Hold on Tight

Amazon Bestseller ~ #1 in Autism

Hold on Tight

A Parent's Journey Raising Children with Mental Illness

by Jan Stewart

A Mom’s Choice Awards® Recipient and Today’s Parent Columnist

Jan Stewart’s book is an intimate account of raising two children with mental illnesses. It describes, from a parent’s point of view, the rollercoaster journey from hope to terror, and back again, as the children go to school and grow up to be young adults with jobs. It has not been easy. Stewart, a corporate executive, tells how she and her husband struggled to raise the children, find the right professional help, schools, jobs, and housing. She talks frankly about the toll it has taken on her marriage, her family, and social life, and she offers invaluable advice, from the voice of deep experience, to parents of children with mental illnesses.

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Sarah Barlow Scottsarah@barlowbooks.com

Illustrations

Praise

Events

January 25, 2023Torys LLP:  Bell Let’s Talk speaker
January 26, 2023Dunblaine School: keynote parental speaker
February 8, 2023

Children’s Mental Health Ontario: Featured speaker and panel facilitator during their annual (virtual) conference

February 15, 2023Mabin School, along with UTS: Featured speaker at community event
February 17, 2023

TELUS Health: Presenter at annual Employers Connect virtual conference

March 7, 2023

Tourette Association of America: Featured speaker at Youth Ambassador and Rising Leaders Program in Washington, D.C.

March 8, 2023Montcrest School: Featured speaker at parental event
March 9, 2023Speaker at small parental conference in Mississauga
March 16, 2023Presentation to the Danforth Family Network
April 6, 2023

Kerry’s Place Autism Services: Keynote speaker at virtual community event

April 24, 2023Community Living Toronto Family and Friends Update: Featured speaker
May 2, 2023

Conversation with Jan Stewart, Hold on Tight: A Parent’s Journey Raising Neurodiverse Children, Air Canada

May 15, 2023

Tourette Canada, 2023 Tourette Awareness Month webinar:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL82jkXjYTA

May 20, 2023For the Tourette Association of America national Tic-Con 2023 conference, Jan presented “A Parent’s Roller Coaster Journey With Her Children’s Tourette Syndrome: From Anguish and Fear to Inspiration and Empowerment”
June 7, 2023Tourette Canada Quarterly Webinar Series: Featured speaker

Media Roundup

Jan Stewart and her son Andrew are interviewed on Breakfast TV

Authority Magazine, Mental Health Champions: Why & How Author Jan Stewart Is Helping to Champion Mental Wellness

  • https://medium.com/authority-magazine/mental-health-champions-why-how-author-jan-stewart-is-helping-to-champion-mental-wellness-c3ba89887fd9″

Editor’s List: Authority Magazine’s Favorite ‘Five Things Videos’ About Mental Health Champions

Authority Magazine, How to Raise Children Who Feel Loved and Connected series

  • https://bit.ly/3Gg2NPB

Podcast: Let’s Have This Conversation, with Kevin McShan

  • https://anchor.fm/kevin-mcshan/episodes/Mental-Health-Advocate-Jan-Stewart-Is-On-a-Mission-to-Provide-Hope-e1sab3l/a-a925q2a

Podcast: The Parental Compass, with Bobby Williams

Dr. April Givens, PhD, Tips for Parents of Children with Mental Health Disorders

Twitter: Dr. April Givens, PhD

  • https://mobile.twitter.com/DrAprilGivens/status/1612184684405874689?cxt=HHwWgoCzpbjb0N8sAAAA

Instagram: Dr. April Givens, PhD

  • https://www.instagram.com/p/CnP_KJBjTC8/

International OCD Foundation Winter Newsletter, Volume 36, Issue 4: Hold on Tight: A Parent’s Rollercoaster Journey with her Son’s OCD, published December 28, 2022

The Parental Compass, Bobby Williams, videoed December 19, 2022, aired December 28, 2022

Navigating the Spectrum, Michele Portlock, aired January 15, 2023

Authority Magazine, Self-Care & Mental Wellness, published February 5, 2023

Pursuing Uncomfortable, Melissa Ebken, aired February 8, 2023

Jan Stewart and her son Andrew are interviewed on Breakfast TV

Hold On Tight is a recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award

  • The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for parents and educators and is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. Using a rigorous evaluation process, entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal and cost. Around the world, parents, educators, retailers and members of the media trust the MCA Honoring Excellence seal when selecting quality products and services for families and children.

Jan Stewart writes her first article as a Today’s Parent columnist

  • www.todaysparent.com/family/special-needs/what-is-autism/

The podcast "5 Minutes to Change Your Life," with host Joanne Mallon, aired March 16

Atypical Parenting podcast

CADDAC (Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada) April 14, 2023, newsletter

Hope Sparks Network, April 14, 2023

CIBC

  • 5-part interview video series, to be filmed April or May 2023

Today's Parent

Today's Parent

Authority Magazine

Employee Benefit News

Shining with ADHD, hosted by The Childhood Collective

The Healthy Debate Show podcast

Lily Coco’s Mom Your Own Way podcast

  • https://lilybcoco.com/podcast

"Unsinkable Resilience and The Importance of Self-Care Raising Neurodivergent Children" appeared on Silken Laumann’s charitable organization Unsinkable

  • https://www.weareunsinkable.com/unsinkable-adult-heroes/the-importance-of-self-care-raising-neurodivergent-children

Today's Parent

  • https://www.todaysparent.com/family/special-needs/can-autism-be-inherited/

Excerpt