FECHA: Tercer martes del mes
TIEMPO: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
DÓNDE: ZOOM – haga clic aquí
NAMI DuPage is proud to offer a free peer support group for 8th grade to 12th grade teens with mental health issues. Co-led by a NAMI peer leader and a clinician, this is held in person at NAMI DuPage. We hope to provide a safe space for peers to learn about mental health and support and encourage each other in their circumstances.
Participants must be registered and screened, and a parent/guardian and teen orientation is also necessary to review any questions before starting the group. Please click HERE for more information.
NAMI Ending the Silence – Families
Our evidence-based Ending the Silence education programs were created here at the DuPage County, Illinois affiliate to provide mental health educational presentations to students, parents and school staff. Since its inception in 2007, it has since been recognized and adopted by NAMI National, and is now presented by NAMI affiliates across the country. Our family version of this program includes a 1-hour presentation for adults with middle or high school aged youth that includes warning signs, facts and statistics, how to talk with your child, and how to work with school staff.
For more information about our Ending the Silence programs, or to schedule a presentation, visit our Youth Services page.
Educators & Professionals
Our evidence-based Ending the Silence programs were created here at the DuPage County, Illinois affiliate to provide mental health educational presentations to students, parents and school staff. Since its inception in 2007, it has since been recognized and adopted by NAMI National, and is now presented by NAMI affiliates across the country.
Our youth programs are designed to end the stigma surrounding mental health by providing interactive and educational presentations to DuPage County students, professionals, and families. Our department offers several programs available in both in-person and virtual platforms.
To learn more about our programs, please contact Leigh Nelson, Director of Youth Services, at l.nelson@namidupage.org, or Karen Rosenberg, Youth Services Manager at k.rosenberg@namidupage.org.
Ending the Silence Programs:
- Ending the Silence: 50-minute presentation designed for high school students that includes warning signs, facts and statistics, and how to get help for themselves or a friend.
- Ending the Silence 101: 50-minute presentation designed for 7th and 8th grade audiences. The students will learn about warning signs, facts and statistics, and how to get help for themselves or a friend.
- Ending the Silence – School Staff: 1-hour presentation for school staff members that includes information about warning signs, facts and statistics, how to approach students, and how to work with families.
- Ending the Silence – Families: 1-hour presentation for adults with middle or high school-aged youth that includes warning signs, facts, and statistics, how to talk with your child, and how to work with school staff.
NAMI – TraumaInSight Training
A free, self-paced, comprehensive training to enhance trauma awareness for professionals working with youth. This course is for anyone interested in trauma-informed care for children and adolescents.
Teen Workshops
NAMI DuPage is pleased to offer workshops for teens! Participants will walk away with exercises and tools they can practice themselves. Our interactive workshops are tailored for each audience.
- Stress Less
- Social Media Survival Guide
- Nervous Sweats: Social Anxiety
- Relationship Goals
- Understanding Anxiety and Depression
- That’s Not Who I see in the Mirror: Body Dysmorphia
- Navigating Tough Stuff: Supporting Friends with Suicidal Ideations
- Singled Out: Racism and Mental Health
- ETS 200
- Coaches
Want to host a Workshop of your own?
Interested in hosting a workshop for middle or high school students? Please complete the below Workshop Request form, and a member of our team will be in touch!