Support for relatives
Advice for relatives of people with mental health conditions
A mental health condition affects not only the person experiencing it, but also those around them. Relatives often play an important role in providing support and can make a valuable contribution to managing the situation. At the same time, supporting someone with a mental health condition can be challenging and may raise many questions. UPK Basel offers relatives advice, information and opportunities to connect and share experiences.
Please note that, for data protection reasons, we can only provide information about a patient’s treatment if the patient has released the healthcare professionals involved in their care from their duty of confidentiality.
Your needs as a family member are important to us. Our Social Services team is here to listen to your concerns and provide free, confidential advice on any questions you may have. We are bound by professional confidentiality. Where appropriate, we can provide information about available support services and resources, and, if needed, help put you in touch with the right organisation or service.
Telephone advice is available Mondays from 4.00 to 5.00 pm and Tuesdays from 8.00 to 9.00 am via +41 61 325 50 70.
E-Mail: angehoerige@upk.ch (Please note responses can take up to 3 working days).
The Walk-In service provided by Rheinleben Foundation offers family members and carers of people with mental health difficulties an easy-to-access point of contact, without a long waiting time.
You can contact the Rheinleben Foundation with questions or if you need support, even if the person you are supporting is not receiving treatment at UPK Basel.
Our group sessions provide information about mental health conditions and offer an opportunity to connect and exchange experiences with other family members and carers. We also offer a dedicated group for family members and carers of people with a psychotic disorder. For information about participating please contact the treatment team.
Self-help groups bring together people with similar experiences. They are self-organised, volunteer-led and not professionally facilitated. They are based on the principles of voluntary participation, equality and confidentiality.
Connecting with others in similar situations can provide emotional support, offer new perspectives and help people develop their own coping strategies.
You can find a suitable self-help group through the Self-Help Centre, which also offers individual advice and guidance. In many cases, you can attend a group meeting on a no-obligation basis before deciding whether to join.
Contact the Self-Help Centre via:
+41 61 689 90 90, mail@zentrumselbsthilfe.ch
Contact self-group members from the Rheinleben Foundation via:
+41 61 686 92 22, anlaufstelle@rheinleben.ch
The Coordination Group for Relatives regularly organises talks by specialists on mental health conditions and topics relating to the role of family members and other relatives. In addition to UPK Basel, the Coordination Group includes Psychiatrie Baselland, Rheinleben Foundation, the Medical Services of Basel-Stadt, the Office of Health of Basel-Landschaft, Sonnenhalde and VPB.
For upcoming dates and details, please visit our Events page.
Rheinleben Foundation
The Rheinleben Foundation provides support and advice for relatives and children of people experiencing mental health difficulties. It is also a support service for children who have a family member with a mental health condition.
Children's Soul Institute Switzerland
The Children's Soul Institute Switzerland offers an online counselling service specialising in the needs and experiences of children whose parents have mental health conditions. Advice and support are available to professionals, parents and other family members.
Addiction Department of Canton Basel Stadt
The Canton of Basel Stadt offers counselling for relatives of people affected by addiction.
Psychiatric Carers Network
The network provides support and resources for family members, relatives and professionals.