Shows
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP24 Navigating the Storm: A Mother's Journey Through Her Daughter's Bipolar DisorderIn this powerful episode of 'Navigating Mental Illness: Parent Stories,' hosts Bill Nowicki and Laura Nowicki welcome Kim, a resilient mother who shares her emotional and challenging journey navigating her daughter's bipolar disorder. Kim recounts her struggles from initial denial to becoming a fierce advocate for her daughter's health, detailing episodes of crisis, multiple hospitalizations, and exploring alternative treatments. As she discusses setting firm boundaries and the importance of self-care, listeners will gain invaluable insights into the complexities of mental health within a family dynamic. Join us for an inspiring conversation about love, resilience, and the ongoing fight...
2025-06-2549 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP23, Navigating Parenthood and Mental Health: Sarah Boes's JourneyIn this episode of Navigating Mental Illness: Parents Stories, the hosts interview Sarah Boes, who shares her compelling journey from rural Kentucky to becoming a nurse practitioner and a mother. Sarah details her daughter's diagnosis with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect, and discusses the emotional highs and lows from selling her business to managing her daughter's multiple surgeries. She opens up about her personal mental health challenges, ultimately leading to her diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Sarah stresses the importance of being a strong advocate for one's child and highlights the crucial role of collaboration w...
2025-05-2338 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP22, Finding Calm in the Eye of the Hurricane: Mary's Story of Resilience and Hope Mary, a mother of four, shares her family's journey with her son's mental health challenges. Her son, who was adopted at birth, began exhibiting symptoms of bipolar disorder at a young age. Mary and her husband have navigated numerous challenges, including meltdowns, rages, and hospitalizations, while trying to provide a stable and loving environment for their son and other children. Highlights: Early Signs: Mary noticed her son's unusual behavior at 18 months old, which progressed to intense meltdowns and rages as he got older. Diagnosis and Treatment: After trying various therapies and medications, Mary's son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He...
2025-04-2246 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP21 From Fixing to Feeling: A Psychotherapist's Guide to Empowering Parents in Mental HealthIn this episode, Bill interviews therapist Amber about the challenges parents face when their child is struggling with mental illness. Amber discusses the importance of parents focusing on processing their own emotions and reactions, rather than solely trying to fix the child's problems. She notes how children can resent parents for not giving them space to work through challenges, and how siblings often take on roles to minimize stress on the family. Amber also distinguishes between supporting versus enabling a child, and highlights how vulnerability and acknowledging one's own challenges in parenting can strengthen the parent-child relationship. Throughout the...
2024-09-2552 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP20 When A Mother's Love Meets Bipolar, Teri's storyIn today's episode, Terry shares a deeply personal and emotional journey of navigating her son's mental illnesses, including anxiety and bipolar disorder. Join us as she recounts the challenges of seeking help, the impact on family relationships, her learnings, and the small victories that have facilitated a better understanding and approach towards mental illness. This heartfelt discussion provides invaluable insights for those walking a similar path or those who want to understand more about supporting loved ones with mental health issues. **Key Topics Covered:** - Early Signs and Struggles (00:00:00) - Seeking Help and...
2024-09-1358 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP19 A Mother's Unwavering Journey: Navigating the Challenges of Mental Illness with Resilience and Hope, Celeste's storyIn this heart-wrenching yet inspiring episode of "Navigating Mental Illness: Parents Stories," Bill sits down with Celeste, a mother from Bill's home state of New Jersey, who shares her journey navigating the complexities of her daughter's multiple mental health conditions, including OCD, severe anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD. Celeste opens up about her daughter's early childhood, the struggles they faced following a severe family incident, and the subsequent years of seeking proper treatment and care. From the initial diagnosis to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant mental breakdown following a family tragedy, Celeste provides invaluable i...
2024-09-0639 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP18 Staying out of the tornado, Courtney's storyThis episode of "Navigating Mental Illness: Parents Stories" features Courtney, a mother who has been supporting her son through his mental health and substance abuse struggles. Courtney shares the journey of her son's development, the initial signs of trouble, his refusal to accept help, and the spiral into drug use and psychosis. Courtney candidly discusses the emotional toll this has taken on her, including PTSD, panic attacks, and the feeling of helplessness. She describes her approach to self-care, such as therapy, meditation, and limiting her involvement in the community to focus on her own well-being. T...
