“I was recently talking with another mom who has a child with mental health issues. While talking she used the term “emotionally held hostage.” Those three words struck a cord with me because so often in the special needs, disability, and mental health worlds it can feel like we are being held hostage. By our children, spouses, parents, and even ourselves through our own illnesses.”
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Advocacy
Feeling like a fraud
“And so I sit here, trying to understand that because my life is not filled with trauma causing events, and has really calmed down in a lot of ways, that it makes me feel like a fraud. As mental health is my chosen field to study and eventually work in… This makes me want to dig into this further.”
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Fear About Being Admitted to a Psych Unit
“Mental health is a scary issue for many people. There is so much stigma attached to many of the diagnoses. Adults frequently are afraid that they will lose their jobs if anyone finds out. This leads to not getting help, and not being able to talk to anyone about their mental health isolating them from the world. Which in turn, can lead to more mental health issues like depression and anxiety. ”
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COVID Is Changing The World For Families Like Mine In A Good Way
“. . .there is one bright spot in this COVID world that should have all of us with special needs family members rejoicing.”
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Dear Health Professionals
“As a parent with a special needs child, we are expected to have a medical degree, multiple therapy degrees, education degrees, degrees in nutrition, psychology and more. (I’ll be able to claim the psychology degree in a few months.) At least it seems that way when we take our child with Autism to the doctor or consult one.”
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What if This is the Best He Can Do
“What if this is the best he can do?”
This question haunts me. Read more. . .
George Floyd, Riots, and a Door Opening
“I can’t pretend to know what the answers for moving forward are. But a door has opened wide for all of us. It is time for us to take a good hard look at ourselves and take a step through that door. A door to a place where we truly live the words that we have been taught. The teachings that God loves everyone. That there is no difference in his love for anyone based on their skin color or anything else. He just loves us all because we are his children, and treats us all equally. And so should we.”
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Pictures Hold A Thousand Memories
“I thought I looked fat and ugly from pregnancy and I couldn’t stand looking at the picture. It made me cringe. It was hidden in the depths of a photo album never given a place of honor. Just stuffed in there with random loose photos.”
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I Can’t Tell What You’re Saying
“Last week I was in Walmart with my son. As we waited in line to check out I was noticing the amount of people wearing facial masks and thinking, ”I really miss seeing people’s smiles, I can’t tell if how they are feeling with their face under a mask.”
And then it hit me.
This is how my son has viewed the world.”
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Your Experience is Different Than Mine
Wether your world is the special needs world or not, everyone’s experiences are valid. This is where they are coming from. It’s where you are coming from. If we listen we can find common ground to stand together on the important things and stop fighting. Because who has the strength and energy to fight?
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