Are you able to take a family member with you to a therapy or psychiatric session? Are you able to set up a meeting with a peer counsellor?

My support group encourages newbies to bring along a family member or support person to a meeting(s) early on. I think family members and friends are scared by mental illness or uncomfortable enough they are not sure how to react. Of course, much of this will stem from a lack of understanding and tendancy to think the worse. Hence the need to educate them by encouraging them to going along to a meeting or session.