2024-08-3036 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP17 From the Edge to Empowerment: A Mother's Journey Navigating Asperger's and Bipolar DisorderIn this eye-opening episode of "Navigating Mental Illness: Parents Stories," we hear from Lila, a mother who shares her deeply personal journey with her son's mental health challenges. Diagnosed early with Asperger's syndrome and later with bipolar disorder, Lila's son faced social and academic struggles despite his intellectual brilliance. Lila talks about the turning point when her son found solace and a sense of community in music and theater, but also the harrowing suicide attempt that changed their lives forever. By exploring a broken mental healthcare system, utilizing a therapeutic consultant, and enduring countless emotional and logistical challenges, Lila's...
2024-08-2351 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP16 Surviving the Roller Coaster of Mental Illness: A Parent's Harrowing JourneyIn this deeply moving episode of the "Navigating Mental Illness: Parents Stories" podcast, we sit down one mom (she chooses anonymity) as she shares the tumultuous experience of dealing with their son's severe mental illness. From terrifying moments of psychosis and emergency room visits to the challenges of balancing professional life and personal anguish, her story is a raw and honest portrayal of a parent's resilience and the complexities of mental health care. She also emphasizes the importance of community, self-care, and the shortcomings of the current mental health support systems. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating...
2024-08-161h 12
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP15 From Chaos to Calm: A Mother and Son's Journey Through Mental IllnessIn this poignant episode of "Navigating Mental Illness: Parent Stories," we dive into the compelling journey of a family as they navigate the complexities of living with bipolar disorder. Joined by Renee and her son Jacob, listeners are taken through the challenges from Jacob's hyperactive childhood to the dark days of his young adulthood, marked by extreme emotional highs and lows. Renee talks about the early struggles of ensuring Jacob's safety due to his severe sleep issues and hyperactivity, sharing intimate insights into their life-saving routines and the relentless pursuit of a stable diagnosis. Jacob opens up...
2024-08-0950 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP14 From Denial to Acceptance: Erica's Journey Through Her Son's Bipolar DisorderIn this insightful episode, we sit down with Erica, a devoted mother who shares her journey navigating her son's bipolar disorder. From recognizing the initial symptoms to dealing with multiple hospitalizations, Erica provides a candid look into the challenges and coping strategies she has discovered along the way. She discusses the impact of medications, the importance of mental health support, and the emotional toll it takes on a family. This episode is a poignant reminder that while the road is tough, support and understanding can make a significant difference. **Key Topics Discussed:** - E...
2024-08-0253 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP13 Navigating everything without help from the system, Sue's story In this powerful episode, we hear the story of Sue, a mother whose son has struggled with mental illness for over a decade. Sue shares the harrowing details of her son's journey, from a seemingly happy and successful teenager to someone battling bipolar and schizoaffective disorders. The podcast covers the family's encounters with the mental health system, including hospitalizations, medication challenges, and interactions with the legal system. Sue's story highlights the immense challenges faced by those navigating the complex and often unforgiving landscape of mental healthcare. Through her raw and emotional testimony, Sue emphasizes the need for better support...
2024-07-2658 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP12 Managing Mental Illness in the Family: Rita's Heartbreaking StoryKeywords: Mental illness Schizophrenia Hospitalization Caregiver stress Suicide prevention Healthcare system challenges Parental advocacy Episode Summary: In this powerful episode, we hear the deeply personal story of Rita, a mother whose 27-year-old daughter has been battling mental illness since the age of 17. Rita shares the harrowing journey of her daughter's diagnosis of schizophrenia, her numerous hospitalizations, and the immense challenges the family has faced navigating the healthcare system. Rita candidly discusses the guilt, loss, and worry that have consumed...
2024-07-1931 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP11 Keeping the faith, Mary's storyMary describes feeling like she lives in a lighthouse, constantly needing to keep the light shining to prevent her daughter from hitting the rocks. This is a powerful analogy for the struggle of parenting a child dealing with addiction. The importance of maintaining faith, praying constantly, and trusting one's instincts as a parent is emphasized. Mary shares how she felt God intervened to prevent her from going to church on a day when her daughter nearly overdosed. Self-care is stressed as crucial, like putting on your own oxygen mask first on an airplane before helping...
