On being both a parent and a clinician

[loretta1]

Please could you share any experiences about being both a clinician and a parent. It might be that you are a teacher yourself and can share your experience of teacher's responses to you, once knowing you are a teacher, in connection with their dealings with your child. It might be that you are a therapist with a child who has had need of specialist mental health services as an outpatient. It might be that you are a psychologist who has had need of psychiatric or psychological services for your child. You may be a nurse or a doctor or a health care professional. If your child has been an inpatient in psychiatric services, I would love to know how staff and the system has responded to knowing your profession.

[Kr1stina]

Is this an essay topic for college ? Or are you a journalist writing an article ?

[loretta1]

Hi Kristina
Oh dear. Can you or anyone advise how I can ensure that no-one thinks this. My fear now is that no-one will reply to me because they think this is either research or journalism or education driven. This had not occurred to me. I have not been on Mum's net for 5 years (when last I posted about my son). I am a psychologist and I have learnt so much since last posting about how parents of special needs children, or children with mental health needs are viewed and treated within the process of getting help for their children. As a psychologist, this has truly benefitted my own work and my relationships with parents, the fast majority of whom are incredible in their efforts to support their children towards all the independence and well-being possible for them, but who are often seen as 'troublemakers', or disruptive, or plain old boring stereotypical 'overinvolved'. This adds heartbreak to heartbreak. If anyone out there wants to train as an 'expert by experience' to attend Care Treatment Reviews (so sitting on panels which assess the treatment - particularly inpatient treatment of those with learning disabilities) PLEASE do this - you are soooo needed. This goes something to support the role of parents. I am considering doing this myself but have no idea of the process (if anyone finds out before me - please post this).
Thankyou so much Kristina for pointing out that someone might view my post as other than it is. I am a novice regarding such things.