FOR PROFESSIONALS
THE WORKS
BEYOND MENTAL DISORDERS, FAMILY LIFE. A LOOK AT PARENTING.
Marc Boily, Mireille St-Onge, Marie-Thérèse Toutant, 2006, Editions du CHU Ste Justine
This book, produced at the initiative of the Quebec Mental Health Committee, offers a perspective on parenting for individuals with severe mental illness. Indeed, in the face of such a disorder, the parental role becomes a source of intense stress and extremely difficult to fulfill.
The authors thus comprehensively address what these families experience and propose simple and effective courses of action that can be implemented in practice settings in order to adequately meet the needs of the target population.
There is no doubt that this book will shed new light on this difficult reality and inspire those working in the fields of mental health services and child and family services.
PUT AN END TO TOXIC PARENTS
Serge Escots, Lola Devolder, Carré des vignes editions
ISBN: 978-2-9548021-1-4
"That which prevents (someone from doing something or something from happening)" CNRTL
That's a word that's very topical, isn't it?
In both our personal and professional lives, we each experience being hindered by constraints imposed from the outside, which surreptitiously reveal much more internal and intimate obstacles, places where things get stuck.
An obstacle is not insignificant.
But most of the time, the obstacles from both inside and outside that we encounter, after a more or less long period of resistance and expectation, come to stimulate our capacity for adaptation, awaken our creativity… And most of the time, alone or by working together, we find ways to produce change, circumvention, overcoming… new possibilities.
GROWING UP WITH PARENTS SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS
Cathy Caulier and Frédérique Van Leuven - preface by I.Duret and S.Hirsh, 2017, L'Harmattan.
This book explores the experiences of children growing up with parents suffering from mental illness. As the primary witnesses to family life, they often struggle to have their specific difficulties and the perspectives they offer heard. Their insightful and often nuanced view of their parents also broadens our understanding of mental illness.
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PARENTING IN THE FACE OF ILLNESS OR DISABILITY: WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE ON CHILDREN?
Saïas, T., Wendland, J., & Boujut, É. (2017). Social field Editions.
Many children grow up with a parent who has a mental or physical illness, or a disability. The book is divided into three parts: the first focuses on the impact of mental health conditions such as psychotic and bipolar disorders; the second addresses physical illnesses like cancer; and the third explores the impact of motor and sensory disabilities and intellectual disabilities. The book also offers recommendations for preventative measures and support for parents facing illness or disability and for their families.
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MENTAL DISORDER IN THE PARENT: FAMILY ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
Under the direction of Geneviève Piché, Aude Villate, Sonia Bourque, Les Presses de l’Université de Laval, 2021
How can parenting represent a particular source of vulnerability for adults struggling with mental health issues? How do the manifestations of a parent's mental health problem influence their well-being and that of all family members? What are the impacts of a parent's mental disorder on their child's development? How can personal, family, and social resources support family resilience?
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BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BONDS TO NURTURE
Stéphanie Haxhe / Eres, ed relations, 2024
The author analyzes the challenges, the long-term impacts of sibling relationships, and concrete ways to nurture them. She describes the relationship between sisters and brothers as a living bond that exists in its own right and is not solely defined by their relationship with their parents (rivalry, jealousy).
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THE CHILD, A PARENT OF HIS PARENTS
Jean-François le Goff / L'Harmattan, 2000
Drawing on classic works in family therapy, particularly those of Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, a pioneer in the field, this book explores the process of parentification. Family therapy, utilizing the resources of the family context, can be helpful in initiating a process of recognizing parentification. By moving beyond monologue to build a dialogue, can the child and their parents find new possibilities for restoring trust and reconciling with their childhood?
THE FILMS
CHILD BETWEEN RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Film by Anne Marie Friedli
For a long time, children and young people with a parent suffering from mental illness were often overlooked. Professionals are gradually becoming aware that these individuals must have access to appropriate support as early as possible, in the form of counseling, guidance, or therapy. Early detection and intervention reduce the risk of transmitting mental illness to the next generation.
WHEN CHILDREN CARE FOR THEIR SICK PARENT
Swiss documentary RTS, 2023.
From childhood, they have cared for a sick parent. Very early on, they had to shoulder heavy responsibilities beyond their years. They are called child caregivers. Often, they help silently, without even realizing they are caregivers. Sometimes, they go unnoticed for fear of being placed in foster care. Luana, Elisa, Pablo, Florian, and young Luca tell the story of a largely unknown reality: children who, by force of circumstance, become the parents of their own parents.
PODCASTS
GROWING UP WITH A SCHIZOPHRENIC MOTHER
Icebreaker Podcast
In Florian's childhood memories (he is the founder of the Geneva-based association for children and carers), there was no music, no parties, no carefree days – just incessant crises. For as long as he can remember, his mother suffered from severe mental illness – schizophrenia coupled with depressive episodes. Now 39, he recounts how one grows up, as best one can, amidst chaos.
