\u201cWe don\u2019t have all the answers, but together as a group we can certainly lend support and encouragement to one another,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Middleton also expects group members can provide each other with guidance on how to navigate the mental health world.<\/p>\n
Caregivers often face responsibilities that seem overwhelming, such as finding proper medical care and medications, she said.<\/p>\n
The Middletons faced those challenges while seeking care for their son who, at 17, was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a combination of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, Middleton said.<\/p>\n
Middleton had been thinking about starting a support group for a while when she heard about someone else in the community who was searching for a group like Beacon of Hope, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI needed that little push,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The group is not formal therapy, but Middleton is open to inviting trained therapists to a meeting, she said.<\/p>\n
The group\u2019s next meeting will be from 6 to 7:15 p.m. June 3 at First United Methodist Church, 2917 Aspen Drive in Room 204.<\/p>\n
For more information, visit Beacon of Hope-Durango<\/a> on Facebook or call Middleton at 759-9944.<\/p>\n