You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health
by MD Ken Duckworth
“Families dealing with mental illness, which means virtually all families, need a guide that conveys hope, wisdom and actionable information” – Thomas Insel, MD & Author of Healing
Pathways has several copies of this truly definitive guidebook by the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), the American advocacy organization that created the Family-to-Family Education Course that Pathways offers. The author, Dr. Ken Duckworth is the Chief Medical Officer at NAMI, and grew up with a loving father who had severe bipolar disorder.
This is a suitably thorough 400+ page book covering many relevant topics of mental health issues and services, and while it’s centered on the American system, it’s easy to draw parallels between the chaotic mental health systems in the USA and Canada. The book demonstrates that while much change and improvement to the mental health systems is still needed, national organizations like NAMI and CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) and local organizations like Pathways work tirelessly to connect people to the right resources.
Some of the topics covered are: diagnosis, finding help, addictions, trauma, youth, family relationships, suicide, law, culture, stability, advocacy, research and it includes a Q&A section. The many brief case stories prove valuable in this type of book. The book states that someone from a disadvantaged background will be more likely to have mental health problems, yet have a harder time accessing support. Trying to recognize a mental illness in a family member is the first challenge. The book helps to clarify when professional help is advised.
While mental illness and addictions often occur together, they’re usually treated in a mutually exclusive manner even though it’s obvious someone must be treated for both simultaneously.
There are multiple copies on hand, and I believe that anyone faced with mental health concerns will find insight and comfort when reading this book.
Pathways offers the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Course four times a year.
Review submitted by Phillip Wright, Pathways Volunteer
May 2025
Pathway’s Library
There are over 100 books and articles in the Pathways office library for you to explore. Come by during office hours or contact us to see what other arrangements we can make to get the book to you. Are you interested in organizing our library resources or starting a Book Club? Contact us at programs@pathwayssmi.org
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