About Palliative ParentingTM

About Palliative ParentingTM

Palliative ParentingTM from CMHRC

Palliative ParentingTM from CMHRC

Palliative ParentingTM is an approach to parenting that was developed by the community of the Children’s Mental Health Resource Center. After years of working with families struggling to manage mental health disorders it became clear to Elizabeth and Jenn that a new approach, a new thought process, and a new paradigm in parenting was necessary to support not only kids and teens with mental illness, but their parents as well. We call that, Palliative ParentingTM.

Some people are confused by this term because they think the word ‘palliative’ only refers to the end of life, but it doesn’t. The word palliate means, ‘to ease symptoms or moderate intensity.’ Mom, Stefanie, explains, “People often think of ‘palliative’ as being about death, but it isn’t. It’s not about end of life it’s about quality of life. Parenting your child this way improves yours and your child’s quality of life.”

The philosophy of Palliative ParentingTM focuses on improving quality of life for ourselves and our children, both in the moment and in the future. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Lisa, explains, “It can be as simple as doing what’s needed for your child in the moment, rather than what any outside expectations are.”

Co-creator Elizabeth, says, “Many parents have spent their whole parenting lives trying to fit themselves and their children into the expectations of others, namely that they need to ‘make their children behave’. Palliative ParentingTM puts the focus back on what the child actually needs to thrive, which is a parent who is in the moment with them, helping them through their struggle, showing kindness, empathy, and acceptance.” And as co-creator Jennifer always says, Palliative ParentingTM helps us realize and remember that, “regardless of where we are, or what we’re making a decision about, (medical, school, discipline, friends, activities, family life) we’re making decisions about quality of life.”

We’re glad you’ll be joining us on this journey bring joy and peace back into your home. Because Palliative ParentingTM is about being the parent that you would want if you were in your child’s shoes.

Palliative ParentingTM Creators

Palliative ParentingTM Creators

Elizabeth Errico

Founder & Executive Director

Elizabeth founded CMHRC after more than 20 years as a mental health professional with a varied, decades long, career in the fields of counseling psychology, education, and psychiatry. Throughout those years she saw the desperate need of children and families who struggle to find answers and support from a complex mental healthcare system that often ignores or minimizes their concerns.

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Jennifer Sevick

Clinical Director

Jennifer, is a founding staff member of CMHRC and a Licensed Independent Social Worker who has over twenty years of experience working with children, families, and individuals.

Jennifer has worked in a variety of settings which include community mental health centers, medical practices, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, private practice…

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Elizabeth Errico

CMHRC Executive Director

Elizabeth founded CMHRC after more than 20 years as a mental health professional with a varied, decades long, career in the fields of counseling psychology, education, and psychiatry. Throughout those years she saw the desperate need of children and families who struggle to find answers and support from a complex mental healthcare system that often ignores or minimizes their concerns. CMHRC grew out of the awareness that these families and their providers deserve better access to information, resources, and expert guidance as they seek accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

Prior to founding CMHRC Elizabeth spent more than 3 years as the Executive Director of the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation (JBRF) where she designed, implemented, and ran outreach, education, and advocacy programs for families and practitioners. She is a licensed mental health counselor and psychotherapist with extensive experience working with individuals, couples, and families. In addition to the years she spent in private practice, Elizabeth was also a provider in the partial hospitalization program (PHP) at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and worked as an intensive out-patient (IOP) provider at Somerset Treatment Services substance abuse treatment center. She taught undergraduate psychology at Kean University for nearly a decade, and has worked as a consultant to nonprofit organizations advising on positive team-building and productive internal communication processes.

Elizabeth earned a BA in psychology from Georgetown University. She attended Columbia University, Teachers College for graduate school where she earned Master’s Degrees in both psychological counseling (MA) and in counseling and education (Ed.M.). In graduate school she studied under Dr. Robert T. Carter, author of The Influence of Race and Racial Identity Theory in Psychotherapy and Measuring the Effects of Racism. Elizabeth did her graduate internship at The Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center in New York City in their HIV/AIDS bereavement program counseling those who’d recently recently lost a loved one as well as those recently diagnosed with a terminal illness. She is a member of the American Counseling Association and the National Board of Certified Counselors.

Jennifer Sevick

CMHRC Clinical Director

Jennifer, is a founding staff member of CMHRC and a Licensed Independent Social Worker who has over twenty years of experience working with children, families, and individuals.

Jennifer has worked in a variety of settings which include community mental health centers, medical practices, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, private practice, and end of life care with older adults. Building on the varied skills she learned while working in hospice settings, Jennifer continues to embrace a palliative approach to her work with individuals and families who are impacted by mental illness.
In 2012, her child was diagnosed with early onset pediatric bipolar disorder at the age of six. Since then, Jennifer has immersed herself in studying how to identify and effectively treat bipolar disorder throughout the lifespan. She brings her personal and professional expertise to CMHRC after volunteering with the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation (JBRF). She hosts discussions related to mood disorders in children and provides support to parents and caregivers of people living with bipolar disorder.

In addition to her work with CMHRC she is building a private practice centered on persons living with mood disorders, chronic life threatening illness, grief, and caregiver support.

Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Georgia and a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina. In 2023 Jenn received the ‘Mental Health Advocate of the Year’ Award from Mental Health America’s South Carolina chapter.