Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple

The Palisades Fire has been devastating California since the start of the year, destroying over 23,000 acres and nearly 5,000 structures. In this special episode of Shrinking it Down, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins explore the emotional impact of these fires, sharing strategies for parents to help them manage their own and their family's anxieties about the fires.Media ListPalisades Fire  (MalibuCity.org)California Wildfires Response (Red Cross)Breaking News and Kids  (MGH Clay Center)The Psychological Gift Of Giving A Gift (MGH Clay Center)Climate Anxiety and Kids, featuring Elizabeth Pinsky, MD (MGH Clay Center)10 Self-Care Tips for Parents (MGH Clay Center)

Shrinking it Down will return on January 23rd for a special episode on teen nicotine misuse. Happy Holidays and we hope you have a great New Year!

In the recent Advisory, Parents Under Pressure, the US Surgeon General noted that parents are currently more stressed, burned out, and lonely than ever before. The alarming statistics are not all that different than his Advisories on the Youth Mental Health and Loneliness Epidemics that have been escalating since the late 1970s.In this episode of Shrinking it Down, Gene and Khadijah discuss this new advisory and what parents can do to combat these increased feelings of stress and loneliness.Media ListParents Under Pressure (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory)Protecting Youth Mental Health (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory)Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory)Self-Care for Parents (MGH Clay Center)NAMI | National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)Myths About the 12-Step Program (MGH Clay Center)Parental Stress: Practical Tips in Response to the Surgeon General (Clay Center)

Let's be honest, we're all stressed.We're stressed about climate change, world crises, the upcoming election, or even just the common stressors of everyday life: economic pressures, relationship issues, burnout, you name it. So, with all stress, our conversations can easily become more uncivilized.In this episode of Shrinking it Down, Gene and Khadijah discuss the key elements of conflict resolution, strategies for civil conversations, and a special role-play scenario to help demonstrate positive conflict resolution.Media ListPolitical Polarization in the American Public (Pew Research Center)Conflict Resolution - 10 Tips for Families (Clay Center)Parents Under Pressure (U.S Surgeon General)Parental Stress: Practical Tips in Response to the Surgeon General (Clay Center) Episode music by Gene BeresinEpisode produced by Spenser Egnatz

The Special Education system in school can be confusing, especially if you haven’t been through the process with a child before.In part 2 of this series, Gene and Khadijah continue their discussion with Ellen Braaten, PhD, and Eileen Hagerty, Esq, who specialize in learning disabilities and special education law. They discuss evaluation results, advocacy, and the importance of destigmatizing special ed. Media ListLearning & Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) (MGH) Ellen Braaten, PhD (MGH) Eileen M. Hagerty, Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP (KCS Legal) Massachusetts Advocates for Children (Mass Advocates) Navigating Special Education in Schools Part 1: Legal and Practical Tips (Shrinking it Down)Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy (Wrights Law)From Emotions to Advocacy by Pamela Darr Wright and Peter W.D. Wright (Wrights Law)Parents Have the Power to Make Special Education Work (Amazon)Episode music by Gene BeresinEpisode produced by Spenser Egnatz

Welcome back to a new season of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple!   For our season premiere, Gene and Khadijah are joined by two special guests who specialize in learning disabilities and special education law – Ellen Braaten, PhD, and Eileen Hagerty, Esq, – to do a deep dive on the special education system. On part 1 of this two-part series, they provide legal and practical tips by discussing the definitions, rights, and processes involved in special education evaluationsMedia ListLearning & Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) (MGH) Ellen Braaten, PhD (MGH) Eileen M. Hagerty, Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP (KCS Legal) Massachusetts Advocates for Children (Mass Advocates) Coping With ADHD: How A Young Man And His Mom Are Managing The Path To Success (MGH Clay Center) Our Greatest Strengths, Part 2 (Shrinking it Down)  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (US Department of Education)Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) (US Department of Education)Intro to Processing Speed (MGH Clay Center) What are the Best Treatments for ADHD (MGH Clay Center) Dyslexia 101 (MGH Clay Center) What is Autism (MGH Clay Center)  Massachusetts Advocates for Children Helpline (Mass Advocates)  Episode music by Gene BeresinEpisode produced by Spenser Egnatz