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NEIL PAREKH'S
LENS ON LIFE BLOG
Thoughts and observations on mental health, technology, social media, photography and more.


Being a Mom Can Sometimes Be Very Lonely and Isolating
Being a mother is one of the greatest things in the world, however, no one ever shares how lonely it can be.

Dawn Helmrich
Aug 27


Balancing the Needs of Two Very Different Daughters AND Preserving One’s Own Mental Health
I often find myself caught in what I call the ‘in between’. Living life in the moments between where I had hoped we would be and where we are in this present moment.

Karissa Gretebeck
Aug 27


Ep. 35 Karissa Gretebeck | Shining Light on Shadows: The Loneliness of Parenting Two Very Different Children
We will focus on the challenges parents face (and the impact on their mental health) when one child is very different from the other.

Neil Parekh
Aug 27


Ep. 34 Michael Wood | Shining Light on Shadows: Parenting After Surviving a Traumatic Childhood
We will focus on the challenges of parenting after childhood trauma AND what we do to control the narrative (what we share about our families) even at a young age.

Neil Parekh
Aug 14


Shielding My Kids From Heartache Wasn’t The Best Parenting Choice
Growing up I had to take care of myself a lot. My dad was an alcoholic and my house was often very chaotic. I never wanted to have friends over because of this secret we kept in our family. I spent a lot of time at other kids' houses realizing that things in my house were not normal.

Dawn Helmrich
Aug 13


Working for the National Alliance on Mental Illness is Personal
I’m telling this story because I want you all to understand that when I say I get it, I really mean it. I’m committed to doing everything I can to make sure our national office provides world-class support to all its Alliance members. Because that’s where we’re improving and even saving lives—on the ground, in communities, one person at a time.

Michael Wood
Aug 11


After Our Daughter’s Second Suicide Attempt, We Felt Lost and Alone
Family members are a hidden segment that do not receive a lot of attention or support, and they are in pain and suffering, too.

Jim Yu
Mar 25


Parenting a Child with Social Anxiety Disorder
The truth is you have to allow people with mental health issues, all people, to decide what is best for them.

Dawn Helmrich
Mar 25


Ep. 26 Jim Yu | Shining Light on Shadows: Borderline Personality Disorder Support for Families
We want the best for our children, but what happens when your child has Borderline Personality Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder?

Neil Parekh
Mar 24


A Candid Conversation With My Daughter About Mental Health
It’s never too early to talk about difficult issues with your child. You may be surprised at how well it goes.

Neil Parekh
Jul 9, 2024


Ep. 7 Kate Easton | Shining Light on Shadows: Parenting a Child with Mental Health Challenges
We'll focus on the challenges of parenting a child with mental illness. Kate’s son: bipolar disorder. Dawn’s son: social anxiety.

Neil Parekh
May 6, 2024


My Son’s Struggle With Social Anxiety and the Difficulty of Getting Help
I think my son was 12 or 13, a new middle schooler, when I realized that he was more than just a kid having a bad day at school.

Dawn Helmrich
May 6, 2024


When Your Child Struggles with Bipolar, Everyone Struggles
My son, at the age of 16, was grappling with challenges that seemed to grow more daunting by the day.

Kate Easton
May 6, 2024
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