2024-07-0640 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP10 Trying to find a path back to a healthy life, Tina's storyTina always loved running. She has done half and full marathons, but with her daughter's mental illness, she is exhausted and has no energy to start running again. As a child, her daughter scratched a derogatory statement in the kitchen countertop and blamed it on her brother. Fast forward, she has two children out of wedlock, couch surf, has had restraining orders against her and many other challenging behaviors and issues. Tina is at a turning point in her life. Can she deal with her daughter's behaviors and not get involved to a point that exhausts her? ...
2024-07-0557 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP9 Learning to be separate, Melissa's storyMelissa's hadn't even babysat prior to having her daughter. When at two she fought going to bed, she thought it was pretty normal. Not until she looked, did she realize it was way more intense. Melissa turned out to be an overachiever in school and was super active outside school, but she always had issues with keeping friends. Her struggles with relationships continued and both her and her daughter were diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Now Melissa has spent time away from her daughter and it has really helped her. This episode is for those that have a...
2024-06-2841 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP8 Hoping to be an empty nester, Sandra's storySandra and her husband thought they would be empty nesters by now. They have grandchildren, ride bikes, fish, train dogs and support a son with a mental illness. While he has improved his situation, he is still dependent on his parents. Sandra has spent the time trying to udnerstand her son's condition. For example, when he draws a house, he starts with the windows; basically he has trouble seeing the big picture. Learn from Sandra and do your research when you find out your child has a mental illness. Don't just listen to one doctor, seek more...
2024-06-2145 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP7 Taking it day by day, Deb's storyDeb and her son had to wait a 1 1/2 years to see a psychiatrist in the remote area of Canada she lives. That is just one of the challenges she had to face to try and help her son. But as we have heard many times, she has stuck by him even during especially scary times when he was not stable. Like the time he called the paramedics saying she had a heart attack, even though she was fine. All of these challenges have affected her job and her life, but Deb remains very proud of her son and the...
2024-06-1445 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP6, Her son the archangel, Becky's storyRebecca's son is a handful, to put out mildly. He is smart and did well in school until he started having issues and then the challenges multiplied. She has had to: change schools, have him committed, take over his medical decisions, contact politicians in Mississippi to get him transferred back to Pennsylvania and a whole lot more. Rebecca is also a therapist which goes to show that her journey has been a challenge even for her, someone with training in mental health. Her son is still delusional and has thought he is an archangel and he was committed and...
2024-06-071h 00
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP5 Kate and Scott from struggling to advocacyKate and Scott's son had many diagnoses starting in the 7th grade including ODD and ADHD, Cognitive Distortion, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression and Anxiety. As engaged parents, they worked hard to find services and worked with the school to advocate for him, but the challenges left them drained. They searched for answers and information on how best to parent their child, a sweet kid, but he was also had his social and emotional challenges. Throughout their long journey, Scott and Kate felt alone and Kate promised her son and herself she would help other parents navigate the m...
2024-05-3156 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP4 Finding a way through life, Angie's journeyAngie's son is violent and so bad that she has had to have a gun on her nightstand to protect her and the rest of her family. Angie's son's violent outbursts started in grade school and so did her journey to understand and treat his illness. By Angie's own admission her ability to support him is running out. She has bought him and provided insurance for 8 cars, all wrecked. She knew separation was the only way to keep healthy. She got him a trailer 20 minutes away with all the hookups and hoped that some of hi...
2024-05-2430 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP3, One Last Trip, Kathy's storyKathy son is 34 years old and living at home. Hospitalized around 15 times and does not do well on his own. However, given her macular degeneration diagnosis, she was determined to take an RV trip, knowing that her son would probably contact her. She went and he did need her, but he managed to keep safe and she went away. Kathy has done her best to help her son, but she had hoped to have him more independent than he currently is, so she doesn't have to put him in a facility after she is gone. As...
2024-05-1740 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP2 A daughter's roller coaster is not your issues, Rosali's storyRosali's daughter mental health challenges started at an early age. She was diagnosed with mental illness (high cyclic bipolar and borderline personality disorder) at age 13. After a suicide attempt, Rosali worked to get her counseling help. In another hurdle for Rosali, Washington State age of consent is 12 for a parent to not receive medical information. So after not taking her meds and continuing to struggle, Rosali did her best to support her child. After years of this roller coaster ride (including heroine addiction and two children) her son told her that th...
2024-05-0838 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS3EP1 Just getting started, Jen's storyWelcome 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, Je...
