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Tag Archives: anxiety disorder

Have you ever heard of “Realistic Thinking”?

November 06, 2011   admin   4 Comments

Every month I have the opportunity to share a post over at the S-O-S Research Blog. This month I talked about “Realistic Thinking”. Have you ever heard of it? Ever used it? Chances are that you may use the strategy without even knowing it. There is lots of great information for you to look over. Just go on over the Danette’s Blog and enjoy. Hopefully, you’ll find something new to put in your tool box. Here’s a preview of what you’ll find.


Over the last few years there has been a multitude of tools and suggestions made to us to aid in tempering these anxious thoughts and feelings. Remember that each day, each hour, the same strategy will not always work. The distraction strategy that got you and your child out the door yesterday might not be the appropriate one for today. As long as you equip yourself with options you will always be one step ahead of the anxiety.
Take a look at the strategies below. Have you used any of these?

Toolboxes – written down on a little notepad with drawings and words that encapsulate a coping strategy. Examples: Count to 10 slowly, Sing a song, Breathe
Meditation CD – a CD used specifically at night in order to calm down and soothe the anxious mind. Example: Lori Lite of Stress Free Kids has a host of wonderful CD’s to help with anxiety and stress for children, teens and adults.

Read the full article

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Survey on Stigma – Families NEEDED!!!

October 22, 2011   admin   No comments

PCMH (Parents for Childrens Mental Health) is looking for families that would like to be involved in a survey regarding the stigma that caregivers experience living with a youth (12 -21 years old) diagnosed with a mental health issue. If you’d like to be involved please see the information below and thank you for sharing your voice.


Image from PCMH website

This survey looks at the stigma caregivers (i.e. biological parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, grandparents) providing primary care and living with a youth (12-21 years old) diagnosed with a mental health issue (i.e. ADHD, ODD, anxiety, depression) may experience. It is part of a bigger research project that looks at the experiences of youth diagnosed with mental health problems and the experiences of their caregivers and siblings. The stigma of mental illness refers to the negative stereotypes, opinions, or attitudes people have about mental health problems and about people who have mental health problems. Stigma also includes discrimination or being treated badly or unfairly because of having a mental health problem.

The principal researcher responsible for the project is Maria Liegghio, a social worker and Ph.D. Candidate in the Faculty of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University located in Waterloo, Ontario. The results of the survey will help us understand how caregivers and families think about the stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination related to mental health problems and how they are affected by these experiences. The results will also be used to inform changes to improve the situation for youth diagnosed with mental health issues and for their caregivers and family members. In addition to this caregiver survey, a similar survey will gather information on the experiences of youth who experience mental health difficulties.

The survey takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The survey is anonymous. Information that may identify you is NOT collected.
Responding to this survey is completely voluntary. If AT ANY TIME you become upset or do not wish to continue with the survey please feel free to stop.

If you would like more information about this project please contact Maria Liegghio. If you would like to receive a brief summary of the survey results, please contact Maria at 905-795-3500, ext. 2334 or by e-mail . Thanks for taking the time to participate in this survey!!!

Link to the survey to be completed by primary caregivers (biological parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, grandparents) living with and providing primary care to a youth (12-21 years old) with a
diagnosed mental health issue.

Parents for Children’s Mental Health
“Together, we can make a difference.”

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Dare to dream

October 12, 2011   admin   No comments

What a great opportunity for Ontario youth 18 years of age or younger. The Dare to Dream project is giving youth a chance to get involved and raise awareness for mental health. If you have a project idea they have some funding to help make your dream come true. I love seeing stuff like this that helps everyone.

Howdy and welcome to the Dare to Dream Program website. If you don’t already know what Dare to Dream is all about, here is the low down… The Dare to Dream Program is coordinated by youth and designed for youth, like you, who are interested in making your peers and community more aware of mental illness and decreasing the stigma that is typically associated with it.

Dare to Dream Awards are given out twice a year – at the end of March and the end of October. Deadlines are always posted on the Dare to Dream home page. Successful applicants are notified about five to six weeks after each deadline – in early May and in early December.

This is your chance to stand up and help the 20% of youth in your school and community who struggle with mental illness on a daily basis.

What am I applying for?
The Dare to Dream Program provides funding for individuals or groups of youth (18 years of age and under) to get involved in mental health awareness activities. If you can come up with a creative idea for a project, then we want to support you to make this happen.

Who can apply to the Dare to Dream Program?
You can apply if:

You are 18 years of age and under
You live in Ontario
You are attending high school (mainstream or alternative) or you can demonstrate a link to another formal agency (i.e., youth centre, community resource centre, youth services organization, mental health centre) that will oversee the award.
You can establish a link with a mentor who is experienced in child and youth mental health.
You can propose a project that meets our criteria and conditions.
This applies to both individual and group applications.

Twice each year a team of youth from across the province – the Dare to Dream Review Team – reviews all applications that have been received in the last 6 months. These youth then make recommendations to the Centre about who should be funded. If you are interested in becoming a member of this team or learning more about what they do, visit the Dare to Dream Review Team section.

