Staying connected to your kids while experiencing mental health difficulties

When you’re experiencing mental health difficulties, staying connected to your children can feel difficult at times. But it is possible, and can provide you, your partner and your children a place for growth, healing and laughter. For many, those moments of connection with family members are also where people feel most known and loved.

In this episode we are talking to Jason Tyndale. Jason is a father of four and knows firsthand the challenges of parenting when experiencing mental illness. For Jason, recovery required several years of bed rest. While that was hard, you’ll hear how Jason also found wonderful moments of discovery and time to connect with his children.

Content warning: This podcast includes themes/mentions of anxiety, depression. and paranoia. If listening to this podcast brings up any difficult feelings for you, please seek help from your mental health professional or one of these crisis or support services.

In this episode you will learn:

• what Jason did to maintain a connection with his children while he experienced mental health difficulties [03:40]
• what Jason wished he had known during this time [08:58]
• how Jason found the supports he and his family needed [10:07]
• what advice Jason would give to someone [11:30]

Further information and resources:

Parenting with a mental illness: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/in-focus-parenting-with-a-mental-illness/?audience=family

Will they get better? A guide for children of parents recovering from mental illness: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/will-they-get-better-a-guide-for-children-of-parents-recovering-from-mental-illness/?audience=family

Parenting with mental health difficulties: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/parenting-with-mental-health-difficulties/?audience=family

Supporting children of parents living with mental illness: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/supporting-children-of-parents-living-with-mental-illness/?audience=family

Self-care for parents and caregivers: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/self-care-for-parents-and-caregivers/?audience=family

Getting help when your parent is living with mental illness: a guide for teens: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/getting-help-when-your-parent-is-living-with-mental-illness-a-guide-for-teens/?audience=family

Building your support networks: a guide for parents living with mental illness: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/building-your-support-networks-a-guide-for-parents-living-with-mental-illness/?audience=family