2024-05-0342 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesSeason 3 is on the way!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...
2024-04-2706 min
Dewey Pod-MonsterThe Nostril Picker (1993)The Nostril Picker (1993)
Directed by: Mark Nowicki
Starring: Carl Zschering, Edward Tanner, Laura Cummings, some booger picking fuckers I can't even link.
The crummy movie marchathon closer for 2024 is the 1993 movie The Nostril Picker (aka The Changer), and we've really been waiting to watch this one for a long time. As you can see from the podcast art this week, the movie poster/VHS cover is a real enticing one. The IMDB synopsis for this one is the shortest one we've ever seen - Loner turns into a girl to lure and kill...
2024-03-2657 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS2EP8 Christa's thirteen year journey of supportChrista'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 stro...
2024-01-1547 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS2EP7 From patient to advocate, Lisa Jo BarrLisa 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...
2023-12-2537 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS2EP6 Working through every challenge, Jen's storyAs 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 jour...
2023-12-1144 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS2EP5 Mary's gifted child and his struggles with mental illnessMary 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 sh...
2023-11-1045 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS2EP4 Taking things as they come, Lori's storyLori 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!
2023-10-281h 02
Two Disabled Dudes230 - Navigating Mental Illness: Parent StoriesIn this interview, podcast hosts Bill Nowicki and Laura Graham discuss their podcast, "Navigating Mental Illness: Parent Stories."They talk about their personal journeys and experiences with mental illness in their families, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and providing a platform for parents to share their stories. The podcast aims to offer support, resources, and hope to parents who are dealing with the challenges of mental illness in their children. Bill and Laura also highlight the power of vulnerability and listening in building connections and healing.They encourage listeners to reach out and share their...
2023-10-0949 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS2EP3 Claudia's road to acceptanceClaudia 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.
2023-10-0738 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS2EP2 Dealing with an out of control son and figuring it out as you go, Julia's storyThings 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...
2023-09-2835 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS2EP1 Working through issues and helping yourself, MarieMarie 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.
2023-09-1840 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP17 Therapist and mom with practical advice, Danielle Aubin, LCSWFor parents, understanding your child with a mental illness is complex and often painful. For Danielle Aubin, parenting is learning how to let go. She has let go of old notions of "good parenting" and created an environment free of shame and natural consequences. In this episode, Danielle shares practical parenting tips that can change your relationship with your child as well as your relationship with yourself. Contact Danielle: presenceperinatal.com
2023-05-0745 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP16, Community builder and connector, Irene Barton Cobb of Cobb CollaborativeIrene Barton grew up in a small town in South Carolina mill town where she learned about community and faith. Irene brings that community building and faith to Cobb Collaborative helps families in Cobb County, Georgia to connect with resources they need including mental health training events as well as a podcast (link below). https://www.cobbcollaborative.org/category/news/podcast https://www.cobbcollaborative.org/
2023-04-2237 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP15, Kirsten Book and helping understand eating disordersKirsten Book is back and she brings her passion for helping young people with eating disorders and their families. Her background makes her uniquely qualified to speak on this topic. Kirsten has had her own challenges with body image and eating disorders. By listening to this episode you will learn what to consider as a parent, how to take care of yourself, the importance of spirituality and more.
2023-04-0234 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP14, Kirsten Book and the process of sharing informationKirsten Book, the psychiatric nurse practitioner, is back with some rules on how to share information with your child's caregivers and how caregivers decide what they can share. Turns out the rules are different in each state for different situations. Kirsten also talks about the process of skill development in your child's life and how sometiomes parents undermine that process! Not easy, but important!
2023-02-2635 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP13, Calling for help, Samantha Hawkins of Cobb County 911Samatha loves helping people and serving the community. Working at Cobb County Georgia has given her the ability to do both. Now she trains new recurits to learn to empathize and have the best chance for a positive outcome when someone is struggling with a mental illness. In this episode, Samatha shares practicle tips that 911 uses to assess a situation and all the questions you will have to answer when your loved one is in crisis. Hopefully you will not ever need 911 to respond to a mental health crisis, but knowing ahead of time what to expect w...
2023-02-1829 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP12 Rediscovering Joy, Catherine's StoryParenting a child with a mental illness can be tough, but Catherine has found peace in the good times and learned how to survive the springtime pychosis that is a part of her son's life. After 4 years of her son's mental illness, she has learned who to share her struggles with, how to maintain a relationship with her son and husband and what joy feels like again. We hope you will be inspired by Catherine's story, we certainly were.
2023-02-0444 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP11 Lots of Learning Over 20 Plus Years, Linda's StoryLinda and her husband adopted 2 siblings who had mental health illness almost from the start. After 20 years of navigating the mental health and legal systems in Pennsylvania, she has learned a whole bunch. From therapy to meds to trusts, Linda has many tips that will help you and your family.
2023-01-2937 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP10 Treating the whole person, Kirsten Book, Psychiatric Nurse PractitionerKirsten Book treats the whole patient. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, she develops a relationship with her patients first, work with them through the inevitable medication changes and comes up with ways to create a team to best serve their needs. She also suggests parents get therapy and allowing children/young adults to experience the consequences of their actions. Laura and Bill enjoyed the practical tips and the wholistic approach. You will too...
2023-01-1446 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP9 Defending Your Kid, Kim Frye Of Frye Law GroupKim Frye gets involved in parent's lives at their lowest point. Maybe you had to call the police when things are getting out of hand at home, and then your son or daughter is charged and on the way to jail, not the hospital. Now you are in crisis and your child is sleeping in a jail without medical care. You need a lawyer and Kim knows how to navigate the complicated system. In this episode, Kim gives practical things to consider when supporting and setting boundaries for your child. Not suprisongly, parents are usually an intergral...
2023-01-0744 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP7 Natalie's Story, Part 2, Bringing up her son and learning to live her own lifePart 2 of Natalie's story picks up with her bringing up her son. When he was young, he had temper tantrums which turned into withdraing as he grew. Natalie found a church and worked on herself. As her son grew, he excelled in school and seemingly doing well in other areas. He was liked and things seemed to be easy for him. After some delusions, Natalie admitted her son to the hospital and has not reached stability. After some inapprioriate comments at home to his younger siblings, Natalie had her son find somewhere else to live.
2023-01-0355 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1EP7 Natalie's story (Part 1)This is part 1 of Natalie's story. This episode is a little different, as Natalie talks about her upbringing up to the birth of her oldest son, the one who has a mental illness. Natlie's upbringing was challenging and all her expereinces will help understand her son's story coming in part 2.
2022-12-2029 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1E6 Finding joy through tears, Dawn's storyThanksgiving was different this year. Dawn was surrounded by her family, but one important person was missing. Her son has a mental illness, and he refused to see her. Join us to hear the story of a loving parent who lives with the uncertainty and frustration of life with a mentally ill child. Dawn has found a way to keep going and to see joy in life even through the tears.
2022-12-1041 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1E5 Moving forward one step at a time, Sandie's storySandie was so upset when she learned of her son's struggles with mental illness, she closed out the Google search results. She has come a long way since then, both supporting her son and finding peace in her own life. She is looking forward to advocating and sharing her story to help others in the near future.
2022-12-0447 minNavigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1E4 Creating a life in Israel to Support her son, Devorah's storyDevorah decided to foster and then adopt two sons into her Jewish family. When mental health challenges became too much she left her life in New York and started a new life in Israel. It hasn't been easy, but it has been a rewarding experience.
2022-11-1928 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1E3 Wendy supports her daughter through many traumasWendy's daugther C's challenges started early. She lost her dad, struggled with insomnia and was so tired that Wendy had to drag her to school. C's life was never easy and her mental health declined as she got older. The one consistent thing is: her mom was always there for her and continued to support her through all of it. Wendy learned skills that helped her maintain her relationship with her daughter, and in this episode she shares several tips that may help you.
2022-11-1252 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1E2 Understanding her son, one step at a time, Melissa from TexasMelissa son has struggled throughout his life. Melissa and her husband tried every avenue that was available at the time and always came up short. From the schools, to health care professionals to his jobs, Melissa's son couldn't find the best comnbination that would help him. So Melissa gave up her time and attention to keep her son as safe as she could. Now nearing her retirement age, she wants to travel with her husband, knowing the transition for her son will be difficult.
2022-11-0638 min
Navigating Mental Illness: Parents StoriesS1E1 Meet Bill Nowicki and Laura GrahamBill and Laura discuss their backgrounds and how they came to deciding to create this unique podcast!
2022-11-0517 min