Table Of Contentebook
THE GUILFORD PRESS
Praise for Parenting Through the Storm
“This is the first book that I’ve read in my long journey of parenting a
child with a mental illness that didn’t make me feel like I was somehow
to blame. Ann Douglas actually made me feel understood and helped
to stop the swirling thoughts of ‘What do I do now?’ In a calm and
thoughtful way, she addresses so many things parents have trouble with,
including self-care and caring for other children.” —Elise W., Kentucky
“This book is like having a best friend who will help you navigate the
system. You’ll learn what you can do to make a difference and how
to know if you are getting the help your child needs. Ann Douglas is
compassionate, passionate, and direct.” —Karyn D. Hall, PhD,
author of The Emotionally Sensitive Person
“A true gift to parents. As a mental health clinician and parent of a
child who has struggled mightily over many years with major anxiety,
I thought ‘Hallelujah’ when I finished this book. Finally, a resource
that both provides validation for parents in pain and offers concrete,
actionable guidance. I wish I’d had this guide when I was in the thick of
it, but I am so glad it exists now, and I will recommend it to the parents I
work with.” —Claire Lerner, LCSW-C, Senior Parenting Strategist,
Zero to Three
“This book fills a void in special-needs parenting resources by focusing on
the big picture, and the whole family. The stories of many other parents
throughout the book made me feel less alone. Reading this book, it felt
like Ann was a good friend helping me through the tough times with my
daughter and reassuring me that there’s hope for good days ahead.”
—Ashley G., North Carolina
“Raising children is tough enough, but add learning or psychological
issues to the mix and no one can really prepare you for the tumultuous
experience ahead. Ann Douglas does an extraordinary job of providing
much-needed support, guidance, and direction. She takes you on a
journey from finding out what’s wrong to navigating treatment options
and dealing with challenging situations. A true gem for parents!”
—Timothy E. Wilens, MD, coauthor of Straight Talk
about Psychiatric Medications for Kids, Fourth Edition
“Ann Douglas offers hope for the many parents who are searching for
answers—especially because she’s been through it all herself. The book
is reassuring that there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but also realistic
and based on research. It provides the tools you need to make tough
decisions and help your child. I love this book!” —Michele Borba, EdD,
author of UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed
in Our All-About-Me World
“This book is the GPS for navigating the mental health system for children
and youth—period. Parents of the approximately 20% of kids who have
a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder won’t want to be without
it. Douglas charts a course for dealing with stigma and overcoming
the shortcomings of the school and medical systems, with insight and
understanding.” —Mary Gordon, Founder and President,
Roots of Empathy
“An essential resource. Deeply personal and moving, this book explains
the inexplicable and helps you manage your child’s mental health
challenges, from how to use your ‘parent radar’ that tells you something
is amiss to getting a diagnosis and beyond. The stories of determination
in these pages will shore up your courage and feed your resilience.”
—Susan Newman, PhD, author of Little Things Long Remembered:
Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day
“This is more than a book—it’s a life raft for parents whose children
struggle with mood disorders or developmental differences. As a parent,
I’ve been there. You feel utterly overwhelmed by information, while at the
same time isolated and without direction. Ann Douglas does something
remarkable by combining concrete, empathic guidance with the voices of
other parents who guide us to find the way forward.” —Asha Dornfest,
author of Parent Hacks
PARENTING THROUGH THE STORM
Parenting
Through
the Storm
Find Help, Hope, and Strength When
Your Child Has Psychological Problems
A D
nn ouglAs
THE GUILFORD PRESS
New York London
Copyright © 2017 Ann Douglas
Published by The Guilford Press
A Division of Guilford Publications, Inc.
370 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1200, New York, NY 10001
www.guilford.com
All rights reserved
The information in this volume is not intended as a substitute for consultation
with healthcare professionals. Each individual’s health concerns should be
evaluated by a qualified professional.
No part of this book may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission
from the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Last digit is print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Douglas, Ann, 1963– author.
Title: Parenting through the storm : find help, hope, and strength when your child
has psychological problems / Ann Douglas.
Description: New York, NY : Guilford Press, [2017] | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016023806| ISBN 9781462526772 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN
9781462528042 (hardcover : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Mentally ill children. | Parents of mentally ill children. | Parent
and child.
Classification: LCC RJ499.34 .D68 2017 | DDC 618.92/89—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016023806
To Darlene, Karen, and Lori
For lunches, phone calls, and emails
when I needed them most—at the height of the storm
The oak fought the wind and was broken,
the willow bent when it must and survived.
—robert Jordan, The Fires of Heaven
And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you
made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t
even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But
one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you
won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this
storm’s all about.
—Haruki MurakaMi, Kafka on the Shore
