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Parents are constantly explaining things to their kids. It’s not always easy though, particularly if a family member is struggling with a mental illness. Making a broken arm clear to them is one thing, depression, an anxiety disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder quite another. “Many parents shy away from it,” says paediatric psychotherapist Anja Lorenz, because “there’s no standard procedure” on how to do it. So they’ve got to use their imagination. Children, even young ones, usually sense when Mama, Papa, an uncle or grandmother isn’t well, Lorenz says, adding that “parents are often sur…

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