Presentation by Suzanne Aubry, Claudia Saggese, and Debbie Brasher at the UCSF Depression Center's "Depression: Pathways to Resilience and Recovery" event on September 13, 2014.

1. Depression: Pathways to Resilience and
Recovery UCSF Cole Hall Auditorium
September13, 2014
SUPPORTING YOUR LOVED ONE AND YOUR SELF
SUZANNE AUBRY, DIRECTOR OF FAMILY SERVICES AND SUPPORT
SAN MATEO COUNTY BHRS, OFFICE OF CONSUMER AND FAMILY AFFAIRS
CLAUDIA SAGGESE, FAMILY LIAISON
SAN MATEO COUNTY BHRS, OFFICE OF CONSUMER AND FAMILY AFFAIRS
DEBBIE BRASHER, INSPIRED AT WORK

2. INTRODUCTIONS
Suzanne Aubry, Dir. Family Services
and Support
Claudia Saggese, Family Liaison, San
Mateo County BHRS
Debbie Brasher, Inspired at Work

3. SUPPORTING YOUR LOVED ONE’S TREATMENT
 Importance of Family Support
 “Strengthen opportunity for recovery by including
Family Members as allies in recovery process”
(San Mateo County BHRS Policy 14.02)
 Education-It takes time to learn how to give
loving support, without being overbearing.
 Find support for yourself.

4. CONFIDENTIALITY
 Child/Youth Services- Parents/Guardians are the decision
makers.
 18 or older adults are the decision makers. Release of
information is needed.
 Information a family member might need to know from the
provider.
 NAMI – FAMILY TO FAMILY CURRICULUM

5. GIVING INFORMATION TO THE PROVIDER
Call provider and leave message.
Written information or use AB1424 (Information Provide by
Family Member or Other Concerned Party form)
Families can give confidential information – must be specific.
Types of information a family might give to the provider.

6. PREDICTABLE STAGES OF EMOTIONAL
REACTIONS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS
 DEALING WITH THE CATASTROPHIC
EVENT
 LEARNING TO COPE
 MOVING INTO ADVOCACY
 NAMI – FAMILY TO FAMILY CURRICULUM

7. PREDICTABLE STAGES OF EMOTIONAL
REACTIONS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS
 None of these states are “wrong” or “bad”.
 The process is also cyclical.
 Different family members are often at
different places in the cycle and this is why
we have difficulty communicating with each
other and agreeing on what to do.
 NAMI – FAMILY TO FAMILY CURRICULUM

8. WHY DO WE NEED TO WORK ON
COMMUNICATION SKILLS?
 Many times we don’t know what to say.
We tend to draw back from open
communications fearing that our relative
"can't handle” a direct approach.
 Talking about issues has been demonstrated
to be much better than avoiding them.
 What people in distress need most is a
receptive, empathetic ear.

9. I-STATEMENTS
 Speak about your feelings
We express feelings that may make our
relative uncomfortable.
 Express what I think, or what feel or what I
want. I take complete responsibility for my
feelings and opinion. I say what I mean, AND
THAT’S ALL I DO. I don’t explain: I don’t go
on about it.

10. WHEN DO WE USE I-STATEMENTS
 To express negative feelings
 To make a request
 To give positive feedback

11. REFLECTIVE RESPONSES
 You reflect your relative’s feelings.
We allow our relative to state feelings that
make us uncomfortable.
 You are not “agreeing” with your relative. You
are taking the time to acknowledge the reality
of his or her experience, instead of jumping
right in to disconfirm.

12. BASIC STEPS FOR MAKING REFLECTIVE
RESPONSES
 Acknowledge the reality of your relative’s “lived
experience” – that is, their reality.
 Don’t listen to the words, listen to the feelings.
 Communicate that you understand what s/he
believes and how s/he feels.
 Do not attempt to correct.

13. BASIC COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES
 Use short, clear direct sentences.
 Keep the content of the communication simple.
Be as concrete as possible.
 Keep the “stimulation level” as low as possible.
 Back off for a while if your relative appears
withdrawn and uncommunicative.
 Assume that a good deal of everything you say
will fall through the cracks. Be patient.
 Be pleasant and firm.

14. ALL ABOUT WRAP
 Developed by Mary
Ellen Copeland
 Simple and powerful
self-help tool
 Evidence-based
practice
 Personal – unique to
each person

15. BOOKS BY MARY ELLEN COPELAND
 Family WRAP
 A WRAP Workbook for Kids
 Youth WRAP
 WRAP for Addictions
 WRAP for People with Developmental Distinctions
 WRAP for Veterans
 WRAP for Healing from the Effects of Trauma
 Recovery from Depression: A Workbook for Teens
 Living with Depression and Manic Depression
 WRAP for Life
AND THERE’S MORE!

16. ALL ABOUT WRAP
 Can be done
individually, online or in
groups
 Groups are usually 8
weeks, 1.5 hours per
session

17. THE FIVE KEY CONCEPTS OF WRAP
Hope
Self-Advocacy
Education
Personal Responsibility
Support

18. WHAT’S IN A WRAP
 Wellness Toolbox
 What am I like when I’m well?
 What are all the things that I do to be and stay well?
 Daily Maintenance Plan
 Triggers and Action Plan
 Early Warning Signs and Action Plan
 When Things are Breaking Down and Action
Plan
 Crisis Plan
 Post-Crisis Plan

19. RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND PROVIDERS
 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
 namisanmateo.org 650-638-0800
 namimarin.org 415-444-0480
 Nami-alamedacounty.org 510-334-7721
 namisf.org 415-905-NAMI (6264)
 Family Education and Resource Center-askferc.
org (WRAP
http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/
 WRAP http://copelandcenter.com/
 BHRS Office of Consumer and Family Affairs
San Mateo www.smchealth.org/bhrs/ocfa (AB 1424
form is on the webpage)

20. CONTACT INFORMATION
 Suzanne Aubry – Director of Family Services
and Support (650) 573-2673 saubry@smcgov.org
 Claudia Saggese – Family Liaison
(650) 573-2189 csaggese@smcgov.org
 Debbie Brasher – Inspired at Work
(650)787-5663 debra@inspiredatwork.net