Nami Billings

Alyson was hesitant to go to her first Connection support group meeting at NAMI Billings, fearful of admitting she had Bipolar I, among other challenges. However, she found the peer-led group incredibly welcoming and felt safe sharing her story. Soon after, Alyson attended a Peer-to-Peer class while her father participated in a Family-to-Family class. She and her father gained valuable insight into mental health recovery and formed friendships during the eight-week programs. This experience boosted Alyson’s confidence, leading her to engage in advocacy work. In her words, “I finally felt like I really wanted to get involved and advocate, so I took the NAMI Provider course and soon will be presenting to a group of residents at Billings Clinic. This summer, I will also be trained as a facilitator for the Connection support group where my journey with NAMI Billings started.” Inspired by her newfound passion, Alyson is well on her way to giving back to the Billings community by extending hope and encouraging mental health recovery and wellness for others. It is because of people like you that she has this opportunity.