It’s Brain Disease, Not Bad Parenting: A Mother’s Story of Love, Loss, and Advocacy

Dawn shared her personal story as a mother and advocate for children with serious mental illness. Dawn described her experiences with her two adopted sons, detailing the challenges they faced with autism, seizures, and other mental health issues, and the lack of support from the mental health system, schools, and law enforcement. She recounted the traumatic events leading to the death of her younger son, Garet, and the mistreatment they received from police and medical professionals. Dawn emphasized the stigma and isolation faced by families dealing with mental health issues, the need for better resources and training, and her efforts to create support through Garet's Place and grief coaching for other parents. Jennifer expressed empathy and discussed the importance of addressing stigma and improving mental health services. Contact Info for Dawn: https://www.garetsplace.comIf you or someone you know needs support:988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to chat with a trained crisis counselor. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7 throughout the United States and its territories. Crisis Text Line: Text HOME or HOLA to 741741 for free, confidential crisis support, available 24/7. Visit crisistextline.org.Immediate danger: If someone is in immediate danger or experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency services.Mental health treatment and family support:SAMHSA Treatment Locator: Search for mental health and substance-use treatment services at FindTreatment.gov.NAMI HelpLine: Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or text NAMI to 62640, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Eastern. Learn about NAMI Family Support Groups and the free NAMI Family-to-Family educational program.