This mental health podcast is Kate Middleton-approved

Date August 15, 2016

HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and Patron of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, has supported the launch of a series of podcasts designed to help parents understand children’s mental health. The Duchess said: “One in three adults still say they would be embarrassed to seek help for their child’s mental health. No parent would fail to call the doctor if their child developed a fever, yet some children are tackling tough times without the support that can help them because the adults in their life are scared to ask. It doesn’t need to be like this. Throughout my work with family and child support organisations, one thing that has stood out to me time and again is that getting early support for a child who is struggling to cope is the best possible thing we can do to help our children as they grow up. Knowing this, both William and I feel very strongly that we wouldn’t hesitate to get expert support for George and Charlotte if they need it. I hope that this excellent series of podcasts by the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families will go some way to help families overcome that fear of what happens next if they look for professional support. They illustrate that many of the therapies are actually very simple and practical steps that include the whole family to help children make sense of the world around them. They show how with the right help, children have a good chance of overcoming their issues while they are still young, and can have the bright future they deserve. Please do listen, and share them with your friends and family and let’s change the way we all talk to each other about our mental health.” You can listen to the podcasts by searching for Child In Mind on the Anna Freud account iTunes or Soundcloud.

A photo posted by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on Aug 14, 2016 at 1:43am PDT

Yesterday Kate Middleton gave mental illness her much-needed support by writing a message from Kensington Palace’s Instagram account, asking her friends and followers to listen to a podcast about childhood mental health issues. Try as we may to make mental illness as easy to talk about as the stomach flu, we just aren’t there yet. We might joke about taking mental health days, but if we actually took one? Well, most people would think we’re faking it.

As adults we have the power to go to a support group or to see a therapist, but children can’t. They need a grown-up’s help to get there—and what if parents are embarrassed or ashamed to admit that their kid suffers? Well, we might end up in the place we are now.

Kate hones in on the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families’ Child in Mind podcasts, which teach parents how to deal with mental illness. Its first episode? Dealing with childhood anxiety.

We might be adults here, but the stuff that plagues us now starts early. So don’t be shy if you suffer, too—princess’s orders.

You can also find more info about common myths about anxiety and depression, the different types of treatments for mental illness, and a Canadian label that lets you wear your mental health on your sleeve (sort of).