Episode 549: Heidi Bartle, Author “When Mommy Feels Sad”

My friend Heidi Bartle (Active LDS, Mother of 5, BYU Grad) shares her story of waves of unexplained sadness which led to a diagnosis of depression and a further diagnosis in 2012 of bipolar. With the encouragement of a therapist, Heidi opened up to her children (ages 5 – 15 at the time) about her mental illness. That helped reduce the shame and sigma and normalized having a mental illness (just like having an allergy or asthma). That led to Heidi to write a groundbreaking children’s book called “When Mommy Feels Sad: A Mother’s Journey Through Depression” which is at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Mommy-Feels-Sad-Depression/dp/1638859787 If you are a parent with a mental illness, Heidi’s book and this podcast will help you. If you have someone in your life with a mental illness, Heidi’s insights will help you. There are so many wonderful segments in the podcast including the ending about deliverance being both a process along the way and a final event. You are one of my new heroes Heidi. Thanks for your courage to share your story. You are giving hope and better tools to so many.