Child & Adolescent Related Content

Podcast: Overcoming Perfectionism in Kids & Teens

Jenn talks to Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale about identifying and addressing perfectionism in kids and teens. Elizabeth explains the varying signs and symptoms of perfectionism, shares short- and long-term impacts of unaddressed perfectionism, and answers audience questions about how we can teach our...

Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder in Teens

Being a teenager is difficult. Teens go through many changes, including social and educational changes and hormonal mood swings. Sometimes teens act without thinking if they will get into trouble, with out-of-character actions, thoughts, and feelings all being part of the typical teen experience...

Understanding Child Abuse and Its Effects on Mental Health

Children are among the most vulnerable people in our society. This is true across continents, cultures, financial situations, and ethnicities. Our youth are a precious resource and one we should guard carefully. Unfortunately, many kids are at risk of or are currently experiencing child abuse. While...

Podcast: Redefining Self-Care in Kids & Teens

Jeff talks to Dr. Jennie Kuckertz about the importance of self-care among children and adolescents, and how to incorporate self-care into the daily lives of kids and teens. Jennie shares ways to explore different types of age-appropriate self-care, explains the short- and long-term benefits of self...

Supporting Children & Teens on the Autism Spectrum

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that impacts an individual’s ability to interact and communicate with other people and the surrounding world. Like other diagnoses that can affect mental health, autism can vary widely in its scope and severity. Autism is a very common...

Video: Helping Kids & Teens Manage Their Stress

There’s no one way to describe what stress looks or feels like for a child. Often kids don’t have the words to describe how they’re feeling, and so stress can manifest as many emotions or reactions that we may not assume are attributed to being stressed. Being overloaded with stress or not knowing...

Podcast: Helping Kids & Teens Manage Their Stress

Scott talks to Dr. Lisa Coyne about what stress looks like in kids and adolescents and how parents, educators, and providers can help address it. Lisa shares ways to identify stress in kids of all ages, explains common sources of stress both in and out of the home, and provides tips and tricks for...

Video: How Can We Support Child and Teen Mental Health?

Kids lead busy lives—and with the pandemic, it seems as if things are changing on any given day. With the unpredictability of COVID-19, school, extracurricular activities, and more, children and adolescents may be struggling to feel like they have any control. Adults are juggling all of the same...

Podcast: Preparing Teens for Life After High School

Scott talks to Mr. Ethan Solomon and Ms. Jena Mazzetti about how students and their caregivers can prepare for life after high school. Ethan and Jena offer advice to counter the stressors of preparing for college, share ways to be supportive of students without being overbearing, and answer...

Podcast: Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Latinx Teens

Scott talks to Dr. Fairlee Fabrett about how to identify and meet the unique mental health needs of Latinx adolescents. Fairlee discusses why Latinx teens may not seek mental health help, offers ways to help combat the stigma around mental health in the Latinx community, and answers audience...

Video: Gearing Up Your Kids for a Mentally Healthy Summer

After another disrupted school year, kids are adapting to the next new normal: summer vacation. Since screen times have been sky-high, social activities have been disrupted, and outdoor gatherings have been limited, maintaining child and teen mental health may require a little extra effort. So how...

Podcast: Addressing and Preventing Self-Harm in Kids & Teens

Scott talks to Dr. Michael Hollander about identifying and addressing self-injurious behaviors in kids and adolescents. Michael shares signs and symptoms that there may be self-harm occurring in a child or teen, offers methods to teach loved ones better coping mechanisms, provides insight into when...

Video: Recognizing and Addressing Mental Health Disorders in Teens

Being a teenager isn’t easy in today’s fast-paced, demanding world, and neither is being an adult helping a teen navigate the many social and emotional challenges of adolescence. Distinguishing between so-called “typical” teen behavior and signs of emerging mental health disorders can be especially...

Podcast: Understanding ADHD in Kids & Teens

Scott talks to Dr. Roberto Olivardia about what attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is and how it can impact children and adolescents. Roberto explains how we can help support the kids and teens we look after who have ADHD, addresses the stigma associated with ADHD diagnoses, and answers...

How To Set Up Your Kids for Success: Focus on Their Mental Health

Did you know that 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14? Statistics like this make McLean Hospital clinicians, like Dana B. Sarvey, MD, want to spend every possible minute educating parents, pediatricians, and other adults who care for children about the importance of mental...

Everything You Need To Know About Teen Use of Drugs & Alcohol

Growing up can be difficult. Oftentimes, adolescents are curious, stressed, emotional, and looking for ways to escape boredom. Adolescents are also more likely to experiment with substances due to the way the brain develops. Sometimes, when given the opportunity, they’ll find an escape through drugs...

Video: Building Confidence in Kids & Teens

We all want to help our kids in every stage of life, whether it’s cutting up food for a toddler or helping a teen navigate college applications. At certain ages, though, children and adolescents should feel confident in their abilities to do some things for themselves. That’s confidence and self...

Podcast: Navigating Autism Through Childhood Years

Jenn talks to Laura Mead about identifying and addressing the needs of children and teens with autism spectrum disorder. Laura provides examples of signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in kids and teens, shares ways to support the needs of our loved ones as they get older, and answers...

Podcast: What Is Validation and Why Is It So Important?

Jenn talks to Dr. Blaise Aguirre about the importance of validating the thoughts and feelings of kids and teens. Blaise provides examples of what validation looks and feels like in kids and teens, shares ways to support our loved ones’ thoughts and feelings, and answers audience questions about...