The Education Course for Teens with Mental Illness 

Great Minds Think Alike is designed to provide youth with the skills necessary to take a leadership role in their own recovery and to aid others who suffer from the symptoms of mental illness.

Through GMTA, youth begin to understand their symptoms; positive and appropriate interventions for their symptoms; and through the interventions, a reduction in the stigma they face.  GMTA includes the following topics:

• Understanding Your Illness
• Understanding Your Symptoms
• Coping with Symptoms and Side Effects
• Understanding Your Medication and the Importance of Therapy
• Managing Crisis and Emergency Situations
• Nutrition and a Healthy Lifestyle
• Helping to Prevent Relapse
• Communications
• and other much needed skills and topics

GMTA helps youth learn to cope with their diagnosis and find success in their daily lives.  It provides easy to understand workbooks to learn from and refer to; opportunities to build relationships with other youth who have similar symptoms; and, despite the barriers, an approach to leading healthy and productive lives.

 Originally called the COOL Program, the curriculum was adapted for youth, using the Neuro Treatment Teams Partner program as a foundation.  After compiling the information and piloting the program. CFC has partnered with NAMI Texas to further the program with updates and additional skill training.

See what parents are saying about this program:

Parent 1: J

“I thought it was nice for the kids to have somewhere to go.  I wish the course could have been on-going covering different topics. She tends to carry the books around with her. There aren’t any changes that I would make to the program.  The course did give my child a  sense of belonging to a group.”

Parent 2: B

“We loved the program.  It helped G*** to make the decision to go back to school again.  The materials were excellent.  I wish the program could have lasted longer – we would definitely be willing to continue the program.  We just really, really loved it.”

Parent 3: M

“The kids really enjoyed the program.  D**** (schizophrenic) is now very willing to take her medicine and seems to understand why she needs it.  The kids love the booklets.  I had no problem with either the length of the sessions or the program.  It was great.

Parent 4: M

“From day one she really enjoyed it.  Lots of good stuff was covered in the materials.  The 2-hour time-frame was just fine - you can’t cover enough in just 1 hour.  C*** seems to know that she has rights now and she talks about the program all the time.

For me, it opened my eyes to a lot of things.  From the things that she has said, she learned a lot.  This program will go a long ways in helping her with her life.”

Parent 5: S

“Loved the program – it was fabulous.  Really liked the direction you guys moved in.  S**** seems much more aware and accepting of his mental illness.  He also understands that he needs to take his medication.  Loved the materials – they were great.  The program was the right length of time.  I think it would be good to follow-up with the kids at varying intervals.”