Blog

Discover the myriad benefits of practicing gratitude for mental, emotional, and physical well-being, impacting the whole family.

By OPLM on March 5, 2024

Peer Parent Marcie has learned that healthy communication is the key to family wellness. Dr. Becky Kennedy’s strategy of repair can lead to stronger relationships.

By Marcie Steinberg on February 19, 2024

You can foster and build resilience through family bonding experiences. Clear communication and quality time are two ways to get started.

By OPLM on February 5, 2024

Discover effective strategies for promoting healthy co-parenting and crafting plans that prioritize children’s well-being, shared by peer parent Andy.

By Andy Goldstrom on January 22, 2024

For parents of young adults with mental health issues it’s critical to find the right support community and resources. When parents are supported, they can help their young adults.

By OPLM on January 8, 2024

Family dynamics change when children enter the teen years, but connection is more important than ever. Learn some new tips and tricks for the holidays!

By OPLM on December 15, 2023

When our children struggle, practicing gratitude may seem like the furthest thing from our minds. But gratitude helped this mom face life’s challenges with clarity.

By Sherine Zaky Johnson on December 5, 2023

The magic of co-regulating with our kids happens when parents share their calm with a dysregulated child.

By Beth Syverson on November 13, 2023

Autism parent support groups end isolation for parents of autistic children. They provide understanding and support, as well as important connections to tools and resources.

By OPLM on November 1, 2023

Peer Parent Teri’s son is her greatest teacher. She will continue to choose hope for him as he journeys along the recovery path.

By Teri Tollenaere on October 16, 2023

Balancing mental health and parenting responsibilities is possible and important. Addressing our needs as parents means better supporting our children.

By OPLM on October 2, 2023

Finding community with OPLM was my saving grace when my son was struggling. I feared judgment but I found acceptance instead. I knew I was no longer alone.

By Amber Nurmi on September 18, 2023

Parents helping parents can lead to families more effectively navigating the recovery journey. Find out how parent-led support groups can make all the difference.

By OPLM on September 5, 2023

Parenthood is a beautiful and rewarding journey, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. As parents, our primary concern is the well-being of our children, and when they face difficulties, we often experience a whirlwind of emotions – pain, fear, and stigma.

By Casie Fariello on August 15, 2023

“Why do I need to focus on my self care? I’m fine, because finally, my son is out of the house, he is in a robust program and soon, he’ll be back home and everything will be back to normal.” – I was perplexed why the family therapist at this program kept bringing up selfcare for me.

By York Ast on May 15, 2023

It was painful for me to see our son struggle with anxiety, depression and his attempts to self medicate with substances. I was confused and could not relate with what was going on. Our relationship continued to deteriorate and the more exasperated I became and the more I pushed him to ‘snap out of it’, the further apart we moved. It was a little more than 3 years ago that our son went to the first really effective recovery program. 

By York Ast on May 1, 2023

It’s been more than 4 years since my daughter returned home from wilderness therapy and residential treatment.  It seems like a blur, but also seems like it was yesterday we were anticipating her return and the next chapter in her and our family’s lives.

By Andy Goldstrom on April 15, 2023

When I think back to the time when our older son was struggling with his mental health and substance dependency, those experiences feel at times like they happened a long time ago – other times, it feels like a nightmare that I had just woken up from. I clearly had no idea how to deal with the fear of losing our son to the point where the sense of helplessness was numbing. When our son entered the first effective treatment program 3 years ago, I started to be hopeful in spite or because I had been in denial that I had been traumatized by our son’s struggle.

By York Ast on March 30, 2023

The Gifts

Parent Stories

This Christmas and Valentines turned out to be very special to me this year. My son came home to spend Christmas with us before he began his very first semester at the University of Arizona. He had bought us all gifts, without any prompting from me, with his own money.

By Carrie McLaughlin on March 16, 2023

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the idea of what it means to feel safe and protected. This is an area that I have always been curious about since I was a child. As a child I never wanted to be alone.

By Marcie Steinberg on February 28, 2023

When I decided in November of 2022 that I would not be contemplating resolutions for the New Year, I found some curiosity about resolution.

By Michael Fariello on February 15, 2023

Need Help Now: Let us point you in the direction of other resources. If this is an emergency, please call 911.
If you or a loved one is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call 988.