Visit Dare to Dream and get more information.

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Vitamins and minerals do they play a role?

September 25, 2011   admin   No comments

Our family has been seeing a naturopath for quite some time now and she has helped me to understand how things happen in our bodies and all the physical changes that occur when we are in the midst of a panic attack. I feel so much more knowledgeable and prepared when panic and other things strike.This knowledge has helped in given us some strategies and some things to be mindful of so that panic doesn’t get the better of us. When we recognize where the feeling is coming from it is a lot easier to get through the wave of fear. When my daughter tells me she feels like she’s going to throw up we always ask some simple questions to bring her mind back to that realistic thinking so we don’t go down the path of fear and worry.

“Have you gone to the bathroom?”
“Do you feel like you’re going to be sick?”
“Is it painful or is it butterflies?”
“Do you think you’re nervous about…?”
“Have you felt this feeling before?”
“Where in your stomach does it hurt?”

As well as distracting your brain from fleeting into unguided terrifying territory it brings one back to the here and now. So when she starts to loose her breath and begin to get teary eyed it sheds some light on the real problem at hand.

I found this website today called, “Anxiety Awareness” and I thought it was a great item to post because it gives us so much wonderful information about how chemically our imbalances can bring on some very real feelings.


Most of us are familiar with the neurotransmitters Serotonin and Dopamine. Our brain houses many other neurotransmitters which all perform their own important roles for our mental health. Each neurotransmitter requires certain nutrients to maintain optimum levels. Unfortunately, these nutrients are often not present for the brain to make the required amount of neurotransmitter. Supplements are needed. Below you will find the main neurotransmitters for anxiety, their symptom picture and the nutrients required to produce them.

Find the whole listing

I think this information is as important if not more in a child’s daily life. I know that for our daughter the better she feels the more empowered she feels. Similarly, I do too. When I have a day where all of my levels are up and feeling good I feel like I conquer the world.

How do you know what your feeling?
You listen. With all of your senses you listen to what your craving because that gives indication to what your lacking. It is easy once you’ve trusted that your body tells you exactly what we need to know it’s just figuring out the language. Similarly, with our kids if we listen to what they are really asking for then we can gain better insight into where all of those emotions are tied to.

Take a look at the Anxiety Awareness website and see what information your child’s body is telling you.

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Let’s celebrate your child GIVEAWAY!!!

September 20, 2011   admin   8 Comments

I’ve had a number of people over the last few months ask, “How can you be so candid about your life?”, or “Don’t you worry about what your kids think about being a part of all of this?”. Just the other day I also came across a blog post about jsut that, “What will your kids learn” that tackles the same issue.

Well, don’t think that for a minute I haven’t wondered how my blogging and discussions in papers and talks with other parents in the school yard will impact my family. Each blog post I expose the world to is carefully thought out. It is only my intention that through our experiences and new found resources that I too can share with you the hope of parents, neighbours, schools and communities working together for our children to be successful at anything they do. I also hope that when she’s ready and wants to read the entries that she will gain perspective into how much she has accomplished and how many hurdles she has crossed. It is a living journal of her journey.

Sydney on occasion has questioned me about the blog and has seen the pictures of her on here. Although I she doesn’t get the full understanding of what Mom is trying to accomplish I know that she will in fact question my actions more. At what point will I no longer blog about our every day life? The answer when someone in the family is opposed to it and it is no longer comfortable. I have said that from the very beginning. I do hope that before that point happens that I will take this blog to a much greater place. I’m in the midst of finding space to start a support group for parents, I have book ideas, I am now a certified Life Coach and will soon be merging the two facets of life together; my experience parenting anxious children and wellness and life balance.

It takes courage no doubt to show yourself in front of the world and it seems ironic to think that my kids age I was so shy I barely spoke. I wouldn’t even make eye contact with people unless they were relatives and even then was dicey. I advocate more than anything being yourself, promoting your own values while not bulldozing over everyone else. I care about my own kids and all of those children who are misunderstood, made to feel worthless and feel like they can’t even be in their own skin.

I have come a long way in understanding mental health, I have come a long way in healing both myself and my children. You know when you ask why you have been put in a position that is challenging or difficult or seemingly endless and you look up to the sky and ask “why”. This blog is why and all of you wonderful parents who too are looking for answers, reassurance and support I thank you for being strong to share a little piece of your world here with me and on my facebook group. Together we will make changes for our children and our future will be full.

To celebrate all of you, the parents that care so much about your children and your children who need our support I’m giving away a little treat.

Giveaway!!!
I have two books to give away from author Gayle Grass.

“Iris the Dragon – Hole in One” A Children’s Book dealing with the topic of Anxiety Disorders and


“I can fix it” a children’s book dealing with Asperger’s Syndrome and Stigma.

All you need to do is tell us a bit about your AMAZING child. Let us know what they like, what makes them tick, what their best quality is. On October 7th I will randomly pick two numbers and those who have responded in that order will win the books. Let’s here from you!

Contest closes on October 7th, 2011 and is for Canada & US residents only.

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