When a child faces a physical health crisis, friends and family rally around
to provide support. But when a child is diagnosed with a mental illness,
their families often find themselves struggling alone.
Having raised a mentally ill daughter, author Andrea
Berryman Childreth has first-hand experience with the
shame and stigma these families face, hiding behind a
mask of normalcy while feeling completely helpless and
out of control at home.
ON THE EDGE provides a realistic and practical guide to
parenting a child with mental illness. Real life stories combine with an
overview of common diagnoses, advice on navigating your health
insurance or school system, and help with setting expectations at home to
give practical steps to bring order to the chaos and hope to the future.
Andrea Berryman Childreth is an award-winning author of the book ON THE EDGE: Help and hope for parenting children with mental illness. She has first-hand experience with mental illness. As the mother of a daughter diagnosed with ADHD, a non-verbal learning disorder, anxiety and depression, she has also struggled with anxiety, depression and bulimia as a young woman, which eventually led to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder when she was 34.Andrea is the founder of The Lemonade Project, a movement dedicated to calling out stigma surrounding mental illness and empowering families and individuals to openly share their stories, while improving access to equitable services and insurance coverage. She also coaches parents caring for mentally ill youth and owns a marketing firm. Andrea has been featured on KATU-TV, Portland, KOBI-NBC Five on 5, and the Mail Tribune, among others. For more tips or information and parent resources, visit The Lemonade Project.