Show Notes
Trigger warning: episode deals with suicidal ideation. Suzanne also briefly mentions the impact on her life of being raped.
My guest in this episode is Suzanne Alderson [https://suzannealderson.com/]. When Suzanne's 14 year old daughter Izzy became suicidal, following a period of sustained bullying, Suzanne found herself in a desperate place. While her daughter was immediately wrapped in professional care, Suzanne found that there was no support available to help her or her husband make sense of it all and give their child the best kind of care. One night on suicide watch, she decided if she ever got through this time, she would ensure no other family had to navigate this journey alone. Suzanne has since set up a digital community to try and help other families facing their child's mental illness. Parenting Mental Health [https://www.parentingmentalhealth.org/] is now a registered charity that supports and connects parents of young people with poor mental health.
Her book 'Never Let Go' [https://amzn.to/3QavBzr] provides parents with the methods and knowledge they need to support, shield and strengthen their child as they progress towards recovery.
6:00 - Suzanne talks about the impact of sexual assault on her own teenage years. She mentions promiscuity, shame, low self-esteem, and how different life looked from the point of view of someone who experiences this at a young age.
9:00 - What are the unhealthy coping strategies we use when we have difficult feelings, and what would serve us better. The value of personal therapy and EMDR in processing and coming to terms with our emotions around what has happened to us.
16:00 - How emotions show up in the body and what to do about it. (See book, The Body Keeps the Score.)
23:30 - Why we can't fight our children's battles for them, and how to respect their autonomy.
30:00 - How it feels when your child is suicidal.
32:00 - What works, and how to cope as a parent of a suicidal teenager.
41:00 - Reframing your role as a parent as your child becomes an adult. "Partnering, not Parenting". What is Parenting Mental Health?
Useful Links:
* The Body Keeps the Score * Parenting Mental Health [https://www.parentingmentalhealth.org/] * Never Let Go [https://amzn.to/3QavBzr] * What is EMDR? [https://emdrassociation.org.uk/]
*Some links are affiliate.
More teenage parenting from Helen Wills:
Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy [https://www.actuallymummy.co.uk/], a resource for midlife parents of teens. Thank you for listening! Subscribe [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/teenage-kicks-podcast/id1501488455] to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast or want to hear more on parenting teenagers contact me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/iamhelenwills/] and Twitter [https://twitter.com/iamhelenwills] @iamhelenwills.
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Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about yourself or a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.
Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard [https://www.beheard.org.uk/] production.
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