The Mindstorm is a blog about my life raising a child diagnosed with Childhood Onset Schizophrenia, and my advocacy work for families raising children with serious mental illnesses.
Biography
Chrisa Hickey is an author, speaker, and advocate specializing in supporting families raising children with serious mental illnesses like childhood onset schizophrenia, childhood onset bipolar disorder, and severe depression.
Chrisa began her advocacy work when her son Timothy was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of eleven. She began her blog, The Mindstorm, in 2009, and shortly reached more than 3,000 readers a week. Ms. Hickey has been writing and speaking to medical professionals, social workers, law enforcement, and school administrators about serious mental illness, the challenges of raising special needs children, the complexities of finding quality mental healthcare in Rural America, and mental health advocacy for over a 15 years.
She has published articles in Redbook Magazine, BringChange2Mind.org and NPR.org, as well as been interviewed on CNN, NPR, the Ricki Lake Show, and dozens of podcasts about her advocacy work, mental health stigma, healthcare legislation, and parenting.
Ms. Hickey lives on the shores of Green Bay in Northeast Wisconsin with her husband of 36 years, their two rescue dogs, and a dozen chickens.
Her book, “Raising Crazy: Essays and Anecdotes on Parenting a Child with Schizophrenia,” is looking for a publisher.
Description
Chrisa began blogging when her therapist suggested she journal her feelings and thoughts about raising a child with a severe mental health condition. Her blog, The Mindstorm, catalogs the day-to-day triumphs and tribulations of raising Timothy, as well as articles on fighting mental health stigma, navigating the Special Education system, sibling issues, and parental self-care.
Awards
Her blog reaches nearly 3,000 readers a week, and has received several acknowledgements, including the Wellsphere Top Health Blogger Award, Mental Health Hero Award, Most Touching Blog from WEGO Health, and it was named one of the Top50 Blogs for Special Needs Teachers by OnlineUniversities.com.
In 2018, Chrisa received an award from WEGO Health for Advocating for Another.