Natalie is a 43-year-old mother of two high-school aged children. Natalie is currently on short-term disability. Her son was recently diagnosed with a severe mental health issue, which has resulted in him being taken out of school. She is feeling overwhelmed and displaying unhelpful thought patterns about her ability to raise and support her children. Natalie has stopped all forms of self-care and is no longer using coping mechanisms that she once found useful. Instead, she is constantly seeking reassurance from those around her, is drinking more, and is avoiding socializing.
Natalie comes into the BounceBack program feeling anxious and uncertain about her and her family’s future.
With the help of her coach, Natalie learns a number of practical skills to help her overcome her anxiety and gain confidence to better support herself and her family.
She learns how to:
- Notice her unhelpful thoughts using the steps outlined in the program and discover how to respond differently to her family situation.
- Gain more self-awareness about her mental health, which has given her space to make small improvements in her life. By joining a book club and walking group, she’s starting to maintain social relationships that had been deteriorating. Her renewed confidence and resilience have afforded her more energy and resources to better support her family.
- Prioritize and break down tasks into smaller pieces. This includes mapping out a task list that’s manageable, achievable, and practical for her family to move forward with her son’s recovery.