Those with lived experience share how their lives and those of their family members have been impacted by substance use and addiction.
Casie, a Partnership parent coach, shared her story with us this week on Facebook Live. She talks about the different experiences her sons have gone through; one who is a transgender male and part of the LGBTQ+ community and another son who has struggled with substance use.
Despite the constant worry about her sons' well-being, she has found value in peer support and self-care, which allow her to be there for her children when they need her most.
Casie describes how small actions can have a big impact on making people in the LGBTQ+ community feel safe. Something as simple as sharing your own pronouns on a Zoom, an email or when meeting someone, can make people feel comfortable, accepted and respected.
She also notes that if you make a mistake by addressing someone with the wrong pronouns, acknowledge it – don't just ignore the error.
Casie has found ways to help manage her own struggles and emotions, which then allows her to be more present with her children and support them on their own journeys.
“I love how the [Partnership’s online] support community does a meditation to start to center you into the space, and I’ve learned through that, even when my brain is still going, trying to breathe through it is a game changer.”
“I practice gratitude and [write 3 things I am grateful for] at the end of the day. Even on my son's worst days when he was struggling with substance use, I could still find 1 or 2 or 3 moments, and maybe it's only as simple as 'the color of that flower was really pretty today.'”
“[You start] showing up differently with your kid. Your kid moves forward faster. You show up more honest.”
And how peer support has helped her manage emotions relating to her LGBTQ+ son’s transition:
“Figure out a way to be present and accepting and even when you may be still struggling, even for me I felt loss – the name I gave my son – but that’s not his responsibility to take my loss on because most likely your child was struggling with this for years before they tell you.”
Along with being a valued Partnership parent coach, Casie also started a parent-to-parent support community, Other Parents Like Me, designed for parents of children struggling with mental health issues.
“I’ve learned so much on my journey with the Partnership – I took and learned and grew... start to crack open that method to change; [learning] what your boundaries are and just how you are being with your kids.”
