She and her family became involved with the world of the mentally ill in 1992, when a diagnosis of Bipolar was given to her son. She and her husband, Paul, a physician in Family Practice, were then introduced to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness.) . One education program that NAMI offers is entitled Family to Family (FTF). FTF is a 12 week course that gives families basic education about what mental illness is, how to empathize with a relative who deals with it, how best to communicate and take care of themselves. In 1996, Dona and Paul became the first Orange County teachers of this program. Dona also served, for three years, as the Executive Director of NAMI Orange County. This workshop will share valuable experiences that she and her family have learned through these many years of involvement that has allowed them to live as a whole family