Child And Adolescent Coping Skills

When a family member has a mental illness, everyone in the household can be affected. Children and adolescents are often the least prepared to deal with the emotional challenges of living with and caring for a loved one who has a mental illness. Or maybe you have a friend, teammate or neighbor who has a mental illness.

This Web site can help. We have spoken with kids just like you who are having their own issues growing up with a family member or friend who has a mental illness, and we have put together tips and activities that address your needs. That's right: you are not alone.

It is important for you to learn how to deal with your family member's illness, so that you can keep yourself as healthy and happy as possible. This Web site offers many coping skills geared especially toward youth, and will tell you about resources available for you and your peers.

Edie Mannion, Manager and Co-Founder of the Training & Education Center,, a program of the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, has led a collaborative initiative that developed a coping skills workshop and training manual for school age children growing up with mental illness in the family and their parents/caregivers. The workshop is designed to help children understand mental illness, express how it has affected them and their families, and distinguish between healthy and unhealthy ways of coping, while also helping their parents and caregivers to reinforce ideas taught in the workshop.

For help or information call
215-751-1800 ext. 229 or email kids@mhasp.org