What Clients Teach Me

the blog

For Families of People Diagnosed with a Mental Illness

For Families of People Diagnosed with a Mental Illness

Many of the families I have worked with are fine and strong advocates for their family member. Just lately, however, it feels like many of my clients are hitting a brick wall as far as support for family members, either adults or children, who have a mental illness.

The stress on families is longstanding and chronic. Even when things are going well for their loved one there is a worry that the family member might not be able to get the help they need at the right time. There is also a strong concern that once given a diagnosis and medication that either the medication might be incorrect or the diagnosis wrong. 

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Panic
Change and Growth Deborah Bryson Change and Growth Deborah Bryson

Panic

This blog posting is dedicated to a client who stuck with me as her counsellor even though at that time I had no idea what a panic attack looked or felt like.  I did not get it until one day she had a panic attack in my office.  That was one of my most humbling experiences as a counsellor.   I knew then that I needed to learn more, respect more and honour the clients who stuck with me as a counsellor even though I knew only the tiniest bit of what they were experiencing.  This client also taught me that she was not overreacting and that my job was to both  believe her and believe in her

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