Hi Mickey, just want to let you know that I’m reading your book at the moment. and ’m finding it very hard to put down. You are a very caring woman and a brilliant writer. Love you❤️

WOW, just finished the book and am so amazed at your ‘s and Jesse’s journey. I’m probably one of those people that would have said that a smack was needed and who is the parent here, but you have opened my eyes to a much different way of seeing things. Love your work and would love to read your other books.

What a story what a family You drew me in. I related in so many ways. Michelle, the fact that I know you and met family and friends I am in awe. This book will give hope to so many families. That as the Beatles said All you need is love. That book is going to take you into so many places , I am so lucky to know you Lizzy

A story of life and love.
Thirteen and underwater tells the story of a Mother’s love for her son , struggling with mental illnesses and everything that entails.
The impacts on family and friends are well documented.
Compelling, !

Brave and intensely emotional, this is the true story of a mother’s experience as she navigates her son’s world of anxiety and depression. Ms Weitering takes the reader through his childhood and shares deeply personal increments of their life together. Told with blunt honesty and a touch of humour, readers will find themselves moved by details stemming from childhood bullying by children to adults outside the immediate family group. Not only should they have known better, they were the ones she thought would offer support. The plight of a mother desperate to help her son and their family understand a situation in which they were figuratively drowning will even draw those who haven’t experienced these issues.

For those whose reality is anxiety and depression or live with someone they love who fights an internal battle every day, reading of another person’s experiences could make a huge difference. Imagine feeling less alone because you’ve connected with something you’ve read? Or because you’ve been in the same situation and understood exactly where the author was coming from and recognising the events in your own circumstances.

Ms Weitering’s openness and candour invites the reader into her world, draws you down into the heartache of not only herself but also her son’s. Her story leaves you with if not a deeper understanding, then certainly a more compassionate one. The author hopes that by sharing her story there might be one family who acts a little kinder to itself and finds the courage to seek help. I’m of the opinion this story will reach so many more.

Depression and anxiety are real world, modern day struggles—more than at any other time in history we face higher societal challenges and pressures, harder working lives and more distractions than ever before in these technologically driven, fast paced times. Michelle Weitering has eloquently captured the struggles of this modern age through intimate snapshots and portraits of familial anxiety and resultant depression. Through the wise eyes of a mother in charge she brings us candidly into her home, and into the uphill battles she faces in preparing two sons for this harsh, cruel world. Thirteen and Underwater is deftly written, and Weitering shines an honest light on anxiety and depression —with a keen emphasis on being kinder, reminding us all to come more from a place of forgiveness through understanding, which the world desperately needs to hear.

I found this book so relevant to the goings-on in today's society and the pressures that young people face on a day-to-day basis. The author has approached this heart-wrenching journey on such a positive and inspirational note that will be relatable to those suffering from a mental illness, or those in the role of caring for someone that is suffering from mental illness. It was written in such a way that although at times I had tears, I also had constant laughter. An engaging easy read.