November is National Family Caregivers Month, making it the perfect time to celebrate caregivers as we enter the holiday season.
Over 53 million Americans are unpaid caregivers to family and friends, with a third caring for a loved one with mental illness. Caregiving can take a significant toll on the caregiver, especially increasing the likelihood of experiencing high emotional stress.
Ramona Winner is the family advocate at the Mental Wellness Center. She serves as the first stop on the journey of connecting with community resources that can help caregivers and families cope with their loved one’s mental health challenges.
She can help families develop a plan for the holidays and manage expectations.
Knowing what resources are available can be difficult. Ramona knows how to help because she’s been through the process.
“Sixteen years ago, my oldest son was diagnosed with a severe mental illness,” she says. “His illness threw our family into chaos. We were lost. The Mental Wellness Center and NAMI Santa Barbara County were lifesavers for our family.”
A family advocate at the Mental Wellness Center helped her navigate the mental health system, which is why she later jumped at the chance to help other families.
“I had learned so much from my personal experience advocating for my son,” Ramona says. “This work was a great way to pay forward all that was given to me and my family when we were in need.”
As a family advocate, Ramona has helped hundreds of parents, siblings, spouses, caregivers, and others learn to navigate the resources available for their loved ones with a mental health diagnosis and for themselves.
The Mental Wellness Center partners with the local chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
NAMI offers weekly family support groups and peer to peer classes facilitated by Ramona. They are available in both Spanish and English, and are currently meeting virtually.
When you work with Ramona, she will focus on putting you in touch with local resources such as therapists or psychiatrists. She can help you figure out how your health insurance works or, if you’re uninsured, how you can get care through integrated health clinics or the Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness.
Additionally, if you have loved ones who are homeless or in jail, she can connect you to resources to find them.
“Holidays mean family members are trying to locate loved ones to connect,” Ramona comments.
She can also help you sort out any feelings of guilt or resentment you may feel about celebrating while a family member is ill. It starts with minimizing drama and finding peace in little things.
“I tell people that it is OK to feel joy,” Ramona says. “We cannot control someone’s illness. You can take comfort in knowing there are many people experiencing the same problems.”
“I just want everyone to know that they are not alone,” she says. “What they are experiencing is not unique to them. They can find direction and healing in sharing with others.”
Education can help family members feel less alone and scared. Ramona also advocates for caregivers to practice self-care, and exercise boundaries that allow them to prioritize their own mental wellness.
Family advocate services from the Mental Wellness Center are free, so you can find the help you need.
For more information or to contact Mental Wellness Center Family Advocate Ramona Winner, please call 805-884-8440 ext. 3206.
For information on NAMI Santa Barbara County, please visit: namisantabarbara.org.
For information on the Mental Wellness Center, please visit: mentalwellnesscenter.org.