Navigating Mental Illness: Parents Stories

Welcome to Season 3!!! We created a fun, new logo and 20 episodes recorded!  We feel like we are starting out again, like Jen, out first episode’s mom. Jen has many questions and is learning the difficulties of a parent dealing with these with issues on her own, since her husband shocking suicide in 2018. Losing his dad, one of Jen’s son started down a long road of mental illness, eventually diagnosed with bipolar 1.  Dealing with many challenges over the last couple years has pushed Jen to her limits. For example, with a recent psychotic episode, Jen dropped her son off at the hospital and waited. After waiting in what seemed like forever, she found out her son was admitted and they would not share any information with her. A week passed until she did hear. These are just some of the rollacoaster moments Jen has experienced in a short period of time. But, as Laura and Bill point out, Jen has a resiliency that comes through every word she shares. Discover strategies for supporting your child through mental health struggles, understanding grief from suicide, and fostering resilience. Learn from Jen's journey—a mom facing the complexities of her son's mental illness and the aftermath of her husband's suicide.

Season 3 of Navigating Mental Illness: Parents Stories is on the way!!! Here's just a few of the highlights from the many folks that shared their stories. There are parents dealing with their child's: schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and bipolar diagnosis and some have substance abuse disorders. Some of the parents report have post traumtaic stress disorder after some of the more difficult times with their child.  Laura and I wish you and your family the best of luck in your journey to find peace and joy in your life! If you remember one thing, here it is: you are not alone.

Christa’s daughter excelled as a child. She was ahead in her classes and adjusted well after a move and even made the cheer team.    In 2010, her life took a turn in college when she thought her professor was sending her secret messages. Christa tried to understand what was happening and like many parents, it took time.    Now she is helping to raise her daughter’s two children, getting ready to turn 60 and learning to love her daughter in the best way she can. She also practices self care through counseling and a strong faith in God.   This is a great episode for parents who struggle to learn to set boundaries, taking time for yourself and allowing your child to make decisions. Through Christas journey of 13 years, she can definitely help those of us just starting out.

Lisa Jo Barr had her first manic epsiode as a young adult. Since then she has struggled through drugs, several relationships and jobs, while trying the learn as much as she could about her condition. Fast forward to now, she coaches adults with similiar mental health issues and has published a book on her fascinating journey from struggling to giving back to the community.  This episode is for parents that need a message of hope, when things seem hopeless. Lisa Jo has a website called http://lisajobarr.com Lisa Jo is a coach and her practice is called Hell to Happiness. You are invited for a free 20- minute coaching session. To sign up, click calendly.com/lisajobatt and find an open slot. For Lisa's book, "The Pit of Despair: How God, Prayer and the 12 steps saved my life from addiction" You can venmo or PayPal Lisa Jo (lisajobarr@gmail.com) $23.99 and put your name and address in the comments. She will sign the book and send it anywhere in the USA. 

As several on our show have discovered, their child’s mental health challenges are tied to some form of trauma. Jen’s daughter was molested as a child and it manifested as bouts of depression, suicidal thoughts and cutting.   Jen was never a helicopter parent, she trusted her daughter to share when she needed help. Jen also trusted the mental health professionals to work through her daughter’s issues with her.   This started a journey of connecting her daughter with the right resources that would really help her.    Through this journey, Jen set healthy boundaries and made sure to take care of herself along the way.   This episode is for parents that are working through the challenges of your child’s illness and finding them care that helps all the while acknowledging your needs. 

Mary lives in faraway Hong Kong and her son was well ahead of his milestones. He could say words at 6 months, has an IQ in the 140s and knows more than 5 languages.   Then in his teens, he started to isolate and became more argumentative. Then he decided he didn’t want to go to school (during COVID). He knew something wasn’t right right and started down a long road of trying to diagnose and find the right combination of medications.   After a while of helping her son navigate through issues, Mary noticed she was mentally and physically exhausted. Her doctor prescribed her two hours, every day that she has apart from her family. This two hours allowed Mary to become healthier and actually become more present for her family.   This is a great episode for someone that has started their journey with their Childs mental illness. Also, if you are struggling with self-care you can learn a bunch!

Lori noticed the change in her son when he started to use marijuana regularly. Over time she and her husband disagreed with how to handle things — so she moved out.  This episode is for you if you struggle with setting boundaries and living a life, given many complex and challenging situations!

Claudia has taken many paths to find solutions for her daughter’s bipolar disorder. She tried letting her live at home, admitted her to hospitals, sent her to a program in Utah, and let her attend college. Nothing seemed to work, and she was getting more and more frustrated.   She started understanding her reactions were not helping her daughter, so she sought help for herself. She went to therapy, established boundaries, and encouraged her daughter to make her own decisions. Claudia accepted her daughter’s condition, and this allowed her to find joy in their relationship again.  

Things started out fine for Julia and her son. After remarrying and finding stability with good friends, Julia youngest son was in a stable home. However, once he got to high school, drugs came into the picture and worsen the more times he was treated. Over time, Julia set strong boundaries to protect herself and the rest of her family, including her grandson. If you are a parent that struggles with a bipolar child and the shame of trying to help and being abused by him/her, this episode is for you! Julia has done it all on her own, learning coping skills and healthy ways to take care of herself.

Marie is a gentle soul that has had a tough time with her daughter. As a single mom, she has had to develop the skills to help her daughter and stay healthy herself. This episode is a great way to learn about how the mental health and court system can team with you as a parent. Also, parents can learn how to interact with your child in a way that acknowledges her feelings and supports a more trusting relationship.