Staying with someone in crisis
Mentions suicide risk
- What happened
-
Someone I know told me they were thinking of ending their
life. I stayed a steady presence for more than a year.
- What helped
-
I encouraged professional help and stayed attentive to changes
in how they were doing.
- What I learned
-
Being consistent mattered more than finding the perfect words.
When psychosis meets stigma
Mentions psychosis
- What happened
-
Someone I know experienced a psychotic episode, and their
parents were unsure what was happening.
- What helped
-
I helped connect them with psychiatric care, and spent time
with the parents explaining what was going on and gently
challenging myths that were getting in the way.
- What I learned
-
Understanding what is happening can change what a family is
willing to do.
Listening to new mothers
Mentions postpartum depression
- What happened
-
Through many conversations with pregnant women and early
mothers, I heard about difficulties that people often struggle
to name.
- What helped
-
I paid attention to symptoms and challenges, including signs
associated with postpartum depression, and helped people
recognise them.
- What I learned
-
Often the first step is simply finding words for what is
happening.
Navigating healthcare information
Mentions an infant in intensive care
- What happened
-
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a mother whose baby was in the
NICU was unable to produce enough breast milk.
- What helped
-
I researched the options with her and helped her make sense of
the information available.
- What I learned
-
In a stressful moment, clear information is a kind of care.
Long conversations about difficult decisions
- What happened
-
Many people have talked through career and life decisions with
me in long, unstructured conversations.
- What helped
-
I did not give answers. I helped them understand the problem
they were really trying to solve.
- What I learned
-
The real problem is often not the one people first describe.