Resources

Parenting a child with mental illness can feel overwhelming, lonely, and impossible. There are many resources out there that can help you if you’re in that place. Here are a few I’ve found to be helpful.

NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness
These folks are amazing and have educational resources, support groups, and events to help anyone struggling with mental illness or anyone in their family/support system.

Care for Caregivers
Allison offers care packages for caregivers, and if you are a parent of a child with mental illness, you are a caregiver. The way she sees us, acknowledges the struggle, and offers comfort are a virtual hug that I didn’t know I needed.

Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved
Ever been told a worn-out platitude that was far from helpful? So was Kate Bowler, who was diagnosed with cancer at 47 and told she had 6 months. She shares her journey, along with insights on how to cope and lean into the humanity of life, in this amazing memoir.

Someone Other Than A Mother
When I wanted to share feelings that were less-than-Instagram-worthy about being a mom, I didn’t know where to turn. Erin puts voice to so many of my own inner thoughts: how my offspring doesn’t change my identity, and how a “mother’s love” isn’t necessarily the deepest love the world has ever known. This is a fantastic exploration into how we can flip the scripts on female identity.

The Bipolar Child
Over and over while reading The Bipolar Child, I was shocked at how closely the pages described my own experience. This is a comprehensive resource for parents who suspect their child may have bipolar disorder (as they rarely are diagnosed before teen years). It includes how to request an IEP evaluation and how to handle meetings, how to cope with strained family dynamics, therapies that may be helpful, and different medications that are used (and what side effects they may have).