Episode 52

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Published on:

26th Sep 2023

Parenting Mental Health with Suzanne Alderson

Suzanne’s own experiences inspired her to set up the Parenting Mental Health charity – in 2015 when Suzanne’s daughter Issy was 14, she was severely bullied at school leading to a sharp decline in her mental health – she was depressed, anxious and suicidal.  

 

We talked through many aspects of this story including: 

 

  • Issy’s final trigger, her referral and her disclosure to the doctor that she was going to end her life – this was the moment Suzanne shared where the family reached absolute crisis point. 
  • Suzanne’s experiences of CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and other therapy support. 
  • How Suzanne felt she had failed as a parent who just wanted to ‘fix’ what was happening to Issy, as well as the deep shame, trauma and isolation she felt as a parent of a child with a mental health issue. 
  • ‘Partnering not parenting’ the programme that Suzanne has written for parents of young people who are experiencing poor mental health. 
  • The Facebook group Suzanne set up to support parents in the same critical situation that she experienced and how it grew and grew. 
  • How the only control we have over our children’s life is how we behave and how we respond. That love isn’t enough and we need spaces to connect with people who are further along the road with their child’s mental health journey. 
  • Suzanne’s 3 things that she feels are most important as a parent - Am I present? Can I be patient? Am I listening? 
  • The fact that we don’t have to come to crisis point to change - it starts with today.  
  • That children don’t have to be happy all the time! Suzanne’s advice is to look for presence, not for happiness. 

 

 ‘Your Guide to...’ (our downloadable webinars including ‘Your Guide to Teens and Tweens’) - get 25% off any guide with the code ‘PODCAST’    

Parenting mental health website  

Suzanne’s book – Never let go – how to parent your child through mental illness 

https://www.youtube.com/@parentingmentalhealth 


Our Tween / Teenage blogs 


If you have enjoyed this podcast have a look at our other teen episodes. 

Talking to Teenagers 

Parenting Teens 


Bespoke Family 1:1 Parent Consultations: https://www.bespokefamily.co.uk/parent-consultations    


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About the Podcast

Newborn to Teen and Everything in Between
Your go-to for advice on how to communicate with the children in your life. Brought to you by family consultancy Bespoke Family, enabling families to thrive
Newborn to Teen and Everything Inbetween - it does exactly what it says on the tin! Join childcare experts Becks and Claire for practical advice about how to communicate with children, at all ages.
There can be a lot of pressure to 'get it right' when it comes to children, which can be quite daunting! Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, TA or childcare worker, or just looking to gain a better understanding of the world through a child’s eyes, Becks and Claire have 25 years of childcare experience to share with you. Listen for reassurance and support to help you navigate tricky conversations, challenging behaviour, complex emotions, and the general day to day pressures of raising and working with children.
This is a judgement-free zone - you won't find a one-size-fits-all rule book here! The perfect parent doesn't exist, but in their family consultancy business Bespoke Family, Becks and Claire believe that a child centred approach which recognises and respects individuality is the best way to enable families to thrive. Join Becks and Claire for accessible, light-hearted and well researched advice and guidance on the various ways we can tackle the ups and downs of life with children (they've got a great sense of humour too, so if you love a laugh you're in great company!)
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