Table of Contents for Parenting Through the Storm by Ann Douglas

The table of contents for Parenting Through the Storm: How to Handle the Highs, the Lows, and Everything in Between by Ann Douglas (HarperCollins, January 2015), a guide to parenting a child who has a mental health, neurodevelopmental, or behavioural challenge.

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Introduction 

Why I wrote this book

Who this book is for

A quick note about language

How to navigate through this book

PART I: THE CHALLENGE AND YOUR CHILD

Chapter 1. Parent Radar 

What can I do if I suspect my child has a mental health,

neurodevelopmental, or behavioural challenge?

How you may be feeling

Taking care of yourself

Chapter 2. Obtaining a Diagnosis 

Beginning your quest for answers: the doctor

Beginning your quest for answers: the school

Private assessment

If you’re dealing with a crisis situation

The truth about labels

The waiting game

What to do while you wait

You have the diagnosis: Now what?

What if you don’t agree with the diagnosis?

Talking with your child about the diagnosis

How you may be feeling

Confronting stigma

The blame game

What you can do to help now

How to get support

Chapter 3. Starting Treatment 

Making decisions about treatment

What’s on the therapy menu?

Hospital-based treatment and residential treatment

The great medication debate

Talking to your child about treatment

What to do if you’re worried about the effectiveness of treatment

What to do if you’re worried about the quality of treatment

How to get support

Chapter 4. Advocating for Your Child 

Checklist: record-keeping for advocacy purposes

Feeling let down by the system

Finding other allies in the quest for better care

Staying strong

PART II: YOU AND YOUR CHILD

Chapter 5. Stress Management and Coping Skills

Shifting your thinking

Boosting positive emotion

Learning how to relax

Other mind and body practices

Chapter 6. Parents Can Make a Difference

Building on the loving attachment between you and your child

Being your child’s voice

Validating your child’s emotions

Creating a predictable environment

Being a positive parent

Fostering confidence in your child

Practising mindful parenting

Moving forward

Chapter 7. Calming the Raging Storm 

Raising an emotionally literate child

What you can do

Handling angry outbursts

Helping your child to manage feelings of anxiety

This is your child’s brain on emotions

You have the power

PART III: YOUR FAMILY

Chapter 8. Family Matters

Taking care of your other children

Staying connected as a couple

Creating a circle of support

Chapter 9. Lifestyle Matters 

How sleep can improve mental health

How exercise can improve mental health

How play can improve mental health

How nutrition can improve mental health

What you can do

PART IV : YOUR COMMUNITY

Chapter 10. Working with Your Child’s School 

 The types of difficulties your child might be experiencing at school

Putting supports in place: what you can expect from your school

Working with your child’s teachers

Working through the tough stuff

Discipline revisited

To high school and beyond

Chapter 11. The Friendship Department 

Helping your child learn how to make and keep friends

How being bullied affects mental health

Why children with mental health, neurodevelopmental, or behavioural

challenges are more likely to be bullied

Why some children with mental health, neurodevelopmental, or

behavioural challenges are more likely to bully other children

What you can do to reduce the chance that your child will become

a bully or a victim

Chapter 12. Finding Community 

Seeking support

Taking a break

Finding allies at work

PART V: RECOVERY AND BEYOND

Chapter 13. Destination: Recovery 

What recovery means

Emphasizing love and acceptance is key

Celebrating successes along the way

Dealing with setbacks

Handling a crisis

Communicating with your child during a crisis

Hopes and dreams revisited

Endings and beginnings

Chapter 14. Creating a Better System

A system that emphasizes prevention and early treatment

A system that makes sense to families

A system that treats parents as partners

A system that allows for seamless transitions between the adolescent

and adult mental health care systems

A system that works for people who are struggling with concurrent

disorders

A system that is accessible to everyone

A system that is adequately funded

Epilogue: After the Storm 

Appendix A: Glossary 

Appendix B: Directory of Resources 

Appendix C: Directory of Disorders 

Acknowledgements

Index