Parenting Coach and Educator Says Suicide Prevention Begins in Preschool
Negative beliefs that can lead to depression and even suicidal ideation get started in early childhood, says Anne Andrew, Ph.D., author of What They Don't Teach in Prenatal Class: The Key to Raising Trouble-Free Kids and Teens
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Current suicide prevention focuses on the symptoms of impending suicide and has not been successful. Anne Andrew, Ph.D., says the focus needs to be on the cause of suicidal thinking, which is self-loathing. Self-loathing is a result of negative beliefs children pick up between birth and age eight when they are focused on themselves.
"We can't prevent children from developing negative beliefs," Anne says. "The good news is that once we are aware of them, they can be remedied at any age."
She says the antidote to negative beliefs is the deep understanding that we all have inherent worth.
Anne offers five things parents can do now to reduce suicide risks later:
- Understand the difference between inherent worth and self-esteem
- Help children to label their feelings
- Utilize techniques to bolster a child's understanding of his or her inherent worth
- Work on their own negative beliefs to remove the barriers they have to loving their children unconditionally
- Have a sense of purpose as a family
Anne wrote What They Don't Teach in Prenatal Class because of her experience as the mother of a troubled teenager. In seeking a way to help her daughter, she learned valuable insights she wished she'd known when her children were still young. Although the book is written for parents of children of any age, it is particularly useful for those who worry about a family history of depression or addiction.
Praise for What They Don't Teach in Prenatal Class
"Read this book, reread this book and practice the steps Anne Andrew teaches here and you will find that child rearing becomes in so many ways a perfect vehicle for self-healing."— Diederik Wolsak, founder, Choose Again, author Choose Again: Six Steps to Freedom
"This book will provide you with Anne's toolbox of strategies that I have used with my wild and energetic boys. I now have a more loving approach to both my family and myself and we have all blossomed as a result."—Roanna Glickman, parent and teacher
"This is a profound and authentic book that can change your life. Because Anne Andrew had the courage to see her child's behavior problems as 'cries for love,' they became opportunities for growth for both her and her child. Here are wise words from someone who learned the hard way how to raise a child with an inherent sense of worth."—Peggy O'Mara, founder and editor of Mothering magazine and www.peggyomara.com
About the Author
Anne Andrew spent 20 years as a school principal at Temple Sholom in Vancouver, Canada. She is a Choose Again facilitator, parenting coach and speaker who presents workshops in the US, Canada and Europe. Find out more about her at www.anneandrew.com.
Contact: Anne Andrew, (604) 263-8751 (home) and (604) 720-2776 (mobile); [email protected]
SOURCE Anne Andrew
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