ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katrina C. Pratcher is a former secondary education, retired PMHNP-BC(Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Board Certified) and is an author. She is also an intimate relationships life coach working specifically with couples who are cohabitating, engaged and married to restructure, rebuild and move forward in their best relationship. She also presents at public speaking events. Mental illness, though very common yet often stigmatized, often emerges in childhood. Parents are coming to the realization that it is not a process the child will “outgrow”, and the condition requires professional intervention.
The children in these stories have symptoms of mental illness or they are observing someone who has.
It is my goal to help parents, responsible adults in the child’s life and other children to recognize and seek help for children who need to grow into secure and successful adults. People with mental illness can live a wholesome life, but rarely does o without appropriate intervention. Pay attention, get help and help the young ones grow into their best life.
MENTAL ILLNESS IS REAL AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE
4mime.com MIME, mental illness made easier, is a compilation of stories about children who have symptoms of mental illness OR who are observing someone with a mental disorder. The stories should be read by responsible adults, such as parents, teachers, school nurses, therapists etc. to children so that the child begins to learn and understand human behavior earlier in life. As a PMHNP-BC, (psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner board certified), I understand that “mentally ill children grow up to be mentally ill adults”. Our lifespans are expanded. We will be adults far longer than children.
We benefit by learning about realities and adaptation earlier in our lives. If you suspect a child in your universe may be showing confusing symptoms, or you might need more understanding of that child’s behavior, contact a provider who can help. More people are coming forward to publicly acknowledge the fear and shame they have lived in. Get the information and assistance needed to live long and live strong.
DEDICATION
These stories are dedicated to the millions and perhaps billions of people on this planet who are living with and / or are affected by mental illness. You should take care to see if you realize some of the symptoms in your beloved youth. There are many diagnoses classified by mood, thought and personality disorders. These conditions often appear in childhood but are frequently not realized as parents tend to think that children will outgrow the symptoms. Please note that left untreated, MENTALLY ILL CHILDREN GROW UP TO BECOME MENTALLY ILL ADULTS. I commend, respect and offer gratitude to the mental health providers who care for those with symptoms. Also, these books are dedicated to the best child adolescent psychiatrist of our time.
Thank you, Dr. Richard Kotomori Jr., for your intelligence, commitment to mental health and your compassion for children. You make the world better.
Deep gratitude to our Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD. for educating our nation regarding the negative influences of social media on our children.
