-
Beyond the Baby Blues: Understanding the Impact of Codependency in Maternal Mental Health
Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night wondering if you're doing enough as a mother, even after giving everything you had that day? Do you constantly second-guess your parenting decisions, compare yourself to other moms, or feel like you're falling short, no matter how hard you...
-
Generations of Motherhood: How Mental Health Changes Over Time
One in five mothers is affected by a mental health condition, and 75% of women impacted by maternal mental health conditions remain untreated, increasing the risk of long-term negative impacts on mothers, babies, and families. 1 The effects aren’t just heartbreaking; they’re far-reaching. When...
-
The Super Mom Myth: Why Resilience Alone Is Not Enough
The baby’s cry pierces the morning silence. The coffee's gone cold. It’s 6:30 in the morning. Lilly stands in her kitchen, making breakfast. One hand is stirring her oatmeal, while her other hand scrolls through the work messages she has to deal with. A cartoon is playing in the background to...
-
Voice and Identity: Daughters and Sons of Parents with Psychiatric Experiences
Parenting with a mental health condition is common, yet widely unsupported. The following statistics may surprise you: according to Joanne Nicholson of Brandeis and Kate Beibel at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, 68% of women and 57% of men with diagnosed psychiatric disorders are...
-
Addressing Maternal Mental Health Through Connection and Care
The Transition Into Motherhood Becoming a mother is a profound transition—one that reshapes how a person sees themselves, their priorities, and their relationships. It’s a shift that can feel expansive and deeply meaningful, but also disorienting. With so much focus on the baby, it’s easy...
-
Parenting with Mental Illness: Breaking the Silence and Navigating the Challenges
Mental illness affects millions of individuals worldwide, with an estimated 20% of adults in the United States experiencing a mental health disorder each year (NIMH, 2022). Among them, many are parents tasked with the responsibility of raising children while managing their own mental health. While...
-
Embracing Healing: The Transformative Power of Trauma-Informed Care for Families
In recent years, the field of child welfare has witnessed a significant shift towards trauma-informed care (TIC), recognizing the profound impact of adverse experiences on children and families. This approach is revolutionizing how we support families in healing and thriving after facing adversity....
-
How to Talk to Your Child About Starting Therapy: A Guide for Parents
Parents consider starting therapy for a number of different reasons. You might be looking into options to help your child or adolescent manage mood challenges like anxiety or depression. Maybe you’re interested in learning new parenting skills to address behavioral challenges and learn how you...
-
Suicide in Adolescents: Warning Signs, Risk Factors, and What Parents Can Do to Support Their Teens
Suicidality can affect all age groups, including during the adolescent years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2023). The CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (2023) reported data concerning U.S. high school students’...
-
Helping Families Cope with Serious Mental Illness: Maternal vs Social Work Instincts
I am a Social Worker. I am also a mom of an adult child with SMI, specifically bi-polar disorder. My child is 23 and I pray that she welcomes God into her life. That’s the mom in me talking. As a social worker, I want her to get a job, find a great partner who will love her, and become as...
