Mental Health
Helping Your Teen Cope With Stress
Stress comes in many forms. It can be anxiety before a test, a burdensome load of homework every night, or a big game on the weekend. It can be dealing with family conflict or difficult peer relationships. It can stem…
Self-Esteem: Building Up Your Child’s Self Worth
Self-esteem is defined as “the confidence in one’s own worth or abilities, or self-respect.” Plainly, it is the way in which a person views oneself, and it can be positive or negative. In children, self-esteem is a core value for…
Seasonal Affective Disorder in Children -Ways to Help SAD Kids
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a common disorder in both older children and adults. It is not simply “winter blues” that is experienced by many as the days become darker and colder, but an actual mental health diagnosis. It…
Suicide – It’s Not Just An “Adult” Problem
Every year during Well-Child-Checkups starting at age 11, preteens and teenagers are given a screening form for depression and anxiety. Many practices (including my own) use a screen called PHQ-9. This short form asks patients to rate how often they…
Play Therapy – Counseling for Young Children
Unfortunately, traumatic and socially disruptive events affect children – even young children – just like they affect adults. The medical term for this is Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, and there is growing evidence that ACEs can lead to harmful…
Anger – It’s Okay to be Mad
Beginning at a very young age, children express anger. You see it in toddlers throwing tantrums, in school age kids lashing out physically, and in both verbal and physical exchanges in teenagers. Children experience anger for many reasons – often…
Eating Disorders in Teens
Eating disorders are more well known than they used to be, but there are still many misconceptions surrounding them. There are several types of eating disorders that demonstrate symptoms in different ways, which we will discuss today. It is important…
ADHD in Children – An Overview
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a mental health disorder that is common among school-aged children. It results in higher than normal activity levels, difficulty controlling impulses, and poor attention spans. This causes difficulty in school, at home, and…
