Conversations With Cinthia

When we love someone who struggles with a mental illness, we may want desperately to help but not know what to do.  Sometimes we wonder if we are making things worse.  Today Cinthia starts a week on the topic of helping people we love who struggle with mental illness.  She begins with an acknowledgement that relationships in which mental illness is present can involve a lot of unintended harm; not only can those with mental illness sometimes cause negative consequences to themselves or others, but those who love them can unintentionally cause harm to the person struggling.  She encourages forgiveness (of others and ourselves), seeking to understand the reality of the situation, and working through grief and loss to reach acceptance.  She also emphasizes that healthy relationships (not enabling or codependent ones) can play important and helpful roles for people seeking greater mental health.  Join Cinthia to begin a great week on a topic that often receives too little attention.