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must be honest with yourself before you can be honest Parents
with others. It may feel selfish to talk about yourself ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS:
and what you are going through, but it is necessary It’s important to have resources, information,
to ensure your mental health is intact. Find a friend, and examples to follow in order to get a good
group of friends, family, etc. you feel comfortable being start with communicating with loved ones Raising
vulnerable with and disclose how you are feeling. You about mental health. Please view the following
never know what could happen and who else around and you are welcome to use these examples as
you could be experiencing the same or similar feelings. Children
conversation starters when you feel someone is
struggling with their mental wellness.
Social media can also be used to start the conversation “Are you okay?” or “How have you been feel-
on mental health. It allows for people to spread infor- ing lately?” - Ask this question but be aware of
mation about mental health in a mass form, so people their body language and response. Probe with with Mental
do not feel alone and know there are others out there additional questions with the body language and
dealing with the same situations. Social media makes response do not match.
mental health more digestible and realistic for its users Illness
by creating memes, videos, and gifs about everyday “You haven’t seemed like yourself recently.”
situations that are also connected to mental health - This statement helps the person on the re-
and relatable. Social media also makes people more ceiving end know that someone has noticed a
comfortable discussing their issues because they are change in their behavior and can prompt further BY NAOMI BURKS what is triggering your child’s behavior often comes
into focus.
behind a screen and able to type how they feel without conversation on what’s going on.
revealing the face behind the feeling. It allows them to As a parent first and a mental health professional Sometimes, parents and their children can become
be vulnerable on their own terms and see the reactions “When you hear therapist or therapy/coun- second, my goals while working with teens and
from friends and possibly strangers. Social media helps seling, what comes to your mind?” - A lot of their families are to open the lines of communica- unstuck by looking at a situation with a new set of
to make mental health more convenient as well be- people assume the worst when they hear the tion, promote understanding, and to plant HOPE eyes which is usually followed by acting or thinking
about things differently. And here’s the really good
cause it is always accessible. words therapy, counseling, or therapist. Help to back in their lives. I’ve heard time and time again news--when a parent responds in different ways
alleviate this stigma by providing information on from teens that “My parents just don’t understand there is no choice for the child but to act differently
Everyone plays a part in starting the conversation what each word means and its purpose. me, they don’t hear me, and they don’t love me.”
on mental health. It is not solely the responsibility of The mother in me knows this is not true and wants too.
therapists, primary care physicians, or other mental “How comfortable do you feel opening up to to fix this feeling of rejection within the teen imme- Promoting understanding is the second key com-
health professionals to get the conversation started people when you’re in need?” or “Do you know diately, but this is not how therapy works. ponent to raising children who are experiencing
and get people informed. Let’s start asking friends and how to recognize when you need help” - This will This article is for parents that are raising children mental health symptoms. It’s all too easy for par-
family how they’re feeling and probing for an honest create a conversation on insight for everyone in who are experiencing mental health symptoms, as
response. Let’s start validating people’s feelings when the conversation. in depressive symptoms, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ents to only have tunnel vision when it comes to
they are honest and giving them a safe space. Listening PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), anger man- their children. “What I say is law”, “You must do
what I say because I am the parent.” It’s easy to ap-
and being a genuine person is free! agement issues, or drug misuse just to name a few. proach your children with tunnel vision. You know
The one piece of advice I would like for parents to what you want and that’s all you see. Unfortunate-
remember is to be “Gentle” with yourself as you ly, tunnel vision will make you completely unaware
are raising your children. There is no such thing as of the needs of your child.
a perfect parent and while our children are expe-
Danielle Jones is a Georgia Licensed Professional Counselor with over riencing social, emotional stress in their lives at
4 years of experience providing mental health services to people rang- school, sport clubs, at church, and in the communi- Approaching the situation differently can be done
ing in ages from 4 years old to late adulthood. Danielle has therapeutic ty parents are the ones that take the hits at home. by being curious and gaining an understanding
experience within Juvenile Justice centers, psychiatric hospitals, and from your child’s perspective. Their mental health
school settings. Her passion lies with providing mental health services Opening the lines of communication is the first diagnosis might not resonate with you, simply
to teens and young adults because she feels this population needs the key component to raising children that have men- because you are not aware of their symptoms. Re-
most assistance with making effective transitions and learning to man- tal health symptoms. Children need to be heard searching the diagnosis and symptoms are a huge
age their mental health during the transitions. by their parents. Not talked to, not talked at, but help in understanding your child. Reassuring your
talked with. Communication is most effective when children that you see them and not their diagnosis.
To Contact Danielle please reach her at the following platforms: both parties are heard with a listening ear, an open Asking questions of your child’s therapist is “Okay”
Email: findyourlovellc@gmail.com heart, and looking at the situation from a different and allowed to assist you in understanding how
Business Phone: 404.855.1041 perspective. An approach often used by therapists to assist your child at home. Attending a parents’
IG: @teawithdanielle is to view a situation or behavior differently from support group and gaining a support system is
what you have been doing, a technique known as crucial to understanding that you are not in this
alone. Read books or articles about your child’s
reframing. In this “shift” of perspective, insight into current situation. Think back on your own child and

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