When my teenage daughter became suicidal in 2015, it was the darkest time of my life. But out of adversity grew the most wonderful connections and change.  

In 2016, appalled by the lack of support for parents of young people with mental health issues or acknowledgement of the scale of the challenge, I started a community. I wanted other parents going through what I was experiencing to have the kind of space I’d needed – judgement free, safe, understanding, compassionate and full of hard won lived experience. I wanted them to feel the kind of empathy that can be in short supply when your child suffers with poor mental health. I wanted them to understand the vital role parents have to influence the severity and duration of a child’s mental illness. I needed them to know they weren’t alone. There was help and there was hope. 

And through this, I was reminded of the power of community to connect, challenge and change us individually and collectively; of the power of language to influence behaviour; and how we can be on different sides of the world, from different backgrounds, with different opinions and still be kind and still belong together. 

In 2018, Facebook acknowledged my work and named me one of the world’s most meaningful community leaders, awarding me a Fellowship.

In 2019, I signed a publishing contract with Penguin RandomHouse.

In 2020, I received charity status for Parenting Mental Health and we supported over 20,000 families around the world to cope better with the challenges of poor mental health. My book ‘Never Let Go’ was published and I was also honoured to win the Digital Mother of the Year award.

In 2021, I intend to continue to support families battling mental illness and build a bigger network of change that includes policy makers and healthcare professionals. I want to help and support organisations to understand the power of community and how it impacts and influences interaction, and to help them grow positive, impactful spaces. 

Can you help me, or can I help you?

Get in touch if you think we should speak, or if you’d like to discuss Parenting Mental Health, community consulting, speaking opportunities, or other creative collaborations.

Or changing the world. I’m always up for a chat about that!