A Family’s Story…

When our young adult children both found themselves in the midst of severe mental health crises, it felt like we lost everything overnight. We lost our dreams for our kids’ futures and dreams of our own futures. There was no peace in our home and our most important relationships were fractured. 

Perhaps the most devastating loss was that we no longer believed in ourselves as parents. 

We were a family in crisis and we knew we needed help for ourselves on this journey. It was important for us to find a place where we didn’t feel blamed for our childrens’ conditions and where we didn’t feel like we failed as parents. 

That’s when we came across EmotionsBC. At first they provided the non-judgemental space we needed to share our story and connect with other parents and caregivers of people with mental health challenges. 

Above and beyond this, the team at EmotionsBC provided something that has become a critical part of our lives: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills. 

Before my children received their diagnoses and subsequent treatment plans, I’d never heard of DBT. It is the primary and only treatment that’s known for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). I’ve since learned that DBT skills are for the individual with BPD, and can also be very helpful for the loved ones of those suffering with it.

We enrolled in the EmotionsBC’s Essential Skills course which gave us an introduction to DBT at exactly the right level. The course was taught by someone who is familiar with using these skills in their own lives, and they were able to share relevant, practical skills we could put to use in our own relationships immediately. 

I now have more firm boundaries with my children, which makes me feel safer. I am more open and accepting of the situation my family is in, and I am learning, through a skill called Radical Acceptance, not to try to fix things all the time. 

When our family was in crisis, EmotionsBC was there to catch us and hold us up.

Photo by Gus Moretta on Unsplash