At the end of this mini-series, we will host a Q&A episode where Barbara will answer questions from the community. To submit your question, please visit

https://srna.ngo/submit

In the second part of the “Ask the Expert, Research Edition” mini-series, “Parenting is Hard,” Barbara Babcock shared more about her research on how parents navigate the needs of their non-diagnosed children alongside those of a child with a rare neuroimmune disorder. She described the demographic details of the participating families and the process of recruiting participants for the study [00:02:25]. Barbara highlighted her unique perspective and the potential biases she brought to the research as a non-parent [00:05:33]. She emphasized the importance of honesty and vulnerability in sharing experiences, as well as focusing on the strengths of families facing these challenges [00:09:46].

Barbara Babcock works as a Family Therapist in a child and adolescent mental health outpatient unit in the United Kingdom's National Health Service. In her private practice, she works with individuals and couples who are navigating challenging health issues and wish to get their lives back. She obtained her Master of Science in Family Therapy from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King's College London. Barbara also has a Master of Arts in Coaching Psychology/Psychological Coaching and her dissertation research focused on the impact that a systemic approach to coaching has on the wellbeing of adults who have a rare neuroimmune disorder and their primary caregivers. Previously, she was Chair of the Transverse Myelitis Society, from 2013 to 2016, and led their Family Weekend from 2015 to 2019, an event to support families who have a child/adolescent with a rare neuroimmune disorder to discover their potential through challenging outdoor activities. She had transverse myelitis in 2008 and is originally from Pennsylvania, USA. You can contact her at barbara@returntowellness.co.uk and her website is www.returntowellness.co.uk

00:00 Introduction

01:29 Overview of Barbara's Research

02:25 Participant Demographics and Methodology

05:33 Researcher’s Perspective and Bias

09:46 Themes and Insights from the Research

12:24 Conclusion