TW: Mental Health, Codependency, Suicide
Kelly and Abigail White share their story about how they came through their darkest hour to offer a beacon of hope for others. Their story highlights the importance of the mother daughter bond, especially when it comes to mental health and healing.
In 2012 Abigail had a plan to end her life.
The only thing that stopped her was the thought of leaving her mother behind. Together, Kelly and Abigail navigated a difficult journey of self-discovery, healing and empowerment.
Abigail discusses her ability to mask her emotions and Kelly shares how her own struggles with mental health issues helped her to accept the reality of her daughter's experience.
We discuss how the first step in healing is often acceptance--accepting reality, each other and most importantly, ourselves. We also talk about what it looked like to work WITH their challenges as mother and daughter instead of fighting.
Kelly and Abigail remind us that progress is not linear and that learning and growth are often messy. Communication and understanding often doesn't come easily, and it's important to be willing to try and fail and try again to improve.
The story of this mother and daughter journey encourages us to look at our own relationships, make some intentional and powerful adjustments when it comes to communication and approach challenges with empathy, especially within close relationships.
If you've ever faced your own mental health crisis or supported someone else, this interview will remind you that you are stronger than you think, braver than you believe and not nearly as alone as you might feel.
For more from Kelly & Abigail, visit themotherdaughterjourney.com
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