Top Takeaways:
- Why you should force yourself to seek help when you feel mentally unhealthy
- Understanding how our childhood dysfunctions affect our mental wellbeing as adults
- Understanding how different depression looks like on different people
- How the internet has led to increased anxiety and mental issues in younger generations
Ep. 53 - In her first interview, Jennifer Fink gives her thoughts on the journey of raising four boys, much of the time by herself as a single parent. She has struggled with depression, thinking that depression equals sadness and when people aren't exhibiting sadness, she felt they must be pretending. She talks about her real love, writing, and her transition, starting with journalism, to becoming an award-winning freelance writer. Surviving a divorce, home schooling, and parenting and then getting remarried, she has experience in and thoughts about many areas, including counseling, anxiety, and today's issues our children are facing.
"I like to give people information in a way they can understand so that they can be empowered to make the best possible decision for themselves and their families." -Jennifer L.W. Fink
I also interviewed her for the Coping In Crisis YouTube channel. Isolation for Jennifer is a natural habitat. With a special skillset to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic as someone who is used to working remotely, she is still finding it difficult and provides some tips to adapting time management in the home environment.
Coping with the crisis is not easy. She shares some tips on handling kids including teenagers in these uncertain times. She provides insight into the challenges she endured as a homeschooling mom and how she learned to relax to prevent burnout.
Jennifer Fink has reinvented herself several times. She spent many years working with adult medical, surgical and transplant patients in hospitals and nursing homes. She maintains a website, BuildingBoys.net, and a podcast, OnBoys, focusing on real talk about parents, teaching and reaching tomorrow's men. She has written for Fox News, The Washington Post, and Parents. She is a popular and in-demand speaker and her media appearances include The Laura Ingraham Show, Dads on Air, and The Dr. Vibe Show.
KEY MOMENTS
Jennifer describes her role as a mother of four boys, a freelance medical writer, and passionate about inspiring people with information [2:23]
She talks about her passion for scuba diving which she does for herself away from her boys [5:33]
How her role as a mom has forced her to deal with herself and become more compassionate [8:08]
How counseling helped Jennifer deal with lingering childhood dysfunctions [11:55]
Jennifer explains how her childhood struggles with perfection and responsibilities led to depression in adulthood [13:03]
She talks about her marriage to her first husband, its abrupt ending, and how she got over that ordeal [15:40]
The challenges she faced as a single mom, which ranged from finances to finding the right help [20:18]
When and how Jennifer transitioned from being a nurse to a freelance writer [22:32]
How Jennifer is afraid of not being able to protect her sons against depression and making the wrong decisions [26:05]
Why you can't be mentally healthy without support- how to work on that as an adult and share that message with your kids [29:12]
How she's preparing her boys for a more gender-equal world where all people are respected [30:38]
Why you should find the right fit in a therapist to help you deal with your depression [35:00]
Jennifer advises you to keep growing and rediscovering yourself and your talents [